Visiting Crete’s Olive Treasures — From Biolea Estate to One of the World's Oldest Olive Trees
This summer we had the privilege of exploring Crete’s deep-rooted olive culture—where ancient trees and artisanal producers keep traditions alive. Two places stood out: the Biolea Astrikas Estate where the organic olive oil is still stone-milled and cold-pressed, and the legendary Monumental Olive Tree of Vouves, one of the oldest in the world.
An Island Steeped in History and Tradition
By the Bronze Age, Cretan olive oil was already a prized export, traded across the Aegean and into Egypt. It was fuel for lamps, a base for perfumes, and an offering to the gods. Even today, some of the island’s groves are believed to descend from trees first planted in this era, their gnarled trunks living witnesses to thousands of years of care.
Fragment of a wall painting depicting olive branches, Knossos, 1600 BC. Heraklion Archaeological Museum
The island’s unique landscape — limestone mountains, fertile valleys, and a climate of bright sun and sea winds — produces an olive oil renowned for its rich flavor. In villages across Crete, the harvest remains a communal ritual: families gather to hand-pick the fruit, sharing meals beneath the very trees their ancestors tended. This continuity gives the olive tree on Crete an aura of permanence — less a crop than a living thread binding past and present.
Biolea Astrikas Estate — Where Tradition Meets Taste
Nestled in the hills of Astrikas, Chania, Biolea is a family-run organic olive oil estate producing single-estate extra virgin olive oil the old-fashioned way—stone-milled and cold-pressed. Walking through the mill, you can watch olives slowly ground between stones, the oil released in a process that preserves its full aroma.
Stone-milled, cold-pressed tradition at Biolea Astrikas Estate.
The guided tours run from April to October and are a must for anyone visiting Crete. You learn not just how olive oil is made, but how to truly taste it—distinguishing fruitiness, bitterness, and peppery notes. We had the Olive Oil Enthusiast Tour & Light Lunch, which paired four distinct oils with simple, beautiful dishes. Surrounded by olive groves, it felt like a masterclass in Mediterranean living.
An unforgettable tasting amongst the olive groves.
The Monumental Olive Tree of Vouves — A Living Sculpture
A short drive from Biolea lies Ano Vouves, home to the Monumental Olive Tree of Vouves—a gnarled, twisting masterpiece believed to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old with a trunk circumference of 41 ft and a diameter of 15 ft. It still bears fruit, and its branches once crowned athletes at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics. Standing in the shade of this living monument, gives you a humbling connection to history—knowing this same tree has been part of people’s lives and culture for millennia.
The Monumental Olive Tree of Vouves, Crete—an ancient living sculpture and symbol of peace.
Visiting Information:
- Biolea Tours: April–October; book in advance. Consider the Enthusiast Tour & Light Lunch for an in-depth tasting.
- Biolea Restaurant: Seasonal Cretan menu focused on olive oil; typically open Tue–Sun, 10:00–17:00.
- Vouves Tree & Museum: Ano Vouves, Chania. Admission is free; donations are welcome.