Kozani - Gastronomy Tours

Bold Flavours from the Macedonian Highlands

Discover the hidden culinary treasures of West Macedonia with Kozani Food Tours. Renowned for its world-famous saffron and deep-rooted agricultural traditions, Kozani offers a vibrant mosaic of bold flavours and rustic elegance. Wander through mountain villages and cosy tavernas, sampling dishes like saffron-infused stews, homemade pies, and herb-scented meats. Every bite on a Kozani food tour is a celebration of history, authenticity, and the land’s untamed beauty.

What Makes Kozani a Unique Culinary Destination

• Aromatic Agriculture: Kozani is Greece’s saffron capital—home to the famous Krokos Kozanis, prized across Europe for its colour, aroma, and taste. Lavender, mountain tea, oregano, and thyme are also cultivated here.
• Land of Tradition and Innovation: From giaprakia at Christmas to rare meze like babo, Kozani’s dishes blend ancient customs with modern finesse.
• Mountain Bounty: In the forests and fields of Voio, Askio, and Vermio, locals gather wild mushrooms, chestnuts, hazelnuts, herbs, and game—a forager’s dream.
• Wine & Tsipouro Culture: Kozani’s wine tradition is rooted in varieties such as Xinomavro and Muscat, while tsipouro-making is an art passed down through generations.

Local Highlights & Gastronomic Treasures

• Giaprakia (Christmas Dolmades): Cabbage rolls filled with pork and rice, slow-cooked in clay pots—symbolising the swaddled Christ, they’re the soul of the Kozani holiday table.
• Tsitsilato: A hearty lamb dish with mountain herbs and spinach, typically served during Easter.
• Boumbari (Babo): A rare Kozani delicacy—stuffed intestines with minced meat, liver, rice, and spices, offering deep, rustic flavours.
• Homemade Pies & Kichia: Stuffed pies filled with onions, leeks, spinach, nettles, or eggplant. Kichia is a spiral-shaped pie made with dough and feta cheese.
• Cheeses of Kozani: From sharp feta and spicy batzios to creamy manouri and traditional kefalotyri, the region’s cheeses are made using time-honoured techniques.
• Beans from Sisani: Highly regarded for their quality, used in rich fasolada (bean soup) or gigantes plaki (baked giant beans).
• Fruit Preserves from Eordea and Velvento: Locally grown apples and peaches are transformed into exquisite jams and spoon sweets by local cooperatives.
• Wines of Siatista: Try the sun-dried sweet red wines and bold dry reds from Xinomavro—an ancient grape with modern appeal.

A Destination Beyond the Plate

Kozani isn’t just a place to eat—it’s a place to connect with nature, history, and heartfelt hospitality. Walk through saffron fields in autumn, hike the highlands where herbs grow wild, or taste homemade tsipouro in a village square. Here, every dish reflects the resilience, creativity, and generosity of Macedonian life.

Explore Our Kozani Food Tours

From foraging in the mountains to tasting saffron-studded stews in traditional homes, Kozani Food Tours offer immersive journeys into a lesser-known but flavour-packed corner of Greece. Whether you’re a curious traveller or a dedicated foodie, there’s a table waiting for you.