EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL TOURS
Umbria is also very famous for extra virgin olive oil production. Umbrian olive oil is one of the best in Italy and it is very good for our health thanks to its antioxidants.
A “D.O.P.” oil road has been identified in the region and it is divided in 5 areas: Trasimeno Hills, Assisi- Spoleto Hills, Martani Hills, Orvieto Hills and Amerini Hills.
D.O.P. means Denominazione di Origine Protetta (Protected Denomination of Origin) and it designates an agricultural/food product from a region whose quality and characteristics are essentially or exclusively due to the geographic environment where the product is cultivated.
Olive harvesting take place in October-November until the first weeks of December, a very special period to visit our region and to taste the new oil, just pressed.
Olive trees in Umbria belong to three varieties: Moraiolo tree, Frantoio tree and Leccino tree. Near Trasimeno lake there is also a special variety called Dolce Agogia.
The olives from the different varieties can be mixed together to create a “blend” extra virgin oil or they can be pressed separately to produce a so called “monocultivar”, each one with a different flavour and aroma.
OLIVE OIL TOURS
Our olive oil tours include visits to family-run oil mills in the most famous Umbrian oil regions with tasting of the local produce along with accompanying local food products. Visits and oil tasting are guided by the owner/producer of the mills and always accompanied by Discovering Umbria staff, Alessandra and Leonardo, your food&wine local guides.
OLIVE OIL WEEK – OLIVE OIL WEEKEND – Home-base Todi
Use our planning services to choose your weekend or week that you want. Tell us your plans and we will be happy to create your journey together.
Accommodation in hotel 4 stars, farm-houses, b&b and apartments, starting from 3 nights stays in Todi.
BOOK YOUR EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL TOUR!
Our olive oil tours run all year round and they are available starting from just 1 participant, to small groups of 12-14 people.
Discounts and offers
10% discount if you book min. 2 tours + additional 10% discount if you stay in one of our accommodation in Todi.
Quotation is calculated on the nr. of participants and Season (low/high):
please contact us for prices and availability
TOUR “ON THE OIL ROAD”
1 day in the beautiful area of Bevagna and Montefalco to discover the secrets of extra-virgin olive oil. Guided visit and professional oil tasting at a family-run oil mill producing organic extra-virgin olive oil.
PROGRAMME:
- Departure from Todi. On the way to Bevagna stop to admire the amazing view of Todi.
- Second stop to a natural “terrace” from which it is possible to see the cities of Assisi, Spello, Foligno and the valley of Mount Subasio.
- Arrival to a family-run oil mill and guided visit with the owner to the ancient olive tree grove where there is the possibility to see 400 hundreds years old trees. Following visit to the mill and explanation of the pressing process.
- Light lunch with bruschetta bread with olive oil and vegetables of the season.
- Technical oil tasting of 3 different kinds of “olio extra vergine di oliva”:
- Blend “Extra-virgin olive oil” DOP “Colli Martani”. Olives varieties: 40% Moraiolo, 40% Frantoio, 20% Leccino.
Taste: herbaceous scent with elegant marks of fresh olive. - Monocultivar “Moraiolo”. Olives varieties: 100% Moraiolo
Taste: strong olive flavour, elegant scent with marks of erbs - Monocultivar “Frantoio”. Olive varieties: 100% Frantoio
Taste: fresh scent with a hint of artichoke flavour
- Blend “Extra-virgin olive oil” DOP “Colli Martani”. Olives varieties: 40% Moraiolo, 40% Frantoio, 20% Leccino.
- Departure for Bevagna and short introduction to the town.
- Stop for relax and visit. Following visit to the beautiful hamlet of Montefalco or , on request, visit to a winery for a wine tasting.
Ask for quotation and availability
TOUR “DISCOVERING OLIVE OIL TRADITION”
1 day in the beautiful area surrounding Corbara Lake, on the way to Orvieto. Guided visit to the Olive Oil Museum and extra-virgin olive oil tasting.
PROGRAMME:
- Departure from Todi. Arrival at “Civitella del Lago”, Medieval village located on the hills surrounding Corbara Lake.
- Visit to the hamlet and time to take pictures to the amazing landscape.
- Departure for the Olive Oil Museum, situated in a village on the road to Orvieto.
- Visit to the mill and the museum. The exhibition provides an itinerary that takes the visitor through the phases of the production of olive oil, from the growing of the olive trees, to the gathering of the fruit, from their processing to the storing of the product.
- Following olive oil tasting with bruschetta bread and vegetables marinated in extra-virgin olive oil:
- Blend “Extra-virgin olive oil”, produced according the traditional methods.
Taste: olives essence together with fresh, grassy notes and delicate flavour - Blend “ Extra-virgin olive oil”, D.O.P. “Colli Orvietani”. Olives varieties: Moraiolo, Frantoio, Leccino.
Taste: Slightly fruity, perfect balance between peppery and sweet.
- Blend “Extra-virgin olive oil”, produced according the traditional methods.
Ask for quotation and availability
“OLIVE PICKING”
1 day in a olive grove to learn about olive tree cultivation and olive picking.
In growing olives, Umbria has a very special climatic conditions and soil composition and chemistry that allows a deeper root penetration with respect to other zones across the same latitude. This allows a slow maturation of the fruit and, for this reason, Umbrian oil is one of the best in Italy. The gathering of the olives happens before the fruit is fully mature and traditional harvesting methods called brucatura (manual collection with a rake), are used across the region. The olives are left in boxes only for a short time to maintain the freshness and integrity of the fruit until it reaches the oil press.
PROGRAMME:
- Departure from Todi. Arrival at a “Casale” situated in the country-side 8 km from the city. Visit to the olive grove with an agronomist.
- Demonstration of olive picking and explanation of the method and the tools used.
- For travelers coming in the period of olive harvesting (October-November) possibility to take part to the olive picking or to the pre-harvesting pruning (September-October) for free.
- Following rich traditional lunch.
Ask for quotation and availability
“THE SECRETS OF EVOO”
1 day course to discover the secrets of extra-virgin olive oil.
Morning:
- Introduction to Umbrian Olive Oil
- What does “ extra-vergine” really mean?
- Understanding the labelling on an EVOO bottle
- High quality extra-virgin olive oils vs. commercial oils.
- Keeping EVOO bottles at home.
- Traditional olive picking techniques (nets, combs, boxes and baskets)
- Lunch with local products. Relax in the olive grove
- Visit to a family-run oil mill and tasting of extra-virgin olive oils
- At the conclusion of the course you will be awarded a certificate of participation!