The Oil Roads in Calabria

What are the unmistakable characteristics of Calabrian oil? Its fragrance is an expression of ancient flavours and aromas, rooted in remote times, like those of the centuries-old olive trees that dot the region. Its colour, true "liquid gold", distinguishes it along with its sweetly fruity flavour, evoking the sun that kisses the land from dawn to dusk.

These characteristics were already known and mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia, and are linked to the arrival in Calabria of monks from the East, who gave a strong boost to local olive oil production, enabling it to take on the characteristics of a high-quality olive-growing industry.

Today, the Calabria Oil PGI is a certified brand in accordance with the dictates of the strict specifications to which the region's main companies, oil mills and historical producers adhere, an integral part of the Calabria PGI Oil Consortium, a guarantee of quality and traceability. A foodstuff that is a concentrate of high nutritional and organoleptic properties, excellent both as an ingredient in typical Calabrian and national recipes, and raw, irresistible dressing for homemade bread, bruschettas and salads. In addition to the regional PGI, Calabrian olive oil boasts a number of branded declinations that are an expression of more specific territories. These include Lametia PDO, Alto Crotonese PDO and Bruzio PDO.

The Oil Roads in Calabria pass through 17 Oil Towns, a series of municipalities dedicated to the production of Calabrian Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Starting from the province of Cosenza, our Oil Road passes through the main producers of Calabrian Oil PGI and Bruzio Oil PDO. The towns that stand out as Oil Road are:

• Saracena, also famous for its prized Moscato di Saracena wine (Slow Food Presidium)
• San Basile, where Bruzio DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil pairs perfectly with local cuisine, from soups to meat dishes and the aromatic herbs of the Pollino National Park
• San Marco Argentano
• Tarsia
• Terranova di Sibari
• Santa Sofia d'Epiro
• San Demetrio Corone, paired with traditional Albanian and Greek-Eastern cuisine
• Corigliano-Rossano, where Calabrian oil is obtained from a native olive variety: Dolce di Rossano

Continuing along the Oil Roads on the Ionian coast, we reach the province of Crotone to discover the delicious Alto Crotonese DOP oil. The Protected Designation of Origin is attributed here to extra virgin olive oil obtained from the Carolea variety. A visit to the City of Pythagoras, also famous for its Pecorino Crotonese DOP cheese, and its surroundings, including the City of Oil of Cotronei, is the perfect opportunity to taste some of the typical dishes of this area, such as Sardella Crotonese.

In the rolling hills between the Two Seas, the Ionian and Tyrrhenian, the Oil Roads in Calabria lead us to the gates of Catanzaro, the regional capital, and its province. The following Oil Cities are worth a visit and tasting:

• Lamezia Terme for a dinner enhanced by Lametia PDO oil
• Vallefiorita
• Palermiti
• Maida

Other Cities of Oil include:

• Reggio Calabria, also home to Bergamotto di Reggio Calabria DOP
• Ciminà, famous for Caciocavallo di Ciminà, a Slow Food Presidium
• Cinquefrondi
• Gerace
• Antonimina