Maria Passarivaki and Stefanos Gogos

Founders, SteMa Journeys

Tell us about you and your company.

After traversing the most remote corners of Greece as journalists-photographers-videographers over the past decade, we have evolved SteMa into a curatorial travel service based in Crete. This journey happened quite organically. In addition to writing about off-grid Greek destinations, we were also asked to start planning unique tourism experiences, and then our field research became a living travel narrative for others as well. So you could say that SteMa Journeys are made by travelers for travelers, infused with the values of detailed journalistic reportage and a focus on human geography. 

We design our experiences using valued contacts from our reporting/documentaries, crafting experiential travel memories that touch our guests on an emotional level. We have a roster of well-qualified hosts that we proudly work with, and our journeys incorporate pretty much everyone who breathes and lives in a community, from hotel owners and fishermen to mayors and grannies. Our country is rather small, but can be closed off if you don’t know the right people… so, we are the cultural code breakers, unlocking places even most Greeks don’t get to see. With an expertise mostly unreachable by the typical agents of the industry, we connect you to the heart of each destination, hand-crafting your next Greek journey.

Our trips are for all those who understand that a country cannot be seen through a single lens; who do not Go-See-Leave a place, but wish to open up a whole new world by digging beneath the surface and uncovering the many layers of this timeless and beautiful country. SteMa Journeys opens the uncharted map for you in all of its beautiful, weird, unique glory! In a nutshell, we show you the off-the-beaten-path gems as well as the classic spots, a mix that gives you an authentic taste of Greece. And throughout these hyperlocal itineraries, we sometimes join in as photographers to allow our clients to spend less time on iPhones and chatter, a catalyst for dialogue and discovery between travelers and locals. 

Our kind of travel has a certain nostalgic embrace of the simplicities of Greek life, like the charm of a morning coffee or having some melon in the shade after your afternoon nap. Likewise we seek a liminal zone, something between the established and the nomadic way of travel. We love to transport people to a place unknown, to go beyond what they have tasted and read. Our itineraries mainly focus on lesser-known areas around Greece; trying to help destinations extend their tourist season while offering travelers something completely different.

What’s the entry level to talk to you?

Our work is unseen. We pave the way, prepare the ground. The process of putting together a customized itinerary takes time and lots of hard work from our side, so there is a 500 euro basic fee (scaling up from there based on duration), which can be paid in stages and covers our full-time consultation, while during the trip, we are available via Whatsapp for last-minute questions and schedule changes. We also share editorial material and departure travel packages along with maps for the road, following the wishes of our clientele.

And we have a roster of well-qualified hosts that we proudly work with, but kindly note that we do not offer net rates nor accept further commissions, since we have a compulsive ambition not to spoil our ethos, values, or style. We independently evaluate all recommended tours and services, and we do not receive any compensation, so we can remain objective. We know you have many travel companies to choose from and we’re honored that you are considering us, so we strive for transparency as much as possible. However, our guests always receive better prices and complimentary rates when choosing us, as a good gesture from our trusted collaborators.

What is the sweet spot of your expertise?

Our niche is the indomitable Crete, an island so defiantly idiosyncratic and wonderfully diverse that it integrates many worlds into one. No matter what you do, you will never conquer Crete. You can come back again and again, but there will always be something that escapes your vision. An 8,000+ square km island with a population of 700,000, Crete is more like a small continent than an island. So we are dedicated to its contradictions, the unexpected and surreal corners of it, especially when the tourists have filtered out and the weather is at a sweet 25 °c.

For the past few years, we have been exploring the thousand faces of Crete: bouncing around on dirt roads under the relentless sun; kicking up dust that found its way everywhere – into our hair, eyes, noses, mouths, even our thoughts; spinning constantly around endless steep ravines and cliffs to vet new experiences; diving deep into the island, its people, culture and food; uncovering, as much as possible, the real face of the island and its quieter corners. 

But we don’t stop in the Cretan South. We delve into Greece’s human geography and cultural wealth, the art of being human. Seeking every authentic expression of Greek hospitality that makes us feel the warmth of our country. We love the island of Kasos, the imperative nature of the northern tip of Greece, the semi-ruined villages of Epirus, and we invite (challenge) you to discover them, in a witty way and apart from tourist cliches, with team SteMa. 

A favorite experience/trip you’ve planned that best represents your philosophy…

Each of our journeys is unique and crafted from scratch. We like to think that each SteMa journey has its own distinct personality and these personalities are created naturally by the feel of the destination and its people. Therefore, we always start the conversation by asking our valued travelers:  How far would you go for a piece of raw Greece?

