Olive Oil, Frantoios and the Eternal Quest for Authenticity
We spend quite a bit of time in Ospedaletti and the western part of Liguria – and when you do that, you start to feel like something of a self-proclaimed expert on the area.
Or, expert might be pushing it – more like someone who insists on being called an expert just because they know their way around the supermarket. And once you realise that olive oil is clearly a big deal down here, well then you simply have to dive headfirst into the classic Italian sport: the search for the real thing.
Why Liguria Is a Paradise for Olive Oil
So what exactly makes Liguria so special when it comes to olive oil? First of all, there are the small, stubborn Taggiasca olives. They grow on olive trees clinging to the mountainsides – as if they’ve misunderstood the whole idea of growing upwards. But it’s precisely this struggle against nature that gives the oil its character. The groves stretch across stone-built terraces, where the Mediterranean climate the rest of us take for granted shows its most generous face.
Taggiasca oil is known for its mild, fruity flavour with hints of almond and a gentle peppery finish. It’s the kind of oil that makes people talk about “liquid poetry” without sounding overly pretentious. And it’s this very olive oil that Italians swear by when they want to impress their guests at dinner.
The Taste of Terraces and Rocky Trails
But even though the area is renowned for its olive oil, reality doesn’t quite live up to the glossy brochures about La Strada dell’Olio. Most of the time, you only spot the olive groves from a car or scooter while rattling along winding mountain roads. And the places where you can actually buy oil directly from producers are rare – hidden like small secrets that require both patience and a willingness to get lost.
Let’s get one thing straight. La Strada dell’Olio is a term you’ll find in several parts of Italy – not just Liguria – where it stretches from Ventimiglia near the French border, through the hinterland, over to Imperia.
A route that sounds like a dream for olive oil lovers – but where the reality turns out a little different.
Frantoios, Farm Visits and the Never-Give-Up Route
La Strada dell’Olio certainly sounds delightfully romantic. You instantly picture yourself puttering along tiny winding roads in the hills, old men in worn jackets nodding approvingly as you pass, en route from one olive grove to the next. But reality tells another story. It turns out that La Strada dell’Olio is more an idea of a region than an actual mapped-out route.
Cassini Frantoio da Olive near Isolabona
A kind of mythical notion of a trail connecting olive farms perched on some of the most inaccessible mountainsides in Liguria. And when we say inaccessible, we really mean it – as in “let’s just consider whether the car can even turn around here” inaccessible.
A bit like our journey on the Prosecco route (yes, you can read about it here: We took the Prosecco route without touching a single drop of prosecco). Italy has a unique talent for marketing the idea of a scenic route – without necessarily making sure there are road signs to help you find your way. It all starts out nicely with signs in every direction, but by the first junction you’re on your own – relying on guesswork and gut feeling.
Still, the drive is beautiful – if you can take your eyes off the road long enough to admire the terraces of olive trees. But even though the route is charming and romantic in theory, there’s a truth that needs to be acknowledged: the stops where you can actually enjoy or buy anything are few and far between. Most farms are closed-off enclaves, unlikely to welcome spontaneous visitors. However, you might be lucky enough to stumble upon a frantoio here and there, with space for both cars and curious guests.
When Comfort Beats Adventure
If you're on a city break without a car – or on a road trip but not exactly dreaming of a long haul into the Mediterranean hinterland – there are, luckily, alternatives.
The frantoios closer to town – for instance in Ventimiglia, Bordighera and Taggia – are oil producers more geared toward welcoming visitors than the remote farms. You can easily walk to them.
Olive oil shop in Sanremo
Or something in between – frantoios placed just outside larger towns. Not quite reachable on foot, but close enough by car. Here, parking is more or less straightforward, and you get to experience olive oil production up close – or at least the final product.
Tips for Buying Olive Oil
Whether you end up at a city frantoio, a countryside farm shop or some fancy tourist trap by the coast – it’s worth keeping a few things in mind. Price doesn't always equal quality, and real Taggiasca oil from Liguria has a flavour that starts gently and ends with a soft peppery note. If it tastes like cardboard, you’ve either bought a dud – or your taste buds have been dulled by too many motorway sandwiches.
How to Plan Your Olive Oil Outing
So how do you go about finding quality olive oil? If you're staying in a city and just want to taste and buy something to take home, aim for the in-town frantoios. They have proper shops, and you won’t risk reversing your car up a mountain pass. But if you're out adventuring with a car and a curious spirit, explore the smaller towns and look out for signs like "oleoteca", "olearia" or similar.
What Do the Labels Actually Say?
When you’re standing there with a bottle in hand, you might notice words like monocultivar or blend. These aren’t just fancy terms to show off at dinner – although that never hurts. They actually tell you what’s in the bottle.
Monocultivar means the oil was pressed from a single variety of olive – in this area, almost always Taggiasca. It gives a clean and distinct flavour, and if you ask the producers, it’s naturally the only true way. By contrast, blend (or multicultivar) combines several varieties to achieve a particular taste profile.
You’ll find great olive oils in supermarkets, too. Usually, the best are on the top shelves – the worst at the bottom.
Some take it a step further and only press olives from their own estate – often labelled as raccolta aziendale or similar. It’s not always highlighted on the label – but when it is, they tend not to keep it a secret.
If you're looking for producers consistently named among the best in western Liguria, keep an eye out for Roi (Boeri), Anfosso and Terre Liguri. They all make outstanding monocultivar Taggiasca oil – and if you get your hands on one of their bottles, you can trust that what’s inside is as serious as the label promises.
The Conclusion – Or Is It?
Is there a perfect way to experience La Strada dell’Olio? Probably not. But maybe the point isn’t to find the perfect oil – it’s to enjoy the journey of looking for it. And if you end up buying your oil from some charming tourist shop in Sanremo – maybe that’s perfectly fine too.
