Cretan tradition and hospitality are famed across the globe. Regardless of your origin, arriving in Crete means you become part of our community. Our homes and tables are always open to guests. Similarly, the Mediterranean diet, with olive oil at its core, is celebrated worldwide. In Greece, particularly in Crete, olive oil is a daily staple, consumed both in cooking and raw, for its myriad health benefits and the exquisite flavour it adds to our food!
If you’re an olive oil enthusiast or wish to immerse yourself in the unique world of olive oil, we’re delighted to invite you to our specially arranged indoor space in the traditional village of Kritsa, a mere 15-minute journey from Agios Nikolaos.
What does this experience include?
It begins with a guided tour through the olive oil bottling facilities of our family-run business, located in the heart of Kritsa. Here, you will discover all the steps involved in producing extra virgin olive oil. Following this, we move to a specially designed tasting area where you’ll learn to identify the various qualities of olive oil through sensory analysis—tasting, smelling, and savouring different samples.
This session aims to teach you how to distinguish superior olive oil from inferior ones. No tasting would be complete without the inclusion of olives! They are a unique and pure treasure of nature with numerous health benefits. You will be able to sample both black and green olives preserved in various ways. Additionally, you will explore Crete’s famous herbs, including thyme – well-known as Thymus capitatus.
In early summer, this herb blooms and the bees collect its nectar to produce the well-known thyme honey with its distinct amber, orange-red hue, offers a taste experience you’ll be privileged to enjoy.
Finally, after stimulating your palate, we’ll enhance your experience by pairing our products with some traditional Cretan delicacies or ‘meze’. Our aim is for you to leave with a holistic understanding of the olive oil production and standardisation process – from the field to the shelf – and the ability to distinguish between high & low-quality olive oils, alongside a unique, sensory experience that captures the essence of Crete.
INFO:
- 1 – 10 people/group
- Duration: 1 h 30 min – 2h
- Opening hours*: Monday – Saturday 11:00 am – 20:00 pm
*Upon booking - Free entrance for children up to 10 years old
What is included?
- Olive oil samples
- Olives
- Cretan thyme honey
- Cretan delicacies