Olive oil tasting in Sorrento: 15 oils at a working mill

Taste your way through a century-old olive mill and leave knowing how Sorrento's oil gets made

An olive oil tasting at Frantoio Gargiulo, a working mill in Sorrento, where a guide takes you through the groves, explains the pressing process, and walks you through 15 types of oil, from extra virgin to flavoured varieties with lemon, truffle, chilli and cinnamon. The experience includes private hotel pickup, bread for dipping, and moves on to balsamic vinegars, marmalades, honey and the region's homemade liqueurs. Gluten-free and dairy-free options are available on request.

The experience

What does olive oil actually taste like when it's made a few miles from where you're staying? A driver from Frantoio Gargiulo picks you up from your hotel in the Sorrentine Peninsula and brings you to the mill, where the staff meet you at the groves. They walk you through the centuries-old trees and explain how the oil gets pressed: the history of Sorrento's olive industry, the timing, the varieties that grow here. It's the kind of detail that changes how you taste it.

Then you move into the tasting room. Fifteen types of oil line up in front of you: extra virgin oils, then the flavoured ones. Lemon, truffle, chilli, cinnamon. Bread comes with it, so you dip and taste, and each one tastes different. After the oils, the tasting keeps going: balsamic vinegars and glazes, citrus marmalades, different honeys. Then the liqueurs: limoncello and cream liqueurs the region is known for. Before you leave, there's a moment to try the mill's own cosmetic line, made from their olive oil.

The whole thing runs about an hour. If you need gluten-free bread or have dairy allergies, let them know when you book and they'll have it ready. Wheelchair access is available, and if you're traveling with infants or small children, they can come along.

What’s included

• Private hotel pickup from anywhere in the Sorrentine Peninsula.
• a guided walk through the olive groves with explanation of the pressing process and Sorrento's olive oil history.
• 15 types of extra virgin olive oil to taste, including flavoured varieties.
• bread for dipping.
• balsamic vinegars and glazes.
• citrus marmalades and honey.
• homemade liqueurs and cream liqueurs.
• a look at the mill's olive oil cosmetics line.

Before you book

Lasts 1h, runs Monday to Saturday, 7 start times, from € 42 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and Italian, in groups of up to 8 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to Saturday7 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (under 12): free

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomeNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Frantoio Gargiulo

Is this one for you?The hour-long tasting fits into a morning or afternoon without eating up your whole day. You're back at your hotel with time left to explore Sorrento itself or rest before dinner. If you want to understand how the oil you've been cooking with actually gets made, and taste the difference between varieties, this is the place to do it.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How many different olive oils will I actually taste?

You'll taste 15 types of extra virgin olive oil at Frantoio Gargiulo. Some are straight extra virgin, others flavoured with lemon, truffle, chilli and cinnamon. Bread comes with the tasting so you can dip and compare them.

Does the tasting include anything besides olive oil?

Yes. After the oils, you move on to balsamic vinegars and glazes, citrus marmalades, different types of honey, and then homemade liqueurs and cream liqueurs the area is known for. The experience finishes with a chance to try the mill's cosmetic line made from their olive oil.

What happens during the grove walk before the tasting?

A guide takes you through the centuries-old olive groves at Frantoio Gargiulo and explains the history of Sorrento's olive oil industry and the process used to make extra virgin oil. That context shapes how you taste the oils afterward.

Is transportation included, or do I need to arrange my own way there?

Private pickup is included. A driver from Frantoio Gargiulo collects you from your hotel in the Sorrentine Peninsula and brings you to the mill.

Can I do this if I have dietary restrictions?

Yes. Gluten-free bread is available on request, and the experience is suitable for guests with coeliac disease and dairy-free requirements. Let the operator know when you book what you need.