From Cretan pies and Cycladic cheeses to mountain cooking in the Peloponnese and pistachios from Aegina, discover Greece's regional flavours and the landscapes behind them.
What should you eat in Greece? Try dakos and Sfakian pies in Crete, local cheeses and island specialities in the Cyclades, and hearty mountain dishes in the Peloponnese. In Athens, explore traditional street food and meze, while Aegina is famous for its pistachios. Each region offers a different taste of Greek cuisine.
There's something particularly satisfying about a meal in Greece after a long walk.
Perhaps it's the simplicity of the ingredients, the generous plates designed for sharing or the pleasure of sitting beneath a vine-covered terrace, with the sea or mountains just beyond the table.
Greek cuisine is closely connected to its landscapes. On the islands, olive oil, vegetables, herbs and seafood are everyday essentials. In the mountains, you'll find slow-cooked dishes, local cheeses and recipes shaped by farming and pastoral traditions.
And while familiar favourites such as Greek salad and moussaka are delicious, there's much more to discover when you venture beyond the best-known dishes.
From the rugged gorges of Crete to the fertile valleys of Naxos, the stone villages of Arcadia and the streets of Athens, every place has something different to offer.
Here are some of the flavours worth looking for along a SloWays walking holiday in Greece.
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Crete has one of Greece's most distinctive culinary identities.
The island's food traditions are closely connected to its mountains, olive groves and agricultural communities, where simple ingredients have long been transformed into nourishing, flavourful dishes.
One of the best-known Cretan specialities is dakos, a barley rusk topped with grated tomato, olive oil and soft cheese, often accompanied by oregano and olives.
It's a wonderfully simple dish, particularly welcome on a warm day.
Another local favourite is kalitsounia, small pastries with fillings that vary across the island. Some are savoury, filled with greens or cheese, while others are sweetened with honey.
In western Crete, look out for Sfakian pies, thin, pan-cooked pies traditionally filled with soft cheese and often served with honey.
The combination of cheese and honey might seem unusual, but it's a recurring pleasure in Greek cuisine, bringing together ingredients that have been produced in the region for centuries.
And, of course, there's Cretan olive oil, used generously in everything from salads to vegetable dishes.
The landscape helps explain why these foods are so important.
In southwestern Crete, the White Mountains rise dramatically above the Libyan Sea. Ancient paths connect isolated villages, while spectacular gorges cut through the rocky terrain.
Along the way, you'll discover places such as Paleochora, Agia Roumeli and Loutro, where a meal in a traditional taverna is a welcome reward after a demanding day on the trail.
Walk it with SloWays: Our Crete: Gorges and Mountains walking holiday takes you through the dramatic Samaria and Aradena gorges, traditional villages and the beautiful coastline of southwestern Crete.
The Cyclades might be famous for their whitewashed villages and blue-domed churches, but their food traditions are just as distinctive as their landscapes.
And while the islands share certain ingredients and cooking techniques, each has developed its own specialities.
Naxos, the largest island in the Cyclades, is particularly interesting for food lovers.
Unlike some of its drier neighbours, Naxos has fertile valleys, agricultural land and a long tradition of producing cheese and vegetables.
One of its best-known products is Graviera Naxou, a firm, flavourful cheese made primarily from cow's milk, with a protected designation of origin.
The island is also famous for its potatoes, grown in its agricultural plains and used in many traditional dishes.
For something particularly comforting, look for rosto, a Naxian dish of slow-cooked pork flavoured with garlic and often served with pasta or potatoes.
Walking through Naxos reveals the landscape behind these ingredients.
Ancient stone paths connect traditional villages such as Chalki and Filoti, while olive groves, orchards and agricultural terraces stretch across the countryside beneath Mount Zas.
Santorini, meanwhile, offers a completely different culinary landscape.
Its volcanic soil and dry climate have helped shape distinctive local products, including small, intensely flavoured tomatoes and fava Santorinis, a protected speciality made from yellow split peas.
Despite its name, fava isn't made from broad beans. It's usually served as a smooth purée with olive oil, onion or capers.
Another local favourite is tomatokeftedes, small tomato fritters made with herbs and fried until golden.
And for wine lovers, Santorini is known for its distinctive white wines, particularly those made from the Assyrtiko grape.
Between meals, there are ancient villages, volcanic cliffs and remarkable views across the caldera to discover.
Walk it with SloWays: Our Naxos and Santorini walking holiday combines traditional villages, rural landscapes and dramatic coastal scenery, with opportunities to discover the flavours of both islands.
Not every Cycladic island has the same landscape, or the same culinary traditions.
Andros is one of the greenest islands in the archipelago, with fertile valleys, springs, orchards and historic paths that once connected its rural communities.
Its food reflects this agricultural character.
One speciality worth trying is fourtalia, a substantial local omelette traditionally prepared with potatoes, eggs and sausage.
It's the kind of satisfying dish that makes particular sense after a morning spent walking.
Andros is also known for its local cheeses, honey and traditional sweets, which reflect the island's long-standing farming traditions.
The landscape is surprisingly varied, with stone-paved paths leading through green valleys, past old watermills and towards secluded beaches.
On neighbouring Tinos, the food culture is equally interesting.
The island is known for its cheeses, including volaki, a small, rounded cheese traditionally produced locally.
Another speciality is louza, a cured pork delicacy flavoured with herbs and spices.
Tinos also has a strong agricultural identity, with terraced fields, small villages and traditional dovecotes scattered across the countryside.
These distinctive stone structures are among the island's most recognisable features, reminders of a rural past that continues to shape its character.
