Olive Grove Tour, Oil Tasting

Olive Grove Tour, Oil Tasting, 1.5 hours, rated 4.7 across 573 traveller reviews.

Overview

This hour and a half walk takes place at Masseria Rienzo, a working farm in the countryside outside Ostuni, and it follows olive oil from tree to table. You start among olive trees that the operator describes as a thousand years old, some of the oldest in Italy according to one reviewer. Guides explain the history of the grove and how these trees fit into the story of Puglia.

The route then drops underground into a cave oil mill, one of the oldest of its kind, where oil was pressed in the past. From there the tour moves to the farm's modern mill, where technology is used to produce extra virgin olive oil. It finishes with a short tasting course covering three oils produced on the farm, served with friselline bread and water.

Tours run in Italian and English. It suits travellers who want an educational visit focused on how olive oil is made, from the grove to the finished oil. Reviewers repeatedly describe the guides as knowledgeable, and several said they left knowing far more about oil production than when they arrived.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Masseria RienzoMake your own way to Masseria Rienzo, Contrada Rienzo 8, in the Ostuni countryside. No pickup or transfer is included.
2. Walk among ancient olivesA guided walk through the grove of thousand-year-old olive trees, with the history of the trees and the land explained along the way.
3. Visit the cave oil millDescend into a hypogeous oil press carved in the cave, one of the oldest of its kind, to see how oil was made in the past.
4. Tour the modern millThe group then visits the farm's current oil mill, where modern equipment is used to produce the extra virgin olive oil.
5. Oil tasting with frisellineA short tasting course of three farm-produced oils, served with friselline and water, focused on recognising genuine aromas and flavours.
6. Return to Masseria RienzoThe tour ends back at the masseria where it began. Total duration is 1.5 hours.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you get the most from this visit, based on what past visitors have said.

• Getting there. There is no pickup or transport included. The meeting point is Masseria Rienzo, Contrada Rienzo 8, near Ostuni, so you need to arrange your own arrival.
• What is tasted. The tasting covers three oils made on the farm, with friselline bread and water. Several reviewers said the oil itself is very good.
• Pace and terrain. The tour lasts 1.5 hours and involves walking through the grove plus a visit into an underground cave mill. Footwear you can walk in comfortably is the sensible choice, and bare feet are not allowed.
• Group feel. One reviewer described it as a decent-sized group rather than a crush, and the tone is informative throughout. Reviewers consistently praise the guides as knowledgeable and full of information.
• Rules on site. Smoking indoors, littering, audio recording, making fire and nudity are all prohibited on the farm. The ancient trees make an obvious subject for photos while walking the grove.
• Language. Tours are offered in Italian and English.

Common issues. The main limits are practical. Transport is not included, so the farm's rural location near Ostuni means you must arrange your own arrival. Some feedback on the platform noted the tasting could be improved with side-by-side comparisons and slightly larger samples. Tours can be cancelled with a full refund up to 24 hours in advance.

Common Questions