A cultural heritage of thousands of years
The olive plant is known to have been cultivated for about 7,000 years, but its origins are believed to date from the Oligocene period, about 20 to 40 million years ago. The olive plant – its fruit, leaves and branches – is omnipresent in mythology and lore, particularly in the Mediterranean regions. One of humanity’s earliest legends, the Great Flood, features the olive plant: in the biblical version, Noah dispatches birds to see if the waters have receded. When a dove finally returns, holding a branch from an olive tree in its beak, the Ark’s passengers know that they can once again live upon dry land. For this reason, the olive branch came to symbolize peace.
In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena was the guardian of the olive tree, even presenting Zeus with one of these beautiful plants. The olive tree was so important to the ancient Greeks that it was protected by law. And these are just a few of the stories about olive trees.
Aegean Region, Türkiye
The cultivation of olive trees is extremely important in Türkiye, which is among the countries included in the Council of Europe’s Routes of the Olive Tree.
The climate of the Aegean region is conducive to olive cultivation and, indeed, Türkiye’s Aydın, İzmir and Muğla provinces are renowned for their olive groves, olives and olive oils, as is Balıkesir, which extends into the Marmara and Aegean regions. In Balıkesir, the Ayvalık district is an important olive cultivation center, with correspondingly high quality olives and olive oil. Similarly, İzmir, the pearl of the Aegean, is considered among the most important centers of olives and olive oil in Türkiye. The city is also a popular tourist destination and an ideal starting point for the İzmir Olive Route, which includes the cities of Çeşme, Urla, Seferihisar, Güzelbahçe, Menderes and Selçuk.
Muğla, another holiday paradise, has an important share in olive production, especially in Milas, where olive trees are believed to have been grown for almost 8,000 years. Muğla offers olive connoisseurs another route – and additional opportunities to sample high quality olives and olive oils.
Andalusia, Spain
There are so many reasons to plan a vacation in Spain, but here’s another: in addition to standing out for its cultural heritage and vibrant cities such as Barcelona and Madrid, Spain is also the world’s leading producer of olives and olive oil.
The Andalusia region of Spain is one of these olive-producing regions – in fact, it is known as the “Olive Capital of the World”. You can easily start your tour of the Andalusia region from Malaga, a historic city on the Costa del Sol, known for its gorgeous beaches.
California, USA
From the Mediterranean region, olive plants were brought to other areas of the world with similar climates. One of these is the state of California, in the United States, where olive production began in the late 18th century. To discover the story of the olive in North America, consider starting your road trip in one of the state’s global hubs for summer tourism, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Beni Mellal and Agadir, Morocco
Back in the Mediterranean region, we come to Morocco, where olive production has constituted an important part of the economy since the Roman era. Like the Greeks, the Romans valued the olive and encouraged its cultivation in suitable areas throughout their empire, such as North Africa and southern Europe.
If you are considering an olive tour in Morocco, Marrakech is a great place to start. The city has two centers for olive tourism, one in the northeast and the other in the southwest. To add sea, sand, and sun to your holiday plan, you can begin in Agadir, in the southwest. If mountain air seems more appealing, Beni Mellal, at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, is an ideal starting point. Both cities are about a four-hour drive from Marrakech.
Crete, Greece
Almost every region in Greece celebrates its olives but some stand out more than others. In terms of both production and culture, Crete is one of Greece’s most significant olive centers, with a 7,000-year tradition of olive cultivation. At the intersection of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, this Greek island also offers history and beautiful nature. You can fly into Athen’s Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, pick up your rental car and take the ferry to Crete. Enjoy your island road trip – along with spectacular Cretan olives and olive oil!
Puglia and Tuscany, Italy
The Roman Empire was influential in spreading olive cultivation throughout the Mediterranean and Europe and, of course, Italy now grows around 300,000 tons of olives annually. The country is also responsible for a quarter of the world’s olive oil production.
Nearly 70 percent of Italy’s olive and olive oil production is in the Puglia region, which corresponds to the “heel of the boot”. You can begin your southern Italian Olive Route from Bari. Fly to Bari, pick up your rental car and get ready to discover this beautiful country from south to north – the Tuscany region is known for the quality rather than the quantity of its olive production and many sources agree that the best quality olive oil is produced in the Tuscany region. While in Tuscany, you can visit Florence, the capital of the Renaissance. Olive and olive oil tasting tours are organized in both the Puglia and Tuscany regions each year.
A holiday of healthy eating with the benefits of olives
Light, yet filling, olive oil dishes and salads are often recommended for a healthy diet. You can enjoy plenty of these healthy and delicious meals, while enriching your Olive Route travels with each region’s natural beauties and historical and cultural sites – with Turkish Airlines Holidays,
