Go Local - Cretan Village of Krousonas

Explore the village of Krousonas and engage in activities that will provide an authentic glimpse into daily life. Your first stop will be the St. Irene of Kroussonas Monastery, which was extraordinarily affluent in the 1600s. However, the monastery was abandoned during the Ottoman rule of Greece, left in ruins and not rebuilt until 1940. Following an enlightening tour of the monastery now turned convent, the resident nuns will offer you a homemade sweet. You will next visit the village of Kroussonas to meet some of the shopkeepers, starting with a boot maker and baker. Both will be quite willing to discuss their businesses and day-to-day lives. To become even further immersed in the local culture, you will watch a folkloric dance performance, see a cheese-making demonstration, learn to prepare Cretan cheese pie, and taste local varieties of olive oil and wine. Few culinary experiences are so wide ranging and informative. A traditional Cretan lunch follows.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Delve into local life in Krousonas, a village on the eastern slopes of the Ida Mountains.
• Browse a convent that was an affluent monastery in the 17th century
• Converse with shopkeepers, watch a folkloric performance and sample traditional foods.