Let’s meet
Dimitra
Her friends call her a “dreamer” and yes she dreams and smiles a lot! Passionate for many things but let’s call it in general passionate for life.
Quite good student (MBA holder) but she gets bored easily and the “career” in the multinational companies ended quickly …When she met her husband, Stathis, and she got passionate with magic olive oil world!!
Today, she is an olive oil taster, member in the certified olive oil tasting panel of the University of Peloponnese, she has two children, and she is leaving her dream within ..The Olive Routes…
Stathis
Since his grand, grand, grandfather his family owned the same Olive oil Mill in the land they love Androusa Messinias ..Olive oil, it’s in his DNA…
He loves the olive trees…to cultivate and to spend time with them.
He loves also simple life…like drinking ouzo with the same friends the last 20 years in the “kafeneio” of his village.
Now, he is co-owner of a modern olive oil mill, he exports his branded extra virgin olive oil ‘a messiniako” in many countries, and he is starting to become a passionate olive router!
The castle & olive mill tour
Androusa Castle, Messinia
0.0 (0 reviews)
Duration
3hr
Group size
Up to 12 people
Type
Olive oil tasting
Language
English - US, Greek
The Experience
A fun and informative tour about olive oil that starts with a relaxing “olivewalk” inside the 13th century castle of Androusa, marveling the endless Messinian olive valley, continues with a visit at the traditional and the modern olive oil Mill and ends up with a revealing olive oil tasting workshop by a certified olive oil taster, accompanied with traditional olive oil based dishes.
- Walk inside a Byzantine Castle with perennial olive trees
- Travel in time at the 100 years old olive press factory (mill)
- Learn about the quality and production of Extra Virgin olive oil at the modern Olive oil Mill
- Feel like an olive oil taster in an Olive oil tasting workshop with 4 different extra virgin olive oils by experienced olive oil taster (member of certified olive oil panel).
- Enjoy a food tasting experience of Greek Mezedes (small dishes) and food pairing with olive oil.
- Taste local fresh food.
Your Itinerary
Explore the castle of Androusa
Our meeting point is at the magnificent 13th century castle of Androusa, located in the heart of Messinia, just 20 minutes drive from Kalamata and 10 minutes from Ancient Messini. Walk inside the castle with the breathtaking view of the endless olive valley, learn about different varieties of olive trees and discover the history, the tradition and the mythical story of the castle’s olive trees…An interactive ”olive game” will keep you smiling the whole time!
Visit a traditional and a modern olive oil mill.
Only 200m away from the castle, in the center of Androusa village, visit a unique olive oil mill that is located there for more than 120 years. Discover the history of the traditional olive oil Mill and find out about the procedure of the extraction, the storage and standardization process of the extra virgin olive oil in the past and nowadays at the modern olive oil Mill.
Discover the quality of extra virgin olive oil in an olive oil tasting workshop!
Inside the traditional olive oil Mill the dining table is set with the special blue olive oil tasting glasses awaiting you to become a tasting expert! Taste the extra virgin olive oil of the Koroneiki variety, learn about its sensory characteristics and recognize the elements that define the extra virgin olive oil. Taste different varieties of Greek extra virgin olive oil such us “Manaki”, “Chalkidikis”, “Makris” etc and feel like an olive oil taster!
Pair your food with extra virgin olive oil!
What about food? The extra virgin olive oil of different varieties is matched with traditional recipes including yogurt, fruit and vegetables. You will be surprised!
Enjoy traditional “mezedes”.
The day, full of emotions and new knowledge, ends with a variety of traditional dishes..Fresh vegetables from our garden, Greek Gruyère cheese, tzatziki, Kalamata olives, olive tapenade, lalagia (local breadsticks), smoked sausage, spinach pie and of course wine & ouzo.
Inclusions
Four different extra virgin olive oil
Light meal
Local flavours - food & olive oil pairing
Local wine or ouzo
Olive oil mill tour
Olive oil tasting workshop
Visit Castle of Androusa
Visit traditional olive oil press
Exclusions
Transport
Policies
Cancellation: enable before 1 day(s)
Free Cancellation
The castle was built sometime after 1250 by the ruler of the Principality of Achaea Guillaume II de Villehardouin.
In 1381 became the seat of the Navarrese Company, a company of mercenaries, mostly from Navarre and Gascony, who fought in Greece during the late 14th century and early 15th century, in the twilight of Frankish power in the dwindling remnant of the Latin Empire
The company was hired to help James of Baux to claim the throne of Achaea. They were not very successful, but eventually they became the dominat rulers of the Pricipality of Achaea and Androusa was their seat.
In 1417, the Paleologi family, the Byzantine rulers of the Despotate of Mystras took the castle. In those times, around the end of the 14th century, it was one of the most important castles in Peloponnese.
In 1462 the Turks captured Androusa.
Source www.kastra.eu
Things To Do Near By
Ancient Messene
In only 10 minutes drive from our Olive Groves you can visit the city of Ancient Messene.Messene is a significant ancient city in terms of its size, form, and state of preservation, and still has much to offer. It possesses not only sanctuaries and public buildings, but also imposing fortifications, and houses and tombs. The castle of Androusa
The castle was built sometime after 1250 by the ruler of the Principality of Achaea Guillaume II de Villehardouin.
In 1417, the Paleologi family, the Byzantine rulers of the Despotate of Mystras took the castle. Αround the end of the 14th century, it was one of the most important castles in Peloponnese.
Monastery “Andromonastiro”
A monastic complex with fortifications and one defensive tower. It was built during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos (end of 12th-beginning of 13th century). Since then, the monastery went through six additional construction phases.
Since 2011, restoration works started and which were completed in 2017. Experiences Near By
50,00€ /people
Check Availability
0 reviews for this experience