Cooking Class in Athens with Shopping in Central Market & Lunch
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Athens, Greece
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get an in-depth and authentic Athens food experience, and pair a cooking class with a market visit. Alongside a local host, you’ll shop for ingredients at the Athens Central Market, meeting local traders and discussing the produce. Then, you’ll cook a lunch of traditional Greek dishes, using recipes that you can recreate or adapt back at home. The finished creations are yours for lunch.
- Get a local’s perspective on Athens as you browse the market with a host
- Receive a souvenir copy of all the recipes after the cooking class ends
- Enjoy complimentary wine and mineral water as you enjoy your lunch
- Keep hygiene and cleanliness in mind with provided gloves and aprons
Sample Menu
Starter
Tzatziki
Yogurt, Cucumber & Garlic dip
Starter
Mini Cheese Pies or "Dolmadakia"
Small cheese pies or Stuffed Vine leaves with rice
Starter
Greek Salad
Tomato, Cucumber, Green Peppers, Olives & Feta Cheese
Main
Stuffed vegetables
Peppers & Tomatoes stuffed with rice
Dessert
Chocolate salami
Cold sweet with chocolate, biscuit & walnuts
What's Included
- Necessary equipment for the workshop (aprons, gloves, cookware, etc)
- Alcoholic BeveragesA glass of Wine per person
- LunchMain Dish, 2 Appetizers, Salad & Dessert, a glass of wine
- A souvenir book with recipes per booking
- All Fees and Taxes
- Third Party Liability Cover
- Market shopping
- Licenced guide
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Tzireon 12, Athina 117 42, Greece
We meet our guests in our office at Str. Tziraion 12, next to the Acropolis Metro Station and from there we walk to the Central Market place and the venue. Look for Active Athens Holidays! The activity ends at the venue, in Monastiraki square area.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.11:30 am
What To Expect
1
Central Market
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- The activity ends at the venue, in Monastiraki square area.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
David_P
A very enjoyable and informative tour with a great guide. We enjoyed visiting the vegetable and meat markets and cheese shop. We then had a great cooking class at a lovely taverna with a knowledgable chef. Lunch then followed, and the food was delicious and plentiful. Highly recommended.
Reviews
4.9
based on 56 reviews
Rachel_W, Oct 2025
Anastasia was AMAZING! She was so much fun and gave the best insight to local living! This tour was the best part of our trip in Athens so far. 10/10 recommend!
Pierre_S, Sep 2025
Go introduction to Greek vegetarian cooking. Touring the market first was a wonderful way to acclimate to the culture. The guide and translator, Nina, was very knowledgeable and accommodating.
Louise_C, Sep 2025
Our host Nina was amazing. She took us to the market to shop and was very informative along the way, pointing out areas of interest. The cooking class was in a fun atmosphere. They gave us the recipes so that we can make the items at home. The chef was very good and friendly. We got to eat the food when we were done cooking, seated at a table in the restaurant. Very Fun! Would highly recommend!!!
Dagmar_K, Sep 2025
First of all - the chef even he could only speak greek was top . The restaurant was very cute and the food good - so was the cookingexperience- now the rest: the guide a lady ran with us through monastiraki - it was quiet a walk in the heat - she was only talking to the 2 people who literally ran with her in front of our group - no explanation - no show or telling us ehat ww pass or anything. Only personal things what she likes or dislikes - and allover she was rough and inappropriate appearance. Xtreme personal timepressure and not prepared. Had not enough receipebooks as promised and told us to download it for this money overall not worth it
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Dagmar,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We always try to create memorable and enjoyable experiences, and we genuinely regret that your expectations were not met during your time with us.
First, regarding the recipe books: As clearly stated on the booking page, the experience includes one recipe booklet per booking, not per participant. Since your reservation was for three people, one booklet was provided, and that's why we also sent the recipe booklet as a PDF to ensure everyone could access the material. However, after you raised a concern about this, our facilitator kindly provided you with an additional booklet, which we did not see mentioned in your review.
Regarding the guide and the walk through Monastiraki: Our facilitators are allowed to share personal stories and insights, particularly about the food and the experience, but they are not licensed to give historical or archaeological explanations. This, too, is clearly stated on the booking page. We understand that this may not have been what you were expecting, but our aim is to offer a personal and local perspective on the food and culture, rather than a full historical tour of the city. If you are interested in a more in-depth historical or archaeological experience, we recommend booking a specialized historical walking tour, which would provide the expertise you’re looking for.
We also understand that our experience is particularly suited for visitors coming to Greece for the first time who want an introduction to Greek cuisine and culture. Since you live in Greece, it’s possible that the information we provide might not have been new or relevant to you, and we completely understand that this may have impacted your overall experience. We apologize if this aspect of the tour didn’t meet your expectations.
As for the chef, while we appreciate your feedback, it’s important to note that not all professionals in Greece are fluent in English, especially when it comes to chefs who focus on their craft. In this case, we arrange for our facilitator to assist with translations to ensure a seamless experience. Our goal is to offer an authentic culinary experience, which includes working with skilled chefs from actual restaurants.