It’s hard to choose favorites, but here’s a sample of the experiences we have designed so far:

—Lunch at a Cretan Shepherd’s hut in the White Mountains of Greece. In just a two-hour glimpse of a shepherd’s daily routine, you will have a sense of what it is to live by the rhythms of nature and to honor the values of Cretan culture left behind by the island’s modern lifestyle. 

—Autumn in Crete means rainy evenings accompanied by distilled grape juice, grilled meat, roasted potatoes and good friends/family gathering to perform the ritual of raki making. The whole process is the most intoxicating Cretan custom and perhaps our favorite; almost a pagan celebration that takes place in cold, vintage warehouses where you end up eating lamb stew with your hands. 

—Gathering sea salt from the rocks of Gramvousa peninsula with locals and/or collecting the pink rockrose’s resin from the bushes on hot summer days at Sisses village in Rethymno. Or just driving past neat olive groves that lead into sleepy villages, where inhabitants disappear during ”mesimeri” (the midday siesta hours) with the soundtrack of bees and cicadas for company. 

—Peak bagging at Psiloritis geopark, an area of 1,272 sq. km with the tallest massif in Crete, during which you have to criss-cross 12 kilometers (also known as “Strata tou Psiloriti”). Geographically, Psiloritis has the privilege of seeing the sun before sunrise and staggering scenery, which allows you to see the infinity of the sky at your feet. The bareness of the landscape is tempered only by the odd clump of thyme sprouting here and there. When you finally arrive atop of the mountain in a golden glow and as the sun begins its journey, dipping into the sea, everything looks as though it’s been touched by Midas.

—Singing classic Cretan melodies and testing your steps of  pentozalis  while clinking glasses of wine at an impromptu private winery gathering with local musicians performing for an anniversary celebration. 

We always go far above and beyond to create a dream itinerary for each of our dear guests, bringing local history and emotional human geography in one evocative experience. 

A favorite hotel/lodge/house you love and go back to again and again…

Apart from the two places we would love to stay forever,   Metohi Kindelis  and  Casa Delfino, we adore the renovated atmosphere of  Kapsaliana Village Hotel  and the unplugged  Milia Retreat.

Nevertheless, we have had enough wabi-sabi “journalism” moments around Crete to realize that certain destinations have good bones and great people who can build on those bones to transform a place into a holistic travel experience. Lodges with strong connections and respect for everything local, authentic, pure, such as:  Inotropes Boutique Hotel  in Archanes near Heraklion city, the  Ring House  in Agia Galini, and the  villas  right above the inlet of Koutoulos (it is said that Madonna spends some summer nights in the area). Off-the-beaten-track can often be an overused phrase in travel writing. However, in the case of this  tiny cabin  on the inland road towards Elafonisi beach, it is the best way to describe this stunning lodge’s location. But beyond Crete, we are always dreaming of going back to this rustic-chic  Airbnb house  in Oxya, a beautifully designed hideaway in Macedonia, and devouring fresh breakfast eggs from the neighbor every morning, and stargazing at  Argaleios Guesthouse  on Donousa island, in the Lesser Cyclades, where the owners, Elias and Ploumitsa, follow a low-waste lifestyle.

The most memorable meal you’ve had while traveling…

Small kitchens that span the island of Crete with locally sourced seasonal food, fuss-free and delicious meals, are always memorable. Like in the western tip of Crete, at the  tavern of Neratzia  in the unknown hamlet of Ravdouha, where Katzakis feeds you the regional seaweed salad straight from the sea, or at the waterside  Sunset Fish Tavern  in Sfinari, where after devouring fresh fish you are treated to a full bottle of their own wine; in its memory your tongues will be numb forever. Or at the Sfakianakis family  tavern of Akropoli, just above the hidden ancient city of Polyrinia (Kissamos), where you pre-order Cretan pilaf after a long day at the beach. And, of course,  Filenia,  near the Triopetra coastline, surrounded by peach flatlands in a beautifully put together tavern setting. The sense of hospitality is exquisite as is the food, not just a visual feast of excellence. Last but not least, we love Crete’s traditional cafe-grocery shops (kafeneia) found in the middle of nowhere, where normally there’s no menu. Closing our eyes, we remember in particular Nektarios kafeneio in Askyfou for his summer  mpamies  (braised okra with sun-dried tomatoes). And we always go that extra mile for Pandrosos in Sebronas village to order time-perfected recipes or seek shade under the tree-mascot that imposes its presence in a lovely pit-stop on the way to Samaria gorge at the cantina of Providis, washing out the hazy summer days with some of the best sunset views of the island.

