Zoos and Wildlife Parks in Athens

Private Tour: Discover the Secret World of Olives in Afantou

Highly Recommended: A Hands-On Morning Olive Tour & Tasting

We visited The Olive Tree Farm in Afantou, Rhodes, for the private "Discover the Secret World of Olives" tour. Communication prior to our visit was excellent, with Emma providing clear details about the program and directions to the farm. We drove there in our rental car, taking the unpaved road for the final 0.9 miles (1.5 km). Upon arrival, we were welcomed by three barking yet friendly dogs. There are also several cats. Emma warmly greeted us and offered a seat on the terrace along with a glass of water. She is an engaging host who speaks multiple languages fluently, making conversation easy and pleasant. Once the full group of eight guests arrived, the tour began with an overview of olive cultivation, followed by a detailed walk through their grove of 160 trees. Their goal is to eventually grow all 27 Greek olive varieties on the property, and they already have 21 planted. During the tour, we harvested a few olives ourselves and visited their donkeys. Afterwards, we moved indoors for a tasting of various olive oils and olives. We also made our own jar of skin cream using beeswax, olive oil, and essential oils, and worked together to prepare tapenades from green and black olives. We enjoyed our freshly made tapenades on pita bread while watching short videos explaining the process of converting olives into oil. It was an informative experience in a comfortable atmosphere. Emma speaks passionately about her grove, her recipes, her husband, and the various countries she has lived in. Before leaving, we received our homemade skin cream along with olive oil and olive soap. It was a well worthwhile experience.

Acropolis Museum Skip the Line Tickets

A Worthwhile Museum to Visit

The museum is easily walkable and filled with interesting Greek pieces from thousands of years ago. It was very interesting and well-laid-out with informational plaques about every piece. It was fascinating to see objects from before Jesus's time! Only one section of the museum doesn't allow photos. It was marked with a sign at one side but was unclear where that section ended, so I just asked before I resumed taking photos, but I saw a couple get admonished for not knowing that they were still in that area - I think a few more signs would be helpful. Be aware that you can only use the ticket once at each entrance (the main museum and the archeological dig beneath), which was a minor problem when I went to the gift shop and tried to re-enter the museum. I had checked with an employee if I could do so but maybe he didn't fully understand me; thankfully, the employee at the entrance reluctantly allowed me back in. If you're in Athens I recommend you carve out at least two hours to enjoy this museum!

Acropolis Parthenon Tickets with Optional Audio Guide

A must-do experience

It was great going to the Acropolis with tickets already purchased! I highly recommend these tickets because you avoid standing in line twice, plus the audio guide was helpful and we were able to go at our own pace!