The One Thing All Greeks Are Proud Of

Are you in love with Greece? Or maybe you are Greek, or know someone who’s Greek? People the world over know that Greece is a proud nation. But what is the one thing that all Greeks are proud of?

Well, as you can imagine, Greeks have many things to be proud of, from a rich history, the beauty of their country, the complexity of their language or simply their delicious cuisine, to name a few. And you guessed it, pinpointing a specific thing is a bit of Herculean task, but if we had to choose only one, it would be olive oil.

More than any other product sourced in Greece, olive oil is synonymous with Greek tradition and culture. The Greeks have a long tradition of olive growing, and during antiquity, the olive tree was considered to be sacred. Appearing in a dozen legends and myths, such as the gift of goddess Athena to the city of Athens, the olive tree is thought to be a symbol of peace and victory, hence the olive wreath awarded to the winner of the Olympic Games, as well as a symbol of divine protection. With deep roots into the Greek soil, the olive tree also has roots in the nation’s soul.

Olive oil is a multi-purpose item, it can be used for cooking, in medicine, in cosmetics and much more, so is not surprising that Homer called olive oil ‘liquid gold’. As such, in a country where there is the highest number of olives, the Greeks have studied the properties of the fruit in depth.

Today, Greece is the leading country in the production of extra virgin olive oil, which is one of the purest and the highest quality oils there is, and while it is the third producer in Europe, behind Spain and Italy, Greece is the first country in the world when it comes to the production of black olives. To give you a better idea, Greece spends more than 60% of farmland in olive cultivation, and consumption is at 18 kg per person, while in Crete, it rises up to 30 kg!

Omnipresent in every Greek’s kitchen, it is definitely a staple and one of the main reasons why the Mediterranean diet is gaining popularity beyond its border. So the next time you are in Greece, make sure to take some extra virgin olive oil back with you for yourself and your loved ones.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.