Thessaloniki and Pelion, Greece

The idyllic Pelion Peninsula, which sits halfway between Thessaloniki and Athens, is a magical place, one where old culinary traditions thrive, fresh produce and superlative seafood are king, and coastal villages dripping with unspoiled charm sit on centuries of history. On our nine-day, exclusive-to-Milk Street trip through this region, we’ll get chance to explore—and taste—a side of Greece that most visitors to the country have yet to experience. Led by chef, cookbook author and Culinary Backstreets guide Carolina Doriti, the trip begins in Thessaloniki, Greece’s cosmopolitan “second city,” one which is equally influenced by its long periods of Byzantine and later Ottoman rule, plus its close connection to the Balkans. From there, we travel into the Pelion Peninsula, an area of natural beauty, picturesque mountainside villages, lush farms and a distinct local cuisine defined by its proximity to both forest and sea. We’ll get a chance to forage for edible wild greens, sip tsipouro at seaside tavernas and learn about the ancient legends and religious rituals that still live on. Along the way, Carolina will lead the group in hands-on cooking sessions and also introduce us to some artisanal Pelion producers creating traditional foods with methods untouched by time.

For an experience of Greece at its unspoiled best, this trip is one not to miss.

Trip highlights: Forage for local delicacies like tsitsiravla and preserve them like locals do; experience the historic tsipouradika and classic tavernas of the Pelion region; cook with Greek vegetables fresh from the farm; taste Greece’s most famous flavors, from honey and olives to wild herbs and wine; make “spoon sweets” made from local crab apple and quince with a rural women’s co-op; eat the sinfully custardy phyllo pie Thessaloniki is famous for; cruise the Aegean and swim in the pristine sea; sip coffee at a village cafe underneath the branches of one of the oldest trees in Europe.

Who you'll travel with: Carolini Doriti and, on this first departure only, Milk Street’s April Dodd

A sample of what you’ll eat: The freshest seafood accompanied by rounds of tsipouro, an aromatic grape brandy; honeys flavored by different local flowers; regional northern Greek wines; foraged garlic, mushrooms and herbs; hearty Pelion’s spetzofai (sausage cooked in a spicy tomato and peppers sauce); rustic savory pies filled with wild greens; mountain tea with mythical properties; fennel fritters with tzatziki; lamb chops you grill yourself.

Per person cost: $6,250 (Single room supplement: $1,200)
Nonrefundable deposit due at booking: $500