Crete: Olive Oil Tasting Tour & Mill Visit with Local Flavors

Summary

Crete olive oil tasting tour from grove to bottle with mill visit

You’ll wander real Cretan olive groves with a local guide who actually works the land, explore both traditional and modern mills, and taste fresh extra virgin olive oils right at the source. Expect honest flavors (and maybe sticky fingers from grape syrup), stories you won’t find online, and that rare feeling of slowing down under old trees.

What’s the experience like?

"So, do you know how many olives it takes for just one liter?" That’s what Maria asked us as we stood in the courtyard, the sun already warming the stones under our feet. I’d never really thought about it — I mean, I use olive oil almost every day but never pictured the trees themselves, or the quiet hum of bees weaving through their branches. The air smelled faintly peppery and green. Maria waved her hands a lot when she talked about organic farming — her nails had little bits of soil under them. You could tell she actually worked here.

We followed her inside to the olive mill (it’s cooler in there, which was a relief). The machines looked kind of ancient and futuristic at the same time — big metal drums next to a newer centrifuge thing that spun so fast I felt dizzy just watching. She explained the difference between First Cold Pressed and Cold Extraction, but honestly, I kept getting distracted by this low fruity smell coming from somewhere behind me. Someone else in our group tried to guess which machine made which oil and got it totally wrong; Maria just grinned and poured us all some water before we started tasting.

The tasting itself was…surprisingly intense? We tried three kinds of extra virgin olive oil — one was almost grassy, another more buttery — plus these flavored oils with herbs from their own estate. There was also something called petimezi (grape syrup), which I’d never heard of before but ended up spooning onto bread like a kid. I still think about that taste sometimes when I’m cooking at home. If you’re even a little curious about where your food comes from, or just want an excuse to sit under old olive trees for a while, this day trip in Crete is worth it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Olive oil production and tasting

• Visit courtyard with olive trees
• Learn about organic olive farming
• Enter olive mill
• Explain First Cold Pressed method
• Explain Cold Extraction method
• Taste three extra virgin olive oils
• Taste two flavoured oils
• Taste sweet vinegar and grape syrup

Top questions

Is this Crete olive oil tasting tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, all areas and transportation options are wheelchair accessible.

What will we taste during the olive oil tour?

You’ll taste three types of extra virgin olive oil, two flavored oils, sweet vinegar, and petimezi (grape syrup).

Does this day trip include water or other drinks?

Yes, water is offered during the tasting.

Are infants or small children allowed on this tour?

Yes, infants and small children can join in a pram or stroller.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it’s suitable for all physical fitness levels.

Will there be explanations about how olive oil is made?

Yes, your guide explains both traditional pressing and modern extraction methods inside the mill.

What’s included

Your day includes a guided walk through organic olive groves in Crete’s countryside, an in-depth visit inside a working mill where you’ll see every step from tree to bottle (with both old and new machines), plus tastings of three extra virgin oils, two estate-flavored oils with fruit or herbs, sweet vinegar and petimezi grape syrup — all with water provided along the way.