Olive Oil Temples Food Tour

Olive Oil Temples Food Tour, 2 to 3 hours, rated 4.7 across 23 traveller reviews.

Overview

This experience, run by Francesco Linzalone, spends two to three hours in the Matera countryside among olive groves the listing calls centuries-old. It begins with a light breakfast taken under a patriarch olive tree, then moves through the caverns of an old farmhouse before settling into a hands-on cooking session.

The heart of the tour is preparing la cialledda, a Matera dish built from day-old bread combined with the vegetables and salad greens of the Lucanian countryside. The work happens in a laboratory setting, and the meal is shared afterwards in the style of the breaks olive pickers still take. Alongside the cialledda come Primitivo wine and a bundle of Slow Food Presidium products: Caciocavallo Podolico, Baked olives from Ferrandina and Pezzente salami from the Matera mountains. Music from popular instruments and traditional Matera songs form part of the gathering.

It runs as a private activity, so only your group takes part. Anyone hoping for a tightly structured sightseeing walk should read the practical notes below, since at least one recent reviewer found the flow informal and the buildings visited partly derelict. A confirmation arrives at booking unless the trip is booked within two days of travel, in which case it comes within 48 hours, subject to availability.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Viale Aldo MoroMeet at Viale Aldo Moro 6, Matera, opposite the Francesco Torraca middle school. The tour starts at 10:00.
2. Breakfast under the patriarch oliveThe morning opens with a small breakfast taken beneath a patriarch olive tree in an old stretch of countryside.
3. Caverns of the farmhouseThe group then goes through the caverns of an ancient farmhouse.
4. Cooking the cialleddaUnder the old olive trees, participants taste Matera bread and prepare la cialledda, the traditional dish pairing stale bread with Lucanian vegetables and salads, working in a laboratory.
5. Shared mealThe dish is eaten together, the way olive pickers share their breaks, accompanied by Primitivo wine and a bundle of Presidium products: Caciocavallo Podolico, Baked olives from Ferrandina and Pezzente salami. Popular instruments and traditional songs accompany the meal.
6. Return to the meeting pointThe activity ends back at the starting point on Viale Aldo Moro. Total duration is 2 to 3 hours.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help set expectations before booking this morning in the olive groves.

• Private format. The listing states this is a private activity, so only your group participates. That shapes the pace and the feel of the day, which one reviewer described as informal and rambling rather than scripted.
• Rough ground. The route covers countryside, caverns and old farm buildings, and the booking page says the tour is not wheelchair accessible. Sturdy shoes suited to uneven rural terrain are a sensible choice.
• Food and drink. Breakfast, traditional territorial snacks known as il fagotto, soft drinks, Primitivo wine and the shared cialledda meal are part of the experience. The listing does not mention any food or drink to bring yourself.
• Getting there. The meeting point is Viale Aldo Moro 6, opposite the Francesco Torraca middle school, and public transport stops are nearby per the listing. Plan to arrive in time for the 10:00 start.
• Weather dependent. Good weather is required. If the operator cancels for poor conditions, a different date or a full refund is offered, so keep some flexibility in your plans.
• Who should skip it. The listing advises against the tour for pregnant travellers. Service animals are allowed and most travellers can participate, according to the same notes.

Common issues. The experience is not wheelchair accessible and is not recommended for pregnant travellers. It depends on good weather and a minimum number of travellers, and if either condition fails you are offered a different date or a full refund. One recent reviewer felt the tour did not match its description, describing an informal walk, an olive farm connected to the guide, a derelict farm building with scaffolding inside, and a church they could only peer at through wire. Reviews in that critical vein are worth reading on the booking page before committing.

Common Questions