A Mediterranean Getaway: An Olive Oil Tour on Crete
If you're looking for a unique travel experience, consider an olive oil tour on the Greek island of Crete. This beautiful island is known for its olive orchards and delicious olive oil. On a tour like this, you'll get to see first-hand how this famous olive oil is made. You'll also have the opportunity to taste some of the best olive oil in the world!
I booked this Olive Oil Tasting with Cretan Food Pairing, and it was an absolute highlight of my trip to Crete.
Why is Olive Oil Important to Crete?
Crete is one of the top olive oil-producing regions in the world. Olive oil has played an instrumental role in both Greek culture and survival since antiquity. While it is delicious and exceptionally healthy, it was also a necessity. Crete (and Greece in general) is covered in olive trees. Due to Greece's geographic location, the country has encountered many difficulties and conflicts throughout the centuries. As a result, the Greek people also found themselves struggling for survival. Olive trees were abundant, and olive oil was easily obtained for cooking purposes.
Exploring the Olive Orchard in Pigi, Crete
I joined my olive oil tour guide, Aspasia, outside of her family's olive orchard. Their orchard showcased two famous olive trees: the Koroneiki and the Hondrolia.
The Hondrolia trees were the "original" olive trees of Greek olive oil. They grow extremely tall, so it became impractical to use them for modern-day harvesting. However, some producers still use these trees for tradition's sake.
The Koroneiki trees, commonly found in the Peloponnese region, are much smaller and easier to harvest. As a result, these trees are responsible for about 60% of Greece's olive oil production.
Tasting Olive Oil
After learning about the history of olive trees in this gorgeous location, Aspasia curated a beautiful table with different olive oils and foods to try. She led us through a curated tasing experience where we literally drank multiple glasses of olive oil.
We learned how to engage with olive oil as if we were judges in a tasting competition. Afterward, she prepared us a four-course tasting menu (that was more like a complete meal!) where we tried pairing different styles of olive oil with different foods – including yogurt!
This was an incredibly memorable experience. I learned so much about olive oil production and got to enjoy some of the best olive oil I've ever tasted. If you find yourself in Crete or Greece in general, I would highly recommend booking an olive oil tour. It's a great way to support local businesses and learn about an essential part of Greek culture. And, of course, the olive oil is delicious!