Finally, the 25-minute walk through the Greek market is an integral part of the experience, as it allows guests to immerse themselves in the local atmosphere. However, we understand that it may have been challenging for you.
We are genuinely sorry that the experience did not meet your expectations, but many of the points you mentioned were clearly outlined on the booking page prior to your participation.
We always welcome feedback and will take your comments into account as we continue to refine our offerings. We hope that, despite your concerns, you will take some fond memories from the experience.
Kimberley_Z, Sep 2025
Great experience and lots of food.. guide was very informative and pleasant. Some walking was involved to do market experience.
Emily_C, Sep 2025
A walking tour + food preparation class + lunch experience. We enjoyed it all and even more so, the company we had on the tour with us. The meeting place was easy to find, the walking tour was a bit hazardous but also gave you a good feel for how bustling the city streets can be, a good bit of historical information shared, especially when it comes to architecture and culture. We loved the restaurant that the cooking class was hosted in, and then given the freedom to enjoy our lunch at our own pace, the food was wonderful. The chef (instructor) and the guide did a great job keeping everyone involved and having a great time.
Tracey_G, Jun 2025
Fabulous shopping, cooking, and dining experience with delicious food and friendly, knowledgeable guide and chef! Come hungry!!😋
Shelley_C, May 2025
Class was fun. Restaurant setting was too noisy and crowded. Our table to work at was too small for everything we needed. Guide was great. Chef was great. Food was great
Rai_C, Jan 2025
Great Tour,
We enjoyed very much
Our lovely guide Joanna walked us round the city, then market which was very interesting. Assisted in translating to restaurant chef. Knowledgeable cooking class, my granddaughter loved it.
Rachel_H, Oct 2024
My husband and I had an amazing time in this tour. Elena was very friendly and knowledgeable not only about the food of the region but also the history and architecture. We picked out a few items at the market before heading to the restaurant to prepare our meal. Everyone was fun and the food was delicious. Highly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Dear Rachel,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're happy to hear that you and your husband had such an amazing time on the tour. We hope to welcome you back to Athens someday!
Kurt_C, Jul 2024
The Athens central market and cooking class was not your typical cooking experience. The recipes and menu were delicious and authentically Greek; however, the class was conducted in the open air dining room of the restaurant (read no air conditioning) with the 8 participants seated elbow-to-elbow at a dining table with the head chef demonstrating while the tour guide translated his instructions. Food courses and portions were huge, but contained no protein.
Also be aware that the meeting location is 20 minutes from central market so walking through Athens is required beyond just touring the market. The market visit included purchasing vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers and buying yogurt, but included no education on how Greek products are special or what to look for when shopping.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Kurt,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about your recent experience with our Cooking Class activity. We truly appreciate your kind words about the delicious and authentically Greek recipes, and we're glad to hear that you enjoyed the menu.
We apologize for any discomfort caused by the lack of air conditioning. Our class takes place in one of the most traditional taverns in Athens, and it is customary to have all doors open. While the air conditioning was on during your class, the exceptionally hot weather that day may have made it less effective.
We also recognize that we did not initially mention the walking distance from the meeting location to the central market. While this walk through the scenic Plaka area of Athens is usually enjoyable, we understand that the heat made it more challenging. We have now updated our activity description to include this information.
Regarding the market visit, our guide aims to inform participants about the way to choose the "right" ingredients for the specific dishes of the class. We appreciate your suggestion and will consider adding more general information about Greek products in the future.
As for the menu, we strive to offer a traditional Greek summer dining experience, which sometimes includes lighter, vegetable-focused dishes. All dishes are listed in the class description, allowing clients to review them in advance. We understand the importance of meeting diverse dietary preferences and will take your feedback into consideration for future classes.
Thank you again for your valuable feedback. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back and provide an improved experience.
David_P, Jun 2024
A very enjoyable and informative tour with a great guide. We enjoyed visiting the vegetable and meat markets and cheese shop. We then had a great cooking class at a lovely taverna with a knowledgable chef. Lunch then followed, and the food was delicious and plentiful. Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear David, thank you very much for your kind words. We are really happy that you enjoyed
our Cooking Experience!
We looking forward to receive pictures with you recreations from back home! :)
bkckauai, Jun 2024
We had a long day before this Cooking Class and found the later start time (11:00 a.m.) and the relaxing pace to be perfect for our needs! We first had a tour through Athens' Central Market, where our charming guide Nina showed us the produce and cheeses needed to make our dishes. We also learned a little about Greek food culture. Then, we proceeded to a restaurant, where the chef demonstrated how to make five important Greek dishes - tzatziki, Greek salad, stuffed grape leaves, stuffed tomatoes and bell peppers, and chocolate salamis. (Note: carving the tomato to make stuffed tomatoes was the most fun!) Everything was delicious and we got to eat the tzatziki and Greek salad that we made. It takes too long to cook the other dishes so we ate someone else's creation. This was a great way to spend a relaxing day away from the heat, learn something new, and enjoy the fruits of our labor!
