Olive oil towns
Members of the national association of olive-oil towns, the Città dell'Olio.
34 lists
The best olive oil towns in the province of BariTowns across the province of Bari that belong to Italy's national association of olive-oil towns, from the limestone plateau of the Murgia to the Adriatic edge. Where the mills run in late autumn and lunch begins with bread and oil.
The best olive oil towns in the province of ImperiaThe hills behind the western Ligurian coast are terraced for taggiasca olives, and the province of Imperia mills them into a pale, sweet oil. These towns, all members of the national association of olive-oil towns, sit in the valleys where the groves actually grow.
The best small olive oil towns in the province of SienaSmall towns across the province of Siena that belong to Italy's national association of olive-oil towns, from Chianti's stone hill villages to the volcanic slopes of Amiata and the clay country south of the Val d'Orcia. Where to taste new oil, and when to go.
The best small olive oil towns in the province of PerugiaSix small towns in the province of Perugia that belong to the national association of olive-oil towns, from the terraced groves under Monte Subasio to the frantoi of the Martani hills. Where to taste new oil, and when the mills run.
The best olive oil towns in SardegnaSardinian olive country, from the Planargia hills to the edge of the Barbagia, where towns press bitter green oil from Bosana and Semidana olives and belong to Italy's national association of olive-oil towns. Mills, autumn pressing season, and lunch built around bread and oil.
The 9 best olive oil towns in CampaniaCampania grows olives on limestone hills, volcanic slopes and cliffs above the Tyrrhenian, and these towns all belong to the national association of Italian olive-oil towns. Mills, groves and tables from the Sorrentine peninsula to the Irpinian interior.
The best olive oil towns in LazioLazio presses olive oil across the Sabina hills, the Ciociaria and the Tyrrhenian coast, and these towns all belong to the national association of olive-oil towns. Stone villages, November mills and Frantoi Aperti weekends, well away from Rome.
The best olive oil towns in SiciliaSicilian olive oil comes from hill towns and coastal plains where the Nocellara and Biancolilla trees have been worked for centuries. These towns all belong to the national association of olive-oil towns, from the Belice valley to the flanks of Etna.
The best olive oil towns in MarcheMarche grows olives on the limestone hills between the Apennines and the Adriatic, and presses them into a green, bitter, peppery oil. These towns all belong to the national association of olive-oil towns, from Ascoli Piceno and Ripatransone down to the coast at Senigallia.
The best olive oil towns in BasilicataSeven Basilicata towns that belong to the national association of olive-oil towns, from the hill mills of Acerenza and San Mauro Forte to the groves above the Ionian at Rotondella. Where to taste new oil, and when the presses run.
The best hidden olive oil towns in MoliseMolise's olive country runs from the Trigno and Biferno valleys up to the limestone ridges above Venafro, and these small towns all belong to the national association of olive-oil towns. Stone hill villages, autumn milling season, and oil pressed within sight of the trees.
The 9 best small olive oil towns in UmbriaSmall Umbrian towns built of limestone and travertine, ringed by olive terraces, where the mills run in late autumn and the new oil is peppery enough to catch in the throat. All belong to the national association of olive-oil towns.
The best olive oil towns in the province of CampobassoInland Molise turns its hills over to olives, with mills pressing Gentile di Larino and Aurina through late autumn, and hilltop towns of pale limestone looking down on the Biferno valley. These are the olive-oil towns of the province of Campobasso, each one part of the national association of olive-oil towns.
The best hidden olive oil towns in PugliaPuglia's olive country runs from the Gargano headlands to the Murgia plateau, where limestone towns sit among groves of Coratina and Ogliarola and the mills run through the cold weeks of harvest. These smaller comuni all belong to the national association of olive-oil towns.
The best olive oil towns with a serious restaurant in PugliaPuglia presses some of the best olive oil in Italy, and in these towns the oil on the table comes from the groves you drove through to get there, poured out in dining rooms the toughest guides have bothered to list.
The best olive oil towns that eat well in the province of PerugiaOn the hills between the Martani ridge and the Umbrian valley, olive groves run right up to the walls of towns built in pink and grey stone, and the new oil is pressed while the frost is still on the nets. These are places where a dining guide has named a table and the oil on it comes from the slope below.
The best olive oil towns you can reach by train in LiguriaLiguria presses its olives late, and the taggiasca gives an oil that is soft, almost sweet, good on raw fish and boiled chard. These are olive-growing towns on the coastal railway line, reachable without a car.
The best olive oil towns that eat well in LiguriaLigurian olive oil comes from the taggiasca, a small dark olive grown on dry stone terraces above the sea, and the towns that press it also know how to cook with it. These are the places inland and along the coast where the oil is local, the mills still run in winter, and a dining guide has named a table worth booking.
