This season’s bad olive harvest in Europe has sent olive oil prices skyrocketing. Spain’s production is slashed by half, Italy has also had a difficult year, but Greece continues to be an olive-producing country par excellence with harvesting having a long tradition. To make the most of this tradition, farms offer agro- and ecotourism opportunities to help people get back in touch with nature while on holiday. Agrotourism accomodation can be found all around the country.

Here are some museums from around Greece, dedicated solely to the humble olive.

Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in Sparta

The museum showcases the culture and technology of olive oil production that is inextricably linked with the Greek and Mediterranean identity. The museum is a trek through time, showing the importance of olive oil in antiquity through to modern times. The tour begins with the earliest findings that show that olive trees existed in Greece dozens of thousands years ago and there are rare fossil olive trees around 50-60,000 years old from Thera (Santorini) to prove it. Texts refering to olives date back to the 14th century BC.

The museum shows how olive oil production has changed through time. Emphasis is cast on the revival of the powered olive oil presses using large working models.

A large part of the display is linked to soap-making and how olive based soap is produced.

Museum of Industrial Olive-Oil Production in Lesvos (MBEL)

The museum is located at the region of Agia Paraskevi and is housed on the premises of an old communal oil-mill. The program has been financed by the 3rd EU Structural and Cohesion Fund. The old machinery and equipment have been preserved, fully restored and exhibited in a unique way. Visitors can witness the development of the various machines. Special emphasis is cast on the changes introduced with mechanical power.

Cyclades Olive Museum on Andros

The museum at Ano Pitrofos is a well-preserved olive-mill was restored and transformed into a museum to offer visitors a chance to come closer to the olive oil tradition and techniques iused in its creation.

The Olive Oil Museum of Thassos

The Olive Oil Museum gives visitors a chance to learn about the modern production process of olive oil and its incredible history. There is a rich exhibition of photographs that include many varieties of olives, different methods of extracting oil and the historical influence of olives on Greek culture. A screening room allows visitors to watch a video about the history of olives. Better still, you can sample olive products and compare the different tastes.

Olive and Olive Oil Museum of Pelion

The museum is located at Ano Gatzea, on the ground floor of a stone house belonging to Ioannis Vogiatzis at railway station square. There are many well-preserved tools at the museum. You can see stoarage barrels, amphorae of every size and an educative display about olive oil production. There’s also an exhibit on the process of soap production.

The Olive and Oil Museum of Eleochori, Kavala

The museum opened in 2008 and is housed in the building of the village’s old olive mill that began operating in 1950 and has contributed significantly to the development of the community and the western region of Kavala. Abandoned in 1970, the mill was recently rebuilt with funding form the 3rd Community Support Framework. The purpose of the museum is to help preserve tools of traditional olive cultivation, processing and distribution of oil of traditional art as practiced in the region.

Other museums

There are also olive oil museums for the public to visit on the islands of Kefalonia and Corfu.