The Municipality of Chania is organising for the For the fourth year running, the Alternative Tourism & Experiences Festival “260KMemories Festival”, the three-day event from 8–10 May 2026, at Katehaki Square, in the Venetian Harbour of Chania, from 6.00 pm to 11.00 pm.
This year, the festival is placing particular emphasis on Cretan Gastronomy, through a separate thematic section dedicated to the authentic flavours of Crete. In the “Cretan Gastronomy Zone”, the public will have the opportunity to sample traditional recipes and local produce free of charge, taking them on a culinary journey from the Minoan era to the present day.
This special unit takes on even greater importance, as the Region of Crete has been declared a European Region of Gastronomy for 2026. In this context, dozens of catering professionals, producers, organisations and collectives will take part in the festival, presenting culinary creations based on the unique produce of the Cretan countryside and offering the public authentic taste experiences.
The festival programme begins with a live concert and continues with workshops, presentations, tastings and wine and gastronomy competitions. Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of Cretan dishes for free, such as snails, gamopilaf, kalitsounia, lamb antikristo, sfakian pies, Cretan pasta, Chania boureki, courgette flowers, Cretan cheeses, olive oil, wine, beer, sweet treats and many more local specialities.
The Rural Tourism Cluster epaithros+, the body responsible for the development and operation of the Rural Greece travel platform, will also be there with its own stand (A6), inviting professionals in rural tourism, hospitality, gastronomy, agri-food and experiential tourism to find out about the Cluster’s work and the opportunities it offers. Visitors will be able to learn about the benefits of participating in epaithros+, such as the promotion of businesses through Rural Greece, the inclusion of businesses in themed routes, access to free business development tools and networking with other professionals who share the same vision for the Greek countryside.
In fact, on Sunday, 10 May, at 1.00 pm, an open information session for rural tourism professionals and businesses will be held at the epaithros+ and Rural Greece stand. The session, which also serves as the Cluster’s brief regional meeting, will focus on information regarding current initiatives, opportunities for participation and prospects for cooperation, followed by a discussion with attendees and network representatives.
See the festival programme below.
We look forward to welcoming you all to a three-day event packed with flavours, music and authentic Cretan experiences!
The project, entitled “Rural Tourism Cluster epaithros+”, is being implemented under the “Research-Innovate” Action of the “Competitiveness” Operational Programme of the NSRF 2021–2027 and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and national resources.