DESCRIPTION

Indigo Gazelle Tours is excited to offer an exclusive, intimate early summer 2026 journey (exact dates and pricing to be announced in the fall of 2025) to Greece that will feature the alluring, seaside “gastronomic capital” of Thessaloniki, the nearby Naoussa wine region and historic Macedonian sites of Pella and Vergina, and the “Blue Zone” longevity island of Ikaria. This slow travel + slow food experience will showcase the country’s effusive hospitality (philoxenia), Zorba-like zest for living, staggering beauty, storied history, and its trademark simple, delicious, and healthy cuisine for which this country is renowned. Indigo Gazelle’s Greece specialist, Alex Safos, and celebrity chef, author, and Mediterranean Diet Ambassador, Amy Riolo, will lead this delectable, intimate, enlightening, and picturesque tour.

This unique, off-the-beaten path itinerary is dedicated to exploring the Macedonian, Roman, Greek, Byzantine, and Ottoman cultural and culinary heritage of Thessaloniki along the scenic Thermaic Gulf, and the rugged and nature-rich island of Ikaria where indigenous diet (secrets: local honey, wine, and wild herbs) and lifestyle practices (secrets: time is elastic, napping, and community) nurture an active population largely free of chronic diseases and cognitive impairment well into their 90s. This is the wellness tour for the time and will reveal an authentic Greece very few tourists experience.

This small group* experiential insiders’ tour will include hands-on cooking classes, characteristic dining, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, olive oil/herbal workshops, wine- and honey-tastings, Mediterranean Diet lectures, food and culture tours, and independent time for R&R, swimming, shopping, hiking, and sampling the diverse local fare (pastitsio, mousaka, hortopita, soufiko, gigantes, kathoura cheese, baklava, loukoumades, mythical wine, and clairvoyant Greek coffee). Join us and Gallop Further into a healthy lifestyle worth imitating!

* 6-10 Travelers Will Be Required To Realize This Exclusive Tour

As Space Will Be Limited, Contact Us Soonest If This Tour May Be Of Interest!

INCLUDES

• Tour and Cultural Leadership Services of Alex Safos, Indigo Gazelle

• Culinary Leadership Services of Chef Amy Riolo

• In-country flights: Thessaloniki->Ikaria and Ikaria -> Athens (1 checked bag per person included). International airfare and return travel from Ikaria is not included.

• All ground transportation/transfers during the tour except upon arrival in Thessaloniki

• Lodging, including taxes, in Thessaloniki and Ikaria

• All meals in Thessaloniki and Ikaria

• Private guided cultural tour of Thessaloniki

• Admissions to sites and museums

• Private guided culinary tour of Thessaloniki

• A lecture on Thessaloniki by an acclaimed professor

• A private guided day excursion to the antiquities sites of Pella and Vergina and their museums, including site admissions

• A day excursion to the Naoussa wine region, including a winery tour, wine tasting, and lunch

• A pastry/bread-making workshop with Chef Riolo

• A Greek cooking class dinner with Chef Riolo

• Winery tour, tasting, and vineyard dinner in Ikaria with musical entertainment

• A day sailing excursion along the shores of Ikaria and to nearby Fourni island

• An olive oil and honey workshop/tasting conducted by Chef Riolo

• A culinary medicine workshop by Chef Riolo

• Presentation on “The Philosopher’s Kitchen” by Chef Riolo

• Guided excursions to Ikaria beaches and sites of note (e.g. Dionysus’ Cave, Iero Beach, Drakano Tower)

• Gratuities for driver(s), guest speakers, and local guides

DESCRIPTION

Prefer to travel alone or in your own small group? Seeking a well-crafted, ready-made tour so you don't have to sweat the planning and details? Looking for a shorter but no less profound experience than offered on our small group tours? Indigo Gazelle, in partnership with Edible Destinations by Epitourean, has designed two fascinating and very different Morocco options for the discerning culinary and cultural traveler. One pairs the storied Imperial Cities of Fes and Marrakech, and the other combines cosmopolitan Tangier with intriguing Tetouan in the north. Both offerings are compelling and will deftly serve as Morocco introductions or extensions to existing trips if in the area.

INCLUDES

• Lodging and amenities
• Private cooking classes
• Daily breakfast, select lunches and dinners
• Guided tours
• Cultural enrichment activities
• In-country transportation

DESCRIPTION

Are you interested in creating your own small group experience to either Morocco or Greece? Are you wishing for a trip with a particular trajectory and focus--design, fashion, music, architecture, food/wine, the arts, history, shopping, spa/relaxation, or trekking, for example? Let's have an initial, complimentary discussion to see if we can shape your vision into a tailored, unique travel experience.  

INCLUDES

• To be determined based on consultation
• Fees vary by size and scope