Comprehensive guides about olives and Mediterranean culture
There are more than 800 olive varieties in the world. Every geography and every climate has created its own distinct variety. Discover this colourful world, from Turkish olives to Italian and Greek varieties.
The treasures offered by the olive tree extend far beyond the kitchen. From its fruit to its leaves, stone to vegetation water, almost every part is transformed into valuable products.
Olive oil is one of humanity's oldest and most valued foods. This "liquid gold" — once used as currency and sacred object — has become the darling of both the kitchen and health science.
Throughout history, the olive has been far more than a foodstuff. It has served as currency, sacred object, beauty secret and a critical economic engine in the rise of civilisations.
Modern science is steadily confirming the healing properties attributed to the olive in ancient times. Decades of research have demonstrated the extraordinary effects of the olive on human health.
Olea europaea — the "European olive" — is one of the oldest cultivated trees in the world. The symbol of the Mediterranean, the emblem of peace and a source of healing for millennia, the olive tree is one of nature's most extraordinary gifts.
The olive tree's journey alongside humanity stretches back to prehistoric times. From remains dating to 6000 BC to today's modern plantations, this story is one of humanity's longest-running agricultural adventures.