Food & Drink

Tsikoudia Festival at Limni — Stratis Skarakis

A whole village festival built around raki, on the eve of the Dormition. Five euros, and vespers first.

Tsikoudia is the clear spirit every Cretan household distils and presses on visitors, and Limni gives it a festival of its own. It falls on the eve of the Dormition, which is the biggest night in the Greek summer, and the village does it in the right order: vespers at the church of the Kimisis first, then everyone walks down to the old primary school and the music starts. Stratis Skarakis leads, with Athina Syskaki on violin, Spyros Panagiotakis and Dimitris Kardamakis on laouto and Manolis Skarakis on percussion. Five euros in. This is a working village up behind Zounaki rather than anywhere on the tourist map, so go with the expectation of being the only foreigner there, and accept the raki when it is poured. Book on 6979016027 if you want a table.