And yet we personally believe (and so does the  New York Times, apparently) that one of the most exciting projects lighting the path to sustainability is the educational farm of  Ntounias, as it epitomizes a genuine Cretan gastronomic experience. At Ntounias, Stelios Trilirakis shows visitors the land of his childhood, taking travelers on a journey of the senses. 

Other Greek islands:  Faros restaurant  in Santorini, Pyrgos kafeneio in Amorgos,  Ermis meze taverna  in Mytilene…..

Northern Greece: Psaradika tou Hasou, under Zenia and Kyriakos, offering wonderful views of Small Prespa Lake, delicious dishes that discreetly play with local flavors and folk music. Fine Dining in the Wild of Pindus  with the team behind  Nomad et Sauvage, helping to drive a renaissance in the authentic cuisine of Epirus, reexamining the deep roots of Greek cuisine and culture and preserving mountain food. All of Nomad et Savage’s equipment, from the open fire cooking set-up to the plates and pans, is inspired by the techniques of the nomadic Vlach and Sarakatsanis tribes, whose cookware was designed to be mobile. (As we write these lines, our hearts sink a little at the thought that publicity might ruin the above)

A not-to-be-missed favorite experience in your region of expertise…

The Asterousia Mountains, Greece’s southernmost range and a beautiful place to find yourself. Sensational road-trip routes surpassing steep ravines and small villages, all part of an amazing mountain realm soaring over a lacy coastline on Crete, with a timeless stillness. Or take a road trip towards Rhodopou peninsula, considered to be one of the most beautiful routes in Crete. Fields, hills, the White Mountains to your left, the beaches of Chania to your right. Visit the Gionas monastery, one of the most well-kept secrets of the prefecture, and finish the day at Menies beach, lying next to an abandoned monastery and Diktynna sanctuary.

What is a place we should consider traveling to that could really use our dollars, and what is a place we should put on hold because, even though we love it, it sees too many tourists?

Greece experienced an unprecedented and sharp rebound after Covid, which brought with it all the positives and negatives that would be expected after such a long period of disruption. 

Please, put the Cyclades on hold for a bit, especially Santorini and Mykonos; they will be so over touristed this summer that their beauty will be overshadowed by boatloads of cruise passengers trying to squeeze down its villages’ narrow alleyways and passages. Opt instead for lesser-known islands like Folegandros, Sikinos, Kimolos, and Serifos, which often have fewer accommodation options, a smattering of taverns, and yet the laid-back, authentic vibe to help you shape your definition of summer. These can be the sites of your annual meeting with the purest form of your wild selves. 

Underrated location, overrated location, personal favorite, recent discovery?

Overrated: The east of Chania has been given over to a tourism of comfort, an idea contrary to the wild condition of the island’s soul and the spirit of its locals. 

Underrated: We have to admit we generally have a soft spot for mountainous North Greece (did you know that Greece is the third most mountainous state in Europe?), and thus we would recommend some eclecticism and bears at Nymfaio or discovering the wetlands of Western Macedonia, like Prespa Lakes.

Personal favorite: The west of Chania, where there are still secrets in its beautiful, peaceful landscapes. Villages with old-fashioned cafes, a miracle that they managed to survive until today in the shadow of the organized tourist beaches. Locations that are anything but trendy, incredibly rural with minimal tourism, with charming ancient places possessing amazing energy and history, accessible not via the easiest routes, but that’s the only way you’ll get to know a completely different face of Crete.

Recent discovery: We would say the volcanic peninsula Methana, which belongs to the cluster of the beautiful islands of Argosaronikos Gulf, one of our latest honest, unpolished discoveries on the way to Epidaurus theater, a true piece of paradise, so untouched by mass tourism and reminiscent of Greece in the ‘70s. 

What is something you wished we all knew or were better at as travelers?

Community and consciousness are timeless values of travel. And it’s something everyone should acknowledge/experience. 

To seek, to get lost, to go beyond. This is why we should travel from now on. 

To hit new horizons by returning to the primary landscapes and rooted people, but always respect them along the way.

How do you want people to reach out to you?

Get in touch with us via text, email, or here in the comments—we want to hear from you!

@stemajourneys, contact@stemajourneys.com, stemajourneys.com, journeysbeyondsights.squarespace.com (pw: STEMA), WhatsApp: +30 6938066729