Pottery on Crete, Greece: pottery and culture on Crete. We visit potteries while on excursions on Crete, but you can also participate in a pottery workshop on Crete. At every pottery you can also buy pots, vases, jars and various art. Terracotta pots on Crete from Thrapsano and workshop pottery in Anopoli.

The weather this week in Crete (Zorbas Island – Kokkini Hani) until 6 January 2026. Mild winter weather, between 17-18 degrees. Sun, clouds and a few local showers.

On behalf of the entire Zorbas Team, we wish all our guests and loyal followers a fantastic New Year and a very travel-filled 2026! We look forward to making it another unforgettable year in Crete together with you. New in 2026: Our complete package holidays. Starting this year, we are making it even easier (and more affordable!) for you. We now offer complete package holidays for the spring break, high season and autumn holidays. That means: flights and accommodation in one price. Whether you come with your family in the summer or enjoy the mild climate in the spring or autumn, we will arrange the entire trip for you. And did you know that this is often cheaper than you think? Thanks to our direct lines and competitive agreements, we offer the best quality at a surprisingly good price. Curious about the possibilities? Request a no-obligation quote today for your ideal holiday period in 2026!

In Ancient Greece people used ceramics pots for storage

Pottery & ceramics on Crete: before we started to use plastic bottles for water etc., everything was made with ceramics on Crete. During snorkelling you might sometimes find a piece of an old clay jar in the sea. But not everything you find on the bottom of the sea comes from the era of Knossos. Until only 50 years ago they still used these jars for water etc., just like we use our plastic bottle now (you can’t take anything you find from the sea bottom). Even during the Minoan era there was pottery on Crete. People used the pots for water, olive oil, wine, cereals, etc. At Knossos are several examples of ancient Cretan art. The pottery was made in all shapes and sizes. Potters on Crete still make every day pottery and ceramics.

Pottery on Crete – Not far from Zorbas Island you can visit a pottery

Pottery in Anopoli (Yiannis): A nice spacious pottery, one part of the pottery is a factory. Every day pottery and ceramics are handmade and hand-painted in the factory. It is impressive to see how quick the potter makes his pots. Whether it is a vase or a napkin holder, within seconds it is ready to be baked in the oven. Next to the working area there is an exposition area. Here you can look at everything Yiannis creates and even buy some pottery yourself. The prices are really good! You can buy beautiful pots, jars or vases but also other handmade arts. You can even let them make unique pottery by your own design.

If you visit the pottery in the winter, they are even busier. Everything is hand made by old Cretan models. You can easy spend a few hours here. The pottery is open every day, except on Sunday. You will be treated on a nice cup of coffee or a little glass of Raki!

Pottery on Crete – An excursion to a pottery is fun for everyone

Children & pottery on Crete: A nice and creative trip with the children to the pottery. Children create their own pot or vase or something else with clay. Afterwards all the creations will be baked in the oven. If you don’t feel like going to the beach or the weather is not that great, this is a fun trip. You can combine going to the pottery with a visit the village Anopoli or the waterpark “Watercity”, both are close to the pottery. Another alternative is to combine a visit to the pottery and the aquarium in Gournes.

Excursion pottery Crete: A workshop pottery is a fun excursion. At the pottery you can make your own creation, for example a pot, vase, carafe or bowl, it is totally up to you. Next it has to dry and it needs to bake in the oven. Off course you can take your own pottery back home. After a demonstration about pottery we visit the pottery shop and have a coffee or a Raki. It is very easy to visit the pottery on your own. From Kokkini Hani you drive towards Anopoli, on your way you will see the signs to the pottery.

Pottery in Thrapsano, Crete: In the village Thrapsano they create the handmade large pots. They make these large terracotta pots just like the ancient model 5000 years ago. They even make terracotta pots as high as 1.20 meters! It is great to see how these pots are crafted in rings. We regularly visit this pottery to have a look at their creations. If you like to take a large terracotta pot home, the pottery arranges transportation to many countries. The pots are really price worthy and all pots are handmade.

Combination unknown Crete & pottery

You can easily combine a visit to a pottery with an excursion through unknown Crete. This tour is possible with a visit to the potteries in Anopoli and Thrapsano. Off course you can do this tour individually.

Cooking workshop & pottery workshop on CreteWe often combine a workshop Greek cooking with a visit to a pottery in Anopoli and Thrapsano. We usually visit the pottery in the morning, but on request we can organise different workshops for you.

Crete News: On this page, we give updates of all our activities in Crete. We upload our weblogs during summer and winter.

Excursions: A page full of active excursions on Crete. You can explore the beautiful Crete, an island that is worth a visit.

We are open again for the 2026 summer season from 1 April to 15 November 2026. We always respond within 24 hours.

More information

Zorbas Island 2026 Crete Greece Newsletter: your holiday in Crete in 2026 – The new Zorbas Island programme: dear holidaymaker, we are delighted to present the first details of our brand new programme for 2026! At Zorbas Island, everything revolves around an unforgettable holiday on beautiful Crete.

Holiday Crete 2026 agenda – Agenda Zorbas Island, Crete – Season: our new agenda is ready with the excursions for 2026, including many new excursions. You are probably curious about the activities we will be organising at Zorbas in the coming year, and this agenda provides an overview of all the activities that will interest you.

Holiday information Crete Zorbas IslandApartment rentals and accommodation on Crete for most of the year. The right place for family apartments and holiday homes, all your excursions and cheap flights to Crete. A comprehensive overview of the latest holiday news from Crete, including lots of photos. Crete is the southernmost holiday island in Europe.

To give you an impression about your holiday at Zorbas Island on Crete, we created a short “Zorbas Island” Movie for you: If you got 5 minutes for holidays to Crete.

In case you like more information, please send an email to zorbasisland@gmail.com

Pottery on Crete