Olive Tourism
Let us guide you through the fascinating world of olive oil.
Olive tourism is actually a timeless tradition in our area – we just didn’t used to call it that. Friends and relatives have made their way to the countryside during the olive harvest from days of yore, lending a helping hand and leaving with their share of the spoils. In recent years, olive tourism in Messenia seems to be following in the footsteps of wine tourism. We’ve yet to reach the level of ecotourism development of Italy and Spain, but we are sure to catch up! You see, for us Messenians, olives and olive oil are part of our DNA – it is our heritage, our original myth!
Olive tourism goes beyond a guided tour of an olive press. It is thorough and encompasses all parts of the olive’s environment. It reaches old growth olive groves and the beauty that they impart to our natural environment. It is one with our cuisine, its most inseparable companion. It is with this in mind and in a concerted fashion that we can share our knowledge and experience with our guests, along with the images that make up Greece, using the culture of olive oil as a means to this end. We start by strolling through lush olive groves, explaining the meticulous care that goes into obtaining a healthy fruit, as well as harvesting techniques. After that, we visit an olive press, where all the stages that go into obtaining “liquid green gold” are explained. All this hard work is followed by an olive oil tasting and a how-to session for using olive oil in your kitchen. And let’s not forget the feast thereafter, featuring, of course, fresh olive oil and Messenian goodies.
Just think of how diverselyyou could spend your next winter holidays – off the beaten path!
