The term “olive tourism” was first used in Spain in 2002 to describe the totality of travel experiences relating to the olive and to olive oil. In Greece, the first steps were taken around fifteen years ago and were centered around the olive harvest. Today, the notion of olive tourism covers everything from visits to olive presses and olive oil tasting sessions to spa treatments using olive-based products. The recent initiative by the Tourism Ministry to introduce a quality mark and standards for olive presses which are open to the public formalizes the development of a promising new sector that’s following in the successful steps of wine tourism.

Dimitra Mathiopoulou of The Olive Routes is a tourism professional who understands the value of broadening the travel experience beyond a simple visit to a press. The guided tours around the modern Kontopoulos olive press in Androussa in Messenia are complemented by tasting sessions for olive oil and olives at the family’s old olive press. Visiting the two facilities, the visitor can appreciate the technological evolution from stone presses to the modern equipment used for cold pressing.

The art of tasting

One of the most enjoyable parts of getting to know olive oil is tasting its different varieties. Costas Tsoronis, co-founder with Panagiotis Papanikolopoulos of the company Oliverse, explains that such tastings were once the preserve of professionals, but are now sought out by visitors as well. Tastings can happen in indoor settings or they can be held outdoors in olive groves. The basic equipment for professional tasting includes blue glasses for the extra virgin olive oils being served. Papanikolopoulos explains that the color blue is used so that tasters are not influenced by the color of the oil. When tastings are done for recreational purposes, however, clear glasses can be used, as there’s no need to stop tasters from enjoying the color of the product.

In the first stage of our tasting session, we’re comparing five extra virgin olive oils from different regions of Greece. First, we warm the glass in our hands and agitate the liquid to release its aromas. Next, we take a sip of the olive oil while breathing in from our mouths, sensing the floral aroma which characterises the Makri variety, the first variety we’re sampling. Then follows an assessment of its spicy and bitter elements, as Panagiotis lists the terms to describe potential flaws in taste or smell which can be present in an olive oil. The process is reminiscent of wine tasting, and wins you over sip by sip, as you begin to appreciate how sharp the differences can be between varieties.

For the food pairing, which is the second stage in our tasting, Panagiotis has prepared a series of very different dishes. We find that the lentil salad goes best with the Manaki variety, an olive oil rich in aromas, while we are charmed by the way a slice of orange sprinkled with fleur de sel brings out the aromas and spiciness of the Koroneiki variety. A traditional recipe of the Mani region, salad with orange, salt, onion and olive oil exemplifies the substance of the tasting experience for a traveler; it’s an interesting way to discover the flavors of a place through what is both a pleasant geography game and an elegant way to promote a quintessentially Greek product.

In the age of virtual reality

The high-tech Markellos olive press in Galataki in Corinthia offers a different, more futuristic experience. Nikos Markellos represents the fourth generation of olive oil makers in his family. He and his partners have created a virtual reality tour of the oil-making process.

Wearing a VR headset, you’ll enjoy the sensation of being whisked over the nearby Corinth canal and the verdant slopes of the Solygeia region. Next, you’ll find yourself aboard a tractor in the olive grove, following the workers pruning the olive trees. This engrossing tour continues with the olive harvest, and takes in all the processes for the extraction and bottling of olive oil. In addition to the virtual tour, visitors can check out the olive press for real and take part in a tasting session.

The whole experience is already attracting groups of visitors from Europe, America and Asia. With its eyes on the future, the Markellos press is planning its next investments in technology which will differentiate them from their competition and broaden the appeal of extra virgin olive oil among the public.

Shall we make soap?

There are sectors where traditional ways and the charm of the artisanal continue to play a leading role. At the Fisika soap workshop in Gerani near Hania, visitors can get a close look at how soap is made from organic olive oil, and even take part in a hands-on seminar to learn basic techniques. Filio Syka learned traditional soap-making from her grandmother who, along with the other village women, made her own soap.

In the old days, housewives used a wooden spoon – and a lot of patience – to mix olive oil with caustic soda until the mixture thickened. Today, the process is a lot quicker thanks to hand mixers, but natural ingredients are still the stars. Natural additives, including rosemary, bay leaves, orange peel and olive leaves from the garden and the surrounding area, offer their own beneficial properties to the soap. Olive oil is sourced from the nearby producers in the village of Anoskeli and at Biolea’s Astrikas Estate; facilities at both locations are open to visitors.