Aristeon Press and Museum - Zakynthos island
Olive Paradise Lithakia
The Aristeon olive pressing plant is a family-run business with more than 170 years of tradition and production standards that meet strict international standards. The pressing plant is located in the village of Lithakia, off the southern coast of Zakynthos, close to the popular tourist resort of Laganas. The complex includes a museum and a small shop selling local products.
The history of Aristeon dates back to 1850, when a stone press powered by farm animals was still used to produce olive oil. This was later replaced by a metal press, but even this is now a thing of the past, having had to give way to the modern hydraulic press. Visitors can see these and other historic olive processing machines and tools in the building's outdoor area, where their exhibition is located.
Organic extra virgin olive oil and fine extra virgin olive oil are produced here using gentle centrifugation technology and high quality standards. Interestingly, they use olives from local olive trees (an incredible 1 700 000 of them are said to grow on the whole island of Zakynthos), the olives are pressed with their stones and at low temperatures, and it takes five kilograms of olives to produce one litre of oil. Aristeon extra virgin olive oil is protected by the PGI geographical origin mark and is 100% sourced from Zakynthos, the olives are grown in the agricultural area of Lithakia or in the hills above it and pressed in the same place.
If you are interested, a local staff member will take you through the pressing plant with the automatic line and explain everything about the pressing process, the olives and the olive oil. The staff at the pressing plant are really very helpful, they will even play a video in Czech and answer your questions (free of charge, no purchase condition, etc.).
A small shop with local products is also part of the complex of the olive mill and the Aristeon Museum. In addition to extra virgin olive oil packed in tin containers of various volumes, you can also buy here, for example, pickled olives or olive soap. A new addition is the flavoured Aristeon extra virgin olive oils with lemon or garlic.
More touristic destinations of Zakynthos
Tips for trips on Zakynthos: Zakynthos Capital City, Marathonisi (Turtle Island), Blue Caves, Aristeon Press and Museum, Olympia, Callinico Winery, Water park Zante Water Village (Sarakinado), Shipwreck (Navagio Beach)
Resorts, beaches, sights or trips - clearly listed on the map of Zakynthos.
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