Between meals, you'll discover marble-paved streets, historic churches and villages where everyday life follows a quieter rhythm than in the Cyclades' busiest destinations.
Walk it with SloWays: Our Andros and Tinos walking holiday explores ancient paths, traditional villages and rural landscapes across two of the Cyclades' lesser-known islands.
When people imagine Greek food, they often think of seaside tavernas, grilled fish and summer evenings overlooking the Aegean.
But the mountains of the Peloponnese offer a very different culinary experience.
In Arcadia, the region crossed by the Menalon Trail, food traditions are rooted in pastoral life, forests and mountain villages.
Here, the cuisine is often hearty and comforting, with dishes designed around ingredients that could be produced locally.
Look out for hilopites, traditional Greek egg pasta, often served with tomato-based sauces, meat or local cheese.
Another speciality is trahanas, a traditional preparation made from wheat or flour and fermented milk, usually cooked into a warming soup.
Local cheeses are an important part of the region's cuisine, including feta, graviera and other sheep's and goat's milk varieties.
Honey, walnuts and mountain herbs also feature prominently in local food traditions.
These ingredients reflect the surrounding landscape.
The Menalon Trail passes through dense forests, rocky gorges and traditional stone villages, following paths that have connected mountain communities for generations.
Places such as Stemnitsa, Dimitsana and Vytina offer opportunities to discover this quieter side of Greece.
After a day spent walking through the Lousios Gorge or beneath the forests of Mount Menalon, a meal in a village taverna feels particularly rewarding.
And unlike the island cuisines, where the sea is often central to the menu, Arcadian cooking offers a taste of Greece's mountain heritage.
Walk it with SloWays: Our Menalon Trail walking holiday follows historic paths through the mountains of Arcadia, connecting stone villages, monasteries and forest landscapes.
For a completely different culinary experience, head to Athens.
The Greek capital offers an extraordinary variety of food, from traditional neighbourhood bakeries and busy markets to contemporary restaurants reinterpreting familiar recipes.
One of the simplest pleasures is koulouri, a circular sesame-covered bread often enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack.
For something more substantial, try souvlaki, grilled meat served on skewers or wrapped in pita bread with vegetables and sauce.
Then there's spanakopita, the classic savoury pastry filled with spinach and feta, and tiropita, its cheese-filled counterpart.
But one of the most enjoyable ways to discover Greek cuisine is through meze: small dishes designed to be shared.
You might find tzatziki, dolmades, grilled vegetables, fried cheese or seafood, accompanied by bread and a leisurely conversation.
Athens is particularly rewarding to explore on foot.
Between the ancient streets of Plaka, the markets of the historic centre and the neighbourhoods surrounding the Acropolis, there's always somewhere interesting to stop.
And for travellers who want to combine culture and food, SloWays offers a particularly appealing short break.
Walk it with SloWays: Our Athens Weekend includes a self-guided urban food walk through historic neighbourhoods, with a four-course dining experience spread across four selected restaurants.
Just a short ferry journey from Athens lies Aegina, an island with a completely different atmosphere.
Aegina is particularly famous for its pistachios, which have become one of the island's most recognisable products.
Protected under the name Fistiki Aeginis PDO, they're enjoyed roasted and salted, but also appear in sweets, pastries and ice cream.
You'll find pistachio products in shops and cafés around Aegina Town, making them an excellent souvenir to bring home.
But the island has much more to offer than its famous nuts.
Traditional fishing villages, olive groves and coastal tavernas provide opportunities to enjoy fresh seafood and familiar Greek dishes in a quieter setting.
The island's walking paths reveal ancient landscapes, from the impressive Temple of Aphaia to the remains of Paleochora and the hills overlooking the Saronic Gulf.
Walk it with SloWays: Our Aegina Short Break combines coastal villages, historic sites and panoramic walking trails, with time to discover the island's local food traditions independently.
Absolutely. Greece is a particularly rewarding destination for travellers who enjoy combining outdoor exploration with local food.
And the variety of landscapes means that every walking holiday offers a different culinary experience.
In Crete, you can discover mountain villages, olive groves and traditional tavernas after walking through spectacular gorges.
The Cyclades reveal a surprising diversity of ingredients, from Naxian cheeses and Santorini's volcanic produce to the agricultural traditions of Andros and Tinos.
Along the Menalon Trail, you'll encounter mountain cooking, local cheeses and recipes shaped by rural life.
And in Athens and Aegina, shorter walking experiences offer opportunities to explore Greek food culture alongside ancient history, island landscapes and lively neighbourhoods.
Most of these are walking holidays rather than dedicated culinary tours, so meals and tastings should be checked against the inclusions of your chosen itinerary. The Athens Weekend is an exception, with a gastronomic walking experience included in its programme.
But wherever you travel, food offers another way to connect with the places you visit.
From the rugged mountains of Crete to the fertile valleys of Naxos, the quiet villages of Andros and Tinos and the forests of Arcadia, Greece offers an extraordinary variety of flavours.
Each region has its own ingredients, recipes and traditions, shaped by the landscape and the people who have lived there for generations.
And while some of the most memorable meals might be enjoyed beside the sea, others are waiting in mountain villages, neighbourhood bakeries or small tavernas at the end of a walking trail.
With SloWays, you can discover these different sides of Greece at your own pace, choosing between island adventures, mountain trails and shorter cultural escapes.
Explore our walking holidays in Greece and discover a country that's every bit as rewarding to taste as it is to explore.
Written by the SloWays Team
Nominee Best Specialist Tour Operator 2026
