Although Greece is one of the best places to visit due to the history and culture of people, it is also known to have one of the best cuisines in the European countries! When in Athens of Greece, the one thing we are supposed to do is try out every different plate possible that’s got a slight difference from the food back home. One of those mouth watering, good dishes is the one and only, Greek Gyros! In this article, we explore the origins of the famous Gyros and we suggest our best offers to try out this specific item on a menu! But first, let’s understand where Gyros came from!

The grind of Gyros: A guided tour of its depart in Greece

Gyros is often confused with the Turkish Doner Kebab, which is fair, due to its great similarity with the Greek treat. But, the main difference between the two is that Gyros is based on pork, and Doner is mainly made out of beef or lamb. Nevertheless, the departure of Gyros is closely connected to the immigration of 1922, when people from Smyrni and other places had the disadvantage of population exchange between Greece and Turkey. When these people arrived and settled on Greek grounds, they supposedly brought this great feast of meat! Others suggest that Gyros was born in Prousa in the late 19th Century. No one really knows the true origin of Gyros, but let’s keep in mind that it gained popularity by the time it was first served as a greek dish!

After the great success in Greece, immigrants from Greece brought this meal to their new homes, such as the USA and Australia. At that moment, Gyros became a ritual food for a whole new world! 

How it is served

This great meal we are accounting for in the article, is best to be made out of fresh meat, properly seasoned with salt, onion and pepper. But, there are many manufacturers who now produce the meat, from a mix of pork, lamb and maybe other kinds of meat. These manufacturers provide the sandwich shops with the meat which needs to be grilled on a vertical rotisserie for 2 whole hours! The key, though, to the best served Gyros is the art of cutting it properly. Gyro sandwich is usually wrapped in a pita bread, topped with sauce, tzatziki (the Greek word for Yummy!), fries, tomato, onion etc. You can literally put any combination of ingredients you wish! Then, it’s time to dive into the thing!

Tours you can take to enjoy street food Gyros 

In Getaways Greece, we offer tours in Greece you can take that involve the greek street foods and cuisine, so get ready for a nice appetite! From flavors of our traditional taverns, to souvlaki, gyros but also our high class restaurants for our picky eaters! The tours we suggest for this particular activities are:

• A Taste of Athens. A small guided group which leads you to the city of Athens. This tour is the perfect way to enjoy the Greek delicacies! Once you meet with your tour guide, you will be able to try out 8 different dishes, from traditional homemade cheese pies to the heart of greek street food in the center of the city! Be informed that your belly will be full after this walk, so you have to be prepared for a great time of greek flavors!

• Athens at Night tour: The walk experience you have been waiting for. This particular tour is great for people who just came into the city and haven’t quite explored the streets. Once you meet with the authorized guide, you will be going on a stroll through the different historic places of Athens, such as the Acropolis museum and Stoa of Attalos. After that, your night will be ending at a suggested restaurant to eat the traditional Greek cuisine, including Gyros of course!

• Half Day Athens Private City Tour. The tour offers you the opportunity to see Athens with a secret path, the guide of your host, so that you can skip the lines in Acropolis! Tailor Made, meaning that the tour will be measured up to the activities you care to achieve on this specific day. All you need to do is mention the places you would like to visit from our suggestions and then, our tour agency will be able to craft your itinerary! Best thing about this tour is that you are able to choose the destinations, so that gives a spill of freedom to the client!

Should you have any questions about the Tours we offer, feel free to contact us, and we will be at your disposal with answers as soon as possible!