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The Salento region in Puglia is known and renowned for its large areas of olive crops, making guided tours of an oil mill an unmissable and essential experience to learn about the true cultural identity of this area. Salento, also called “land between the two seas“, is the guardian of ancient flavours and olive oil knowledge that are born and developed among vast surfaces of olive groves, capable of characterising the typical Apulian panorama with that intense green.
Its olive oil – known for its exquisite quality and excellent organoleptic properties – is the result of meticulous work and traditions that have remained intact over time which expertly blend the artisanal love for the land with pure passion.
The local oil mills – true temples of this “liquid gold” – are therefore transformed into places of meeting and shared knowledge through guided tours, offering visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves and discover one of the native traditions capable of binding together past and present. Savouring the history of Salento between the shade of centuries-old olive trees, discovering the production processes and the passion of the olive growers, and letting yourself be transported on a multi-sensory journey of taste, are just some of the few aspects that make guided tours of the oil mills a unique and enveloping experience not to be missed for anyone visiting Puglia.
History of olive oil in Salento
The history of olive oil in Salento is ancient and fascinating. The first traces of olive cultivation date back to the Bronze Age, but it was only with Greek domination that we witnessed a real diffusion of this production. Already during Roman rule, Apulian oil was highly appreciated and was exported throughout the empire. Over the centuries, the tradition of oil production has become increasingly consolidated in Salento – thanks also to the particularly favourable climatic conditions – as much as today, giving this region the largest olive oil production in Italy and in the world.
Why visit an oil mill in Puglia?
Booking a visit to an oil mill in Puglia is not only a way to taste an excellent product, but also to closely understand a culture and tradition strongly rooted in the Salento area. It is a sensorial and cognitive experience, capable of telling and mixing history, agriculture and local gastronomy, enchanting tourists, and enthusiasts of Italian culinary culture. Slow tourism is a rapidly growing trend and guided tours of oil mills fit perfectly into this movement. Tourists are looking for unconventional experiences that combine relaxation, culture and learning and which increasingly stay far from mass tourism. The Salento oil mills precisely offer this excursus, meeting and fitting historical and authentic production realities.
The visit to the oil mill: what to expect
A guided tour of a Salento oil mill is a 360-degree overview of the world of olive oil. Usually, we start with a walk through the olive groves, during which we can appreciate the beauty of the centenary trees and listen to stories about their care and the olive harvest. Subsequently, visitors are introduced to the various phases that make up the production: from the pressing of the olives to the separation of the oil.
Here you can witness the use of modern machinery that coexists with more traditional methods. During the visit, the importance of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet is highlighted and we’ll discover which are the criteria for recognizing a quality oil (from the acidity level to the different varieties of olives etc..). The tour usually culminates with a tasting: the liquid gold is served on homemade bread or accompanied by traditional dishes. It is an unmissable tasting experience, which allows you to appreciate the true nuances of a high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
Guided tours of the Salento oil mills reveal the most genuine face of Puglia, made up of millenary traditions and love for the land. It is an unmissable opportunity to get to know the world of olive growers up close, the aromas of freshly pressed oil and the rustic life that still contributes to making Puglia one of the Italian capitals of olive oil. Don’t hesitate to book your visit to an oil mill in Salento with Terrachevive and let yourself be won over by the wonders of this enchanting area. Whether you are a connoisseur or pretty new to the world of olive oils, be sure to include an olive oil tasting experience in your Puglia vacation for an unforgettable and authentic experience in the land of olive oil!
