Greece Culinary & Wellness Retreat (Crete)
Crete Culinary & Wellness Retreat
Small-group week of Pilates, Greek cooking demonstrations, tastings and excursions hosted by MasterChef winner Irini Tzortzoglou.
WHEN: 19-26 June 2027
LOCATION: A Country Hotel, on the foothills of the Lassithi Mountains
GROUP SIZE: 12 guests
WHO IT’S FOR: Food lovers, solo travellers and couples seeking culture, connection and gentle movement
EXPERIENCE INCLUDES: Pilates sessions, culinary demonstrations, olive oil and honey tastings, local producer visits, excursions and shared long-table meals
PRICING: From £2,450
NEAREST AIRPORT: Heraklion International airport
Early summer is my favourite time to welcome guests to Crete. The countryside is still green, the evenings are long enough for conversations to continue outdoors, and life hasn’t yet given way to the pace of high summer. It’s a wonderful time to experience the island as the locals do.
This week brings together the things that matter most to me. Good food made from seasonal ingredients. Time around the table. Gentle movement with Hilary for those who’d like it. Visits to people and places I’ve known for years, and enough unhurried time to enjoy them properly.
We’ll stay at a family-run country hotel overlooking the Aposelemis Gorge, where you’ll quickly feel less like a guest and more like part of everyday life. Between excursions there’s time to sit with a coffee, enjoy the view, or simply do nothing at all.
By the end of the week, my hope is that you’ll return home not only with new recipes and wonderful memories, but with a renewed appreciation for the simple pleasure of sharing good food, good company and time together.
Why Crete, and why with me
Crete is where I learned almost everything I know about food and hospitality. Not from chefs or cookery books, but from the people who raised me. Here, generosity isn’t something reserved for special occasions. It’s part of everyday life. There’s always another chair to pull up to the table, another plate to share and another story to tell.
This is the Crete I want you to experience.
Not simply the beautiful beaches and mountain villages, but the island through the people who have become part of my own life. The olive oil producers, beekeepers, farmers, cooks and friends who have welcomed me back, year after year, and who now welcome my guests in exactly the same way.
Everything we do during the week reflects the values I grew up with. Food made with seasonal ingredients. Time around the table. Conversations that aren’t hurried. Looking after one another without making a fuss. It’s a way of life that reminds us that some of the happiest moments are often the simplest.
Alongside me, Hilary gently weaves optional Pilates into the week. Her sessions aren’t about pushing yourself or keeping up. They’re simply another opportunity to feel stronger, move more freely and enjoy being in your body, whatever your starting point.
My hope is that you’ll return home with wonderful memories, new friendships and recipes you’ll cook again and again. But more than that, I hope you’ll take home something of the Cretan way of living. A reminder that life feels richer when we slow down, eat together and make time for the people around us.
Where we stay
Our home for the week is Velani Country Hotel, tucked into the foothills of the Lassithi Mountains. It’s one of my favourite places in Crete, not because it’s grand or luxurious, but because it has that rare ability to make people relax within minutes of arriving.
Family-run and genuinely welcoming, Velani has none of the formality of a large hotel. Mornings begin with breakfast on the terrace, evenings often end watching the light fade over the mountains, and in between there’s always somewhere peaceful to sit with a coffee, a book, or simply the view.
The rooms are spacious and comfortable, each with its own balcony or terrace. When we’re not out exploring, you’ll probably find yourself beside the spotless infinity pool, sitting in the shade with a book, or simply taking in the view before we gather around the table again
How the week unfolds
From the moment you arrive in Crete, there’s nothing you need to think about except enjoying the week ahead. You will be welcomed at the airport, and from then on everything has been carefully arranged, leaving you free to settle in, get to know your fellow guests and simply enjoy being here.
Each day unfolds naturally. Some mornings begin with one of Hilary’s optional Pilates sessions, helping you ease into the day before breakfast. Others begin more slowly, with coffee on the terrace, watching gliders launch from the mountain above. There is never any expectation to join in. The choice is always yours.
Food weaves naturally through the week. We’ll cook together using seasonal Cretan ingredients, visit people I’ve known for many years, taste exceptional olive oils and honeys, and share long lunches where conversation is every bit as important as what’s on the plate.
Rather than trying to see everything, we spend time in places worth lingering in. It’s a week designed to leave you feeling nourished, rested and inspired, with memories and recipes you’ll continue to enjoy long after you’ve returned home.
Beyond the guidebook
The places we visit aren’t chosen because they’re famous. They’re the places I’ve returned to for years. The people who welcome us are friends, producers and craftspeople whose generosity has shaped my own understanding of Crete. I want you to experience the island through the people who live it every day.
We begin the week making our own pottery with Eva and Yiannis. It’s a gentle way to arrive. Hands busy, conversation flowing naturally, and by the end of the week you’ll take home a bowl that will always remind you of the days you spent here.
In Heraklion, our guide Lena brings the island’s remarkable history to life with warmth and humour before we settle in for lunch at one of my favourite local restaurants. There’s time to wander, browse the market or simply watch everyday life unfold over a coffee before we head back into the countryside.
Later in the week we visit a family winery, taste wines that rarely leave the island, and share lunch on a biodynamic farm where almost everything on the table has been grown a few metres from where we’re sitting. It’s one of those meals that reminds you how satisfying simple food can be when it’s prepared with care.
On our final evening we gather at my favourite seafood restaurant of Hersonissos. There is no ceremony, just wonderful seafood, generous hospitality and one last evening around the table together. By then strangers have usually become friends, and saying goodbye is the hardest part of the week.
My role as your host
Throughout the week, I’m there to make everything feel easy. I’ll guide, explain and support when you need me, and quietly step back when you’d rather simply enjoy the moment. My job is to take care of the details, so you can relax into the experience.
I’ve spent my life bringing people around a table. Winning MasterChef opened new doors for me, but what matters most is something much older than that. It’s the Cretan belief that looking after people is a privilege.
Whether you’re travelling with a friend, a partner or on your own, my hope is that you’ll feel welcomed from the moment you arrive. Many guests come on their own, but it rarely takes long before everyone feels part of the group.
By the end of the week, I hope you’ll leave feeling you’ve been cared for, well fed and warmly welcomed. If you leave feeling you’d like to come back, then I’ll know we’ve done something right.
What I take care of
Your stay includes seven nights’ accommodation at Country Hotel Velani, all meals, five Pilates sessions, two food demonstrations with me, honey and olive oil tastings, a wine tasting, all transfers and excursions within Crete, and gratuities. From arrival to departure, the practical details are handled for you.
What you arrange separately
Flights to Crete, drinks, personal expenses and travel insurance are arranged independently. Travel insurance is a requirement of participation.
Retreat Cost
The cost is £2,450 per person sharing, or £2,750 for single occupancy. Accommodation is provided in different en-suite room types, and availability is confirmed at the time of booking. A 25% deposit secures your place, with the balance due eight weeks before arrival. Payment plans are available on request.
This is a carefully held week, designed to restore, strengthen and nourish rather than impress.
Before confirming your place
Places are confirmed personally to ensure the retreat is right for you and for the group as a whole. For this reason, I ask that you wait for confirmation before booking flights.
Full terms and conditions are available on this page and can be read at your leisure. Once your place is confirmed, further practical information will follow, including a detailed outline shared closer to departure.
This retreat is intentionally limited in size to maintain a calm, personal and supportive atmosphere throughout the week.
If you would like further details, or to discuss whether this retreat is right for you, please email irini@irinicooks.com. I am always happy to answer questions before you decide.
