It is easy to think of Corfu just as a beach destination, but the moment you drive away from the coast and head into the hills, the landscape completely changes. The island is covered by an estimated four million olive trees. They are everywhere, blanketing the mountains in a dull, silvery green.
Location – A family-run olive grove near Agios Mathaios
Time – 01 00 PM
Temperature – 32°C (89°F) and incredibly dry
Mood – Peaceful and sun-drenched
Soundtrack – The hypnotic, endless buzzing of cicadas and rustling leaves
I wanted to understand the agricultural soul of the island, so I drove up a winding, potholed dirt road to a small, family-owned olive estate.
The Ancient Giants
Corfiot olive trees do not look like the neatly pruned, tiny trees you see in Italy or other parts of Greece. Because the Venetians paid the locals for every tree they planted centuries ago, the trees here were allowed to grow wild. They are massive. I walked through a grove where the trunks were thick, gnarled, and twisted like giant wooden muscles. Some of the trees on this estate are over 400 years old. Standing beneath them, completely shielded from the harsh midday sun by their massive canopy, you feel a deep sense of history.
The Tasting Ritual
The owner of the estate, a man with deeply tanned skin and rough hands, set up a small wooden table right in the middle of the grove.
Olive oil tasting is treated with the same respect as wine tasting. He poured a small amount of extra virgin, cold-pressed oil into a small blue glass. The oil was extracted from the local Lianolia olive, a variety almost exclusive to Corfu.
He told me to cup the glass in my hands to warm it, smell it, and then take a sip. The scent was intensely green, like freshly cut grass and green apples. When I swallowed it, there was a sudden, sharp, peppery kick in the back of my throat that made me cough slightly. The owner smiled and nodded. That spicy kick is the mark of high-quality, antioxidant-rich olive oil.
The Liquid Gold
After the raw tasting, he brought out a plate of thick, crusty sourdough bread. We spent the next hour sitting under the ancient trees, tearing off pieces of bread, dipping them into the golden-green oil, and eating local tomatoes dusted with coarse sea salt. It was one of the simplest, yet most luxurious meals I have ever had.
The Verdict
To truly know Corfu, you have to taste its olive oil right where it is grown. The beaches are beautiful, but the heart of the island beats in these quiet, sun-baked hills. It is a slow, deeply traditional way of life that has remained unchanged for centuries.
My “Eat Walk Repeat” Note for Today
Eat – When buying olive oil to take home, look for bottles marked “Cold Pressed” and “Extra Virgin.” Never buy oil that is sold in clear glass or plastic bottles, as sunlight destroys the quality. Always buy it in dark glass or metal tins.
Walk – Take a walk through the groves and look at the ground. Unlike other places that shake the trees, Corfiots lay large black nets on the ground and wait for the olives to drop naturally.
Repeat – Cleanse your palate with a slice of green apple or a sip of water between tasting different varieties of oil.
