The olive road · OLIVE MILL AND FACTORY TOURS
A mill in pressing season is loud, warm and smells of cut grass; the same building in June is a quiet room of steel. The 15 below say which run the line for visitors, what the tour includes and what it costs.
Drive a quad from Peninsula Resort with guide Stan or his multilingual team, following off-road routes above Agia Pelagia to an olive mill, the abandoned village of Achlada, and Fodele, El Greco’s birthplace. The $93 price covers one quad for up to two people, fuel, insurance, helmets, instruction, and olive oil tasting.
“Mr Sexy was amazing. A great experience. a must do”
Spend six hours in Maipú with guides such as Dolores, Rosío, Maru, or Alejandro, visiting an artisanal winery, an industrial cellar, a sweet-wine producer, and an olive oil factory. Taste about three wines at each winery, compare styles and ages, and finish with bread, olive paste, and several olive oils.
“each ine if the vineries was great, the guide eas very nice and the contact with tour operator was smooth. great wine and olive factory.”
Spend about 7.5 hours with a local English-speaking driver-guide such as Stavros, Ed, Mike, or Spyros. Visit an olive press, old villages, Lasithi windmills, Krasi’s ancient plane tree, Aposelemis Dam, Dikteon Cave, and optional Knossos. Expect a small group of up to 10, local tastings, hotel pickup, and a flexible pace.
“Mike was a brilliant guide who was enormously attentive and knowledgeable. His enthusiasm kept my kids engaged and they haven't stopped talking about the "best tour ever"! A fantastic way to get an insight into Crete.”
Spend about four and a half hours exploring The Governor Olive Mill near Corfu. Walk among ancient olive trees, learn how oil is made, and join a guided tasting with bread, feta, tomatoes, capers, yogurt, and wine. Pickup is available within 25 km, with guides such as Maria, Irene, or Erini and local drivers often adding extra island sights.
“Never attended olive oil degustation before, it was great expirience. The oldest olive tree in Corfu- very impressive!”
Ride into Crete’s Lassithi Plateau with a multilingual guide, visiting Vidiani Monastery, Psychro Cave, Krasi village, and the Lyrakis olive farm. Expect mountain roads, a steep walk to Zeus Cave, local tastings, and an optional Cretan lunch. Guides such as Soula, Tania, and Eirini are praised for clear stories in English, French, and German.
“We enjoyed the variety of site visits - monastery, cave, village and Olive mill along with explanations throughout the day. There was an appropriate amount of time at each destination. Lunch at the Olive mill was delicious and a great way to end the tour. Faih, the bus driver, was amazing how she navigated the bus around the hair pin bends on the mountains and through narrow village streets. The perfect way to see a special part of Crete without the stress of driving!”
Spend 10.5 to 11 hours exploring eastern Crete with a multilingual guide such as Soula, Nektarios, or Katerina. Visit Vidiani Monastery, hike to Psychro Cave, stop in Krasi, taste local olive products, and tour Knossos. The $58 price excludes €35 in site tickets and optional lunch.
“It was a fantastic trip from start to finish. Our guide Nektarios was extremely knowledgeable and you could just feel the passion he has for his job. Highly recommend! Thank you very much! Inga”
At Hélder Madeira near Tavira, Andrea and her family explain how table olives are prepared, with a video covering the machinery when the factory is out of season. You’ll taste preservative-free olives, olive oil, cheese, honey, marmalade, bread, and local wine, then browse the small shop. The tour is in English and costs $34.
“Nice tour with a lot of information about the process and a great tourgide! The tasting of olives and wine was the cherry on top.”
At Olio Viola in Bardolino, a guide such as Elke explains Lake Garda’s olive-growing traditions and shows how extra virgin olive oil is made. You’ll visit the mill, watch a production video, then taste four oils, including Garda DOP, with bread, salami, olive pâté, and local olives in the garden.
At Olive Factory Tavira, Andreia and her family explain how olives are sorted, preserved, and prepared in a small working facility. You’ll see the machinery when production allows, then sit down to taste olives, cheese, cured meat, bread, honey, marmalade, olive oil, and wine. The 90-minute tour starts at 4 pm.
“You will get a good understanding of the making of olives for consumption.....NOT in the making of olive oil. Small family run operation with fantastic hosts that explain the process as you walk around the small facility. If you are going in offseason do not expect to see equipment operating. A fantastic olive sampling activity at the end of the tour with wine, beer, non-alcohol beverages and snacks provided. A nice touch to end an informative tour. Good to do on rainy day.”
At Can Det in Sóller, a family-run olive oil factory inside a 16th-century home, you’ll tour the old mill, hear how generations have cultivated olives and citrus, and sit down to taste Mallorcan bread, tomatoes, cheese, almonds, marmalade, wine, and fresh orange juice. The visit lasts about an hour and is offered in English.
“Muy buena experiencia. El dueño muy amable. Contaba con mucho gusto la historia de la zona y de la fábrica. Muy interesante la forma tradicional, que aun se conserva en esta fábrica, de hacer aceite. Visita 100% recomendable.”
Travel from Corfu town, port, airport, or nearby hotel to The Governor’s Olive Mill. Guides such as Maria, Eleni, George, and Spiros explain old and modern production, lead a tasting with bread, cheese, tomatoes, and yogurt, then take you to the family groves and 1,500-year-old Mitera tree. A short stop at Gardiki Castle adds local history.
“We really loved this tour of a family run business. It was informative and well run. The tasting was good and they have a nice gift shop.”
Spend 7 to 8 hours with an English-speaking driver-guide such as Spyros, Stavros, Dimitrios, or Mike, combining Knossos Palace with the villages and mountain roads of Lasithi Plateau. Taste olive oil, Greek coffee, wine, raki, and local food, try pottery, see old windmills, and visit Krasi’s ancient plane tree. Zeus Cave is currently closed.
“Had a fantastic time on this tour! Spyros was a wonderful tour guide, he really elevated the experience for us! It was an incredible, full day, would definitely recommend this tour.”
Spend 7.5 to 8 hours exploring Crete with a local English-speaking guide such as Stavros, Ed, or Mike. Visit an olive oil factory, walk through Mochos and Krasi, see the Lasithi Plateau and its old windmills, taste local products, and optionally visit Zeus Cave, lunch, and Knossos Palace.
“Our tour guide Stavros was fun, friendly, and full of energy! He made sure to engage everyone in the group with questions and interesting facts, which kept things lively and educational. The overall trip was fantastic, well-organized, interactive, and definitely not boring. 😊”
At LA Organic near Ronda, your English-speaking guide leads you through olive groves, organic vineyards, an artisanal mill, and art-filled spaces by Philippe Starck. A short film explains olive oil production before a tasting of organic oils. Plan about 75 to 90 minutes, with an optional country lunch afterward.
“The guide was very engaging and knowledgeable. This was truly a unique experience! Great tour for all!”
Spend 7 to 8 hours touring Crete with an English-speaking local guide such as Mike or Stavros. Visit an olive press, Lasithi Plateau villages, old windmills, Zeus’s Cave, and Knossos, with a traditional lunch stop. Hotel and port pickup is available, but cave and Knossos admission cost extra.
“Our driver was super friendly and he made sure that we enjoyed our time. You can't go wrong by choosing this excursion.”
By what you do, not by what is nearest.
