25 November - 2 December 2012

ITINERARY

Sunday 25 November (welcome!)

• Travel Day. Fly to Athens International Airport and change planes for the short 50-minute shuttle flight to Crete, landing at Chania airport in the early evening. (We can advise on appropriate flights.) Then take your hire car (advised) or taxi to our villas or we can arrange pickup at small extra cost. On arrival you can drop your bags at your villa and freshen up. Throughout the evening, there will be an 'open house' supper party at our own villa nearby where you can relax, have a glass of wine and food, and meet some of the others in the group.

Monday 26th November

• Acclimatisation day. Sleep late and enjoy your villa and the surroundings. Today is a no-work day, where you can enjoy continental breakfast on your balcony. Olive picking will be taking place every day in the fields around you, and you will be welcome to wander over and see what we are doing., or simply explore the olive grove and surrounding areas on your own.
• 12.30pm complimentary buffet lunch in the olive grove followed by Presentation of Activity Options:

  WALKING  & WILDFLOWER TOURS in the foothills of the White Mountains with an experienced local guide . Follow ancient shepherd trails along dried up riverbeds and see huge carnivorous plants growing wild. There is no pullution here, allowing rare & delicate plants to thrive as well as aromatic wild oregano, poppies, lavendar and 'dittany' the famous Cretan Mountain Tea. Stop for coffee and a cake in a sleepy Cretan village. Price per person 25 euro.

  GUIDED TOUR of the Venetian port of CHANIA. Visit the OId Quarter for traditional leather goods, jewellery and traditional Cretan products. Explore this most beautiful and famous sea-front with a choice of harbourside restaurants. Price depends on numbers but allow 25 - 30 euros per person to include transport, guide and meal/drinks.

  CRETAN COOKERY MASTERCLASS - learn to prepare delicious Cretan dishes with a local chef in an encouraging, friendly atmosphere. You will be guided through each cooking task, while learning about Crete's history, its people & traditions. Price 50 euro per person, (minimum of 4 people required for this couse to be held).

  SPORTS TARGET SHOOTING at a local club, supervised by a licenced qualified instructor. You get safe, expert tuition with a variety of shotguns to try, from 4 to 12-guage. A great day out! Price 75 euro per person, includes gun hire, 50 rounds of ammunition, transport and lunch.

  GLASS BLOWING STUDIO,  free visit & transport provided, at various times according to demand. Opportunity to purchase unusual gifts unique to Crete.

Tuesday 27th, Wednesday 28th & Thursday 29th November

• Three flexible days where you can mix and match any Activity Options or help us with the Olive Picking - entirely your choice. Continental breakfast and buffet lunches available each day.
• Evenings are free for you to choose several of local restaurants within easy reach. We will advise on restaurants and you should allow approx 15 euros per head.

Friday 30th November

• Continental breakfast in your villa then join us as we pick the last few trees of the grove and bag up the olives ready for the factory on Saturday .
• 12.30pm complimentary buffet lunch in the olive grove
• Afternoon: final olive picking/bagging up and then preparation for the evening party.
• 8.00pm Olive Harvest Party. Complimentary buffet & wine. Traditional music and dancing. Charcoal firepits keep us warm, through the cooler night air. We will be joined by neighbours and village friends, plus our staff and full-time olive pickers.

Saturday 1st December FACTORY DAY

• 9.00 am:  Lorry loading - olive sacks on to the truck
• 11.00 am: Arrive olive oil factory See the olives you have picked being made into fresh extra-virgin olive oil. Also your chance to explore, take photos and visit the on-site shop for traditional olive oil soaps, traditional raki, Cretan honey and other lovely products.
• Afternoon: Return to olive grove. Relaxation and a 'quiet night in' but you may find yourself invited to some-one else's villa for a meal where everyone brings a different dish or dessert.

Sunday 2nd December

• Travel Day - return home via Chania Airport & Athens International Airport

PRICES: £250 per person (275 euro) includes:

• Accommodation in one of our 4 private detached villas, each with private swimming pool. Double or twin bedded rooms as available. Each villa has 2 bathrooms. All rooms have balconies and spectacular mountain views.
• Daily continental breakfasts. Your villa fridge and larder is stocked with breakfast cereal, bread, jam, fruit, milk, yoghourt, water etc.
• Evening meals with wine included, on Sunday and Friday nights
• Buffet lunch served every day in the olive grove, except Saturday and off-site days.
• Friday night Olive Harvest Party

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Flights & your travel insurance
• Airport transfers
• Lunch on Saturday, or off-site days e.g. walking
• Activity Options

family together

and fill a villa:

SAVE up to

£125 with a

GROUP

DISCOUNT

TRAVEL: Flying to Crete out of season means you must change planes at Athens to get to our nearest airport Chania. But this is not difficult: Athens is a fabulous airport for eating and shopping if you have some spare time. Typical routes and times are shown below, all of which we have used ourselves.

MANCHESTER - ATHENS

Easyjet depart 07.00 am Sunday 25 November 2012 arrive Athens 13.05 pm. Return Sunday 2 December

Typical 'early booking' price £67 return + £28 luggage allowance (Total £95 return)

LONDON GATWICK - ATHENS

Easyjet depart 9.00am Sunday 25 November 2012 arrive Athens 14.35pm. Return Sunday 2 December

Typical 'early booking' price £67 return + £28 luggage allowance (Total £95 return)

Aegean Airlines

OUT Flight A3336 depart 16.00 Sunday 25 November, arr Chania 16.50

RETURN Flight A3333 depart 10.40 Sunday 2 December arr Athens 11.30

PRICE AS AT 11 JULY euro equivalent of £113 inc taxes - BOOK EARLY - LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE AT THIS PRICE

AND Olympic Airways

OUT Flight OA536 depart 19.25 Sunday 25 November, arr Chania 20.15.

RETURN Flight OA533 depart 08.25 Sunday 2 December arr Athens 09.25

PRICE AS AT 11 JULY euro equivalent of £113 inc taxes - BOOK EARLY - LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE AT THIS PRICE