Claire_D, May 2024
George was an amazing tour guide. He was funny, knowledgeable, and very friendly. We really enjoyed the Athens central market shopping experience, and him translating Greek for us. We also loved the authentic Greek cuisine and chef. Would recommend to anyone going to Athens!
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Claire, thank you very much for your kind words. We are really happy that you enjoyed
our Cooking Experience!
We hope you were able to organize a Greek night back home with our recipes! :)
Michelle_W, Apr 2024
Very happy with the company for allowing the tour to still take place we paid for the group tour but because this was the off season we were the only couple. Had an amazing time walking the city with our guide, he was somewhat new to the tour industry but really had the history and city knowledge of how daily life takes place. Gave us so much insight on how life and politics work throughout the city. Allowed us to go to different parts of the market to get the experience. Great translator for our chef experience and was very kind and spoke to our American understanding. Got to know him more and he us in our conversations at the dinner table. He even stayed late to answer our questions and ran late to his dentist appointment. Really put our needs and experience above all else. Would recommend this tour/experience to anyone over any others. FYI also gave us a cookbook that we have used back home many times since the tour helping us rekindle our wonderful experience!
Pam_B, Mar 2024
The guide was thoughtful and knowledgeable- amazing English - translating the Greek chef’s instructions. Thevtour through the market was both fun and instructional. The recipes were simple but delicious…a wonderful experience for our family.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Pam, thank you very much for your kind words. We are really happy that you enjoyed our Cooking Experience!
We hope you were able to organize a Greek night back home with our recipes! :)
Amy_c, Nov 2023
The tour was well organized, our guide was pleasant , chef was wonderful , sharing tips for making good tzaziki, how to make sure to purchase real feta….the stuffed peppers were delicious! We enjoyed walking through the markets too. Not much history on the tour itself but a good way to get acquainted with different neighborhoods.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Dear Amy, thank you very much for your kind words. We are really happy that you enjoyed our experience. Stay safe!
DonnaLynn_E, Sep 2023
Wonderful cooking class experience. Yelena was our tour guide and she was so lovely. We got to walk around Athens a little bit, shop for our produce at a lovely local store, and do a wonderful cooking class with an amazing Chef. Food was delicious!
Lisa_A, Jul 2023
I loved this cooking class! Our guide went above and beyond and showed us some beautiful places as we walked to the market. I learned so much ! And the cooking part was so great because it was very hands on and not too hard. It was one of the main highlights of our trip. It’s a must do! You’ll leave wanting to cook Greek food when you get back home. The food, chef and restaurant were wonderful.
Joanne_M, Jul 2023
We had the most lovely guide Antoinette. We first went to the market and on the way had a lovely walk while pointing out some fabulous sites of Athens. We shopped at the market then went to the restaurant to meet our chef who went through the recipes step by step. It was wonderful and so much fun and at the end we got to have the most delicious lunch. Highly recommend!
brooke_b, Jun 2023
Was such a great day exploring the markets then going to a resturant to cook...there was so much food we got to take some home. Angela was a fantastic guide! 👏
Tami_P, Mar 2023
This was an amazing tour. The booking was easy, communication was excellent. Our guide was friendly, fun and knowledgeable. He showed us around the area with lots of interesting facts about the city before an excellent trip to the market. Then a great cooking class and wonderful lunch. Followed up with great tips on how to spend our remaining time in Athens. So much more than a cooking class! Thank you!
Anonymous, Dec 2022
Thanks to Xenia our wonderful and friendly guide to and John our chef who taught us. It was fun learning to prepare many dishes and wonderful to eat the meal at the end.
kerryplaneta, Oct 2022
Our tour guide Constantina was amazing!! This class was a great experience, from walking to the market to learning a little about the history of the food. I went with my daughter and it was one of our favorite days! The time flies and the meal at the end is SO good!
Joy_M, May 2022
It was absolutely fabulous! We enjoyed ourselves very much!!!! We loved Constantina as our Guide. Also Telis was very nice and professional. The quality of food was exceptional and we learned a lot about Greek food❤️
Elizabeth_S, Mar 2022
My sister and I came to Athens to visit my niece who is spending the semester studying there. The three of us had such a special afternoon shopping in the market and learning to prepare our delicious lunch with our charming tour guides and chef. Shopping in the market and preparing our lunch was such a fun way to get a deeper appreciation of the Greek culture. I can’t wait to make those meal for my friends! I would highly recommend this experience
Response from Host, Mar 2022
Dear Elizabeth thank you for your kind review we are very happy that you enjoyed our experience and we wait for pictures of your meals back home!
Kind regards,
Active Athens team
Elala_B, Oct 2023
Une matinée avec notre guide Yanis dans les ruelles d'Athenes avec une découverte du marché avec ses produits typiques, suivi d'un cours de cuisine au cœur d'un restaurant spécialiste de cuisine grecque avec l'aimable chef Yannis et pour conclure déjeuner dans ce meme restaurant. Moment sympathique et convivial.
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