The best hidden olive oil towns that eat well in UmbriaUmbrian hill towns built of pale limestone and pink Subasio stone, ringed by silver olive terraces that give a green, peppery oil pressed in late autumn, and each with a dining room a national guide thinks worth the drive.
The best hidden olive oil towns that eat well in PugliaPuglia's olive country runs from the Gargano headlands to the Murgia plateau, with towns built from pale limestone, mills pressing new oil in late autumn, and dining rooms that cook with it rather than around it. These are the smaller places where the oil is local and a guide has still found a table worth booking.
The best olive oil towns you can reach by train in the province of PerugiaAlong the olive belt that runs beneath Monte Subasio and up the Valle Umbra, the province of Perugia presses some of the greenest, most peppery oil in Italy, and the towns that do it sit on working railway lines. Stone hill villages, November frantoi and a train ticket instead of a hire car.
The best small olive oil towns with a serious restaurant in ToscanaTuscan hill towns where the olive harvest still sets the calendar in November, and where the new oil, green and peppery, arrives on the table of a restaurant good enough to be worth the drive. Stone villages, terraced groves, and kitchens that cook with what the mill pressed that week.
The best hidden olive oil towns you can reach by train in PugliaOlive oil towns across Puglia, from the Murgia plateau to the Gargano, where the November harvest runs through stone-built centres and the regional railways still stop. Each belongs to the national association of olive-oil towns, and each can be reached without a car.
The best olive oil towns within 90 minutes of NapoliInland from Napoli, on the volcanic slopes and limestone terraces of Campania and the Molise border, olive harvest runs from late autumn into winter and the mills work through the night. These towns belong to the national association of olive-oil towns, and the oil is sold where it is pressed.
The best olive oil towns that eat well within 90 minutes of BariInland from Bari the olive groves run for kilometres, ancient trunks on red earth, and the towns among them press oil that arrives at the table almost green. These are places where the local olive-oil association means something and where a dining guide has picked out a table worth booking.
The 8 best olive oil towns you can reach by train within 90 minutes of FoggiaOlive country north of the Tavoliere, where the November harvest fills stone frantoi with the smell of crushed Peranzana and Coratina, and the regional trains from Foggia run to towns that press their own oil.
The best olive oil towns that eat well within 90 minutes of FoggiaBetween the Gargano, the Tavoliere and the first hills of Molise and Basilicata, olive groves run to the horizon and the November pressing sets the tone for the whole winter table. These are towns inside the olive-oil association where a dining guide has picked out a table worth sitting down at.
The 6 best olive oil towns within 90 minutes of GenovaLigurian olive oil comes from the taggiasca, a small dark olive grown on dry stone terraces above the sea, and the towns within easy reach of Genova press it into something mild, almond-sweet and green. Frantoi, covered market arcades and slate-fronted houses, along the coast either side of the city.
The best hidden olive oil towns you can reach by train within 90 minutes of PerugiaOlive towns within easy train reach of Perugia, where the November harvest runs on stone mills and new oil arrives green and peppery on grilled bread. Small places on the Umbria and Val di Chiana lines, each part of the national association of olive-oil towns.
The best hidden olive oil towns within 90 minutes of FoggiaInland from Foggia the Tavoliere gives way to olive country, where stone-built hill towns press their own oil in November and sell it from unmarked doors. These are the smaller places within an easy drive, all members of the national association of olive-oil towns.
The best small olive oil towns within 90 minutes of PescaraInland from the Adriatic, the hills behind Pescara press some of Italy's best oil from Dritta, Gentile di Chieti and Leccino, in stone-built towns where the mills run through late autumn. These smaller places belong to the national association of olive-oil towns, and the harvest is still the reason the calendar turns.
The best olive oil towns within 90 minutes of FirenzeOlive country begins where the Tuscan hills tilt south of Firenze, in towns of pietra serena and terracotta where the frantoi run through late autumn and the new oil arrives green, peppery and cloudy. These are the places that take their oil as seriously as their wine.
The 9 best olive oil towns within 90 minutes of TerniSouthern Umbria and its borders with Lazio run on olive oil: terraced groves of moraiolo and frantoio above the Nera and Tiber valleys, stone hill towns with a mill at the edge of the walls, and a pressing season that starts when the mornings turn cold. These are places where the November oil is drunk on bruschetta the day it comes off the press.
10 olive oil comuni near RomeTen Lazio, Sabine, and southern Umbrian comuni within two and a half hours of Rome on the Città dell'Olio trail. Drive times, what each frantoio produces, and when to taste the new oil.