A Walk To Remember: Vassilakis Estate

Thinking of visiting Crete soon? I have so much information to share with you, but that would involve sitting down over a Greek coffee, or as we call it, “Ellinikos kafes.” Since we can’t enjoy a coffee together, I’ll take you on a virtual exploration of one of my favorite places in Greece, which is Crete! I will also showcase my favorite olive grove to visit, called Vassilakis Estate.

Crete is the largest Greek island, surrounded by over 6,000 islands that make up Greece. Situated at the southern tip of the country, it enjoys a beautiful climate with mostly sunny days. It is home to the oldest olive tree in the world, known as Ano Vouves. See the photo above to view this spectacular place!

The University of Crete estimates that this tree is around 4,000 years old! Remarkably, it still produces olive oil, and of course, I had to try it—it’s amazing! You should visit this ancient place too. Who knows? You might even bump into the mayor himself, Ioannis Malandrakis, as we did while he was filming for a Greek show called Akoma Den Eides Tipota.

Olive oil, to me, is more than just oil—it’s a way of life! It has become somewhat of an obsession, as I’m always eager to learn more about it. I have traveled all over Greece, visiting olive farms and tasting different olive oils. My obsession began about 15 years ago when many Greek olive oil producers started sending me bottles of their oil to try. I would taste each one and then create a recipe inspired by its unique flavor.

We had our second Travel Mazi Mou adventure in Crete last fall. Where did our travelers go? Crete is divided into four regions: Heraklion, the most central and home to the main airport (although another airport is under construction). On the west side, we have Chania, one of the most popular destinations in Crete. Then there is Rethymno, located about 36 miles from Heraklion. Finally, after Heraklion, we have the Lasithi region, where we had our adventure. Some of the places we explored include Agios Nikolaos, Elounda, Plaka, and Neapoli. You need at least three to four weeks to truly experience all that Crete has to offer.

We had the chance to showcase much of Lasithi, with highlights including Elounda, Plaka, Vrouchas (where we stayed in a villa), Agios Nikolaos, Heraklion, and some famous villages nearby, such as Archanes. I loved Archanes! It is colorful and bright, and the art I found there was some of the best I have ever seen in Greece. I would love to tell you all about our adventures in Crete, but for more details, visit my travel page.

Today, I want to share one of my all-time favorite farms in Crete, located in the Neapoli region. This place is renowned for its unique liquid gold—the beautiful Greek extra virgin olive oil. The farm is called Vassilakis Estate, and I am thrilled to introduce you to it.

A Special Visit to Vassilakis Estate

By the way, I am not writing this post as part of a paid collaboration—I genuinely love this place! I believe in their products and want you to visit them. Tell Mr. Vassilakis that Krystina from Kouzounas Kitchen sent you. He may not remember me, but he will remember my father, Yiannis! They immediately connected, and Mr. Vassilakis even gifted my father a bottle of wine.

A Walk to Remember at Vassilakis Estate

I have visited Vassilakis Estate two times and always leave feeling inspired. I explored this wonderful place years ago and knew that if I brought my travelers here, they would be delighted.

I booked a group of 11 for their “Free Friendly Olive Tour,” as well as their “Discover Crete Wine Tasting.” I was excited to see their new building open, as one of their managers, Christos, had told me about this upcoming development. The building where they host their wine tastings is incredible! But before we talk about wine, let’s dive into olive oil.

Did you know that Greece is the third-largest producer of olive oil in the world? The country has approximately 120–170 million olive trees, meaning that about 60% of Greece is covered in olive trees! Crete, in particular, is filled with these magnificent trees. The sight of them never gets old, and I feel deeply connected to their beauty.

Take a Virtual Stroll Through Vassilakis Estate

As you arrive at Vassilakis Estate, you will notice a very old olive tree at the entrance. This is where the olive-tasting experience begins. Our guide, a passionate local fluent in English, led us through the estate, sharing its history.

Mr. Manolis Vassilakis built one of the first olive mills in the Neapoli region in 1865. His grandson, Mr. Vassilakis, continues the family tradition today. The tour beautifully integrates family history into the experience. After discussing the oldest olive tree outside, we headed indoors, where our guide explained the olive oil production process. We even got to see how the oil is bottled!

My favorite part was stepping into the storage room where massive vats of olive oil are kept—such an impressive sight! My travelers asked plenty of questions, and I encourage you to do the same when you visit.

Afterward, we enjoyed an outdoor tasting session featuring all of their olive oils. I loved them all, but if I had to choose, my favorites would be the Vassilakis Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Charisma Extra Virgin Olive Oil. But the tasting didn’t stop at olive oils! We also sampled my favorite haroupi (Cretan carob syrup), balsamic vinegar, and more. After the tasting, we explored their gift shop, where you can find unique items to bring back home.

   Discover Crete Wine Tasting Tour

My mother, Karen, who was one of the travelers on this trip, shared her thoughts on the experience:

“It was one of the most well-organized tours I have ever been on. We started with a tour of the old olive press, where they explained how the olive trees produce cold-pressed olive oil. Then, we walked downstairs to see the enormous stainless steel tanks where the oil is stored. Our guide had incredible in-depth knowledge about the olive oil production process.

My personal favorite was the Vassilakis Estate Olive Oil, as well as the haroupi and balsamic we tasted.

The wine tasting was equally enjoyable and well-organized! We enjoyed the “Discover Crete Wines Tasting” tour. The tables were beautifully set with an abundant spread of food. We call this a ‘meze,’ but the amount of food was astonishing! A delicious assortment of cheese, fruit, crackers, meats, and more complemented the wines perfectly. The sommelier did a fantastic job explaining the five wines we sampled, which included white, rosé, red, and dessert wines. It was clear that both our olive oil and wine-tasting guides were highly knowledgeable and passionate about what they did. This was truly the best tour I have ever been on!”

If you find yourself in Crete, I highly recommend visiting Vassilakis Estate for an unforgettable experience in olive oil and wine tasting. You won’t regret it! Make sure to check out their official website and have a look at the tours they offer!

We will sure be back on our next Travel Mazi Mou adventure to Crete! Take a look at the video I created while we visited Vassilakis Estate farm here.