II Edition national Turismo dell’Olio Competition

28-04-2022

8 winners (including two ex-aequo) in the six categories in competition and 3 special mentions awarded by the jury of high-profile experts in the sector chaired by prof. Roberta Garibaldi.


 Rome - on April 26, at the Sala del Tempio di Adriano of the Chamber of Commerce, the award ceremony for the second edition of the national Turismo dell’Olio (Oleotourism) Competition took place, promoted by the National Association of the Città dell’Olio with the support of Bene Assicurazioni, the collaboration of UNAPROL - Coldiretti, of the Special Agency of the Rome Chamber of Commerce Agro Camera and the patronage of Mipaaf and the Ministry of Ecological Transition.

The announcement of the 8 overall winners in the 6 categories and of the 3 special mentions awarded among the 30 finalists selected from the 179 oil tourism experiences in competition, conducted by Nicola Prudente (Tinto) of Rai Radio 2, was also broadcasted on live through the social channels of the Città dell’Olio National Association.

An initiative, conceived with the aim of enhancing and giving impetus to the best experiential activities and tourist best practices that have been springing up in the national olive growing territories, saw its birth in 2020, following the approval of the law on oleotourism and the subsequent decree of the MiPAAF, which entered into force on February 15, 2022, with " the guidelines regarding the minimum quality requirements and standards for the exercise of the oleotourism activity ".

The jury of experts, chaired by Prof. Roberta Garibaldi awarded the experiences that met the high-quality standards in each of 6 categories based on criteria of three key themes: creativity, innovation and sustainability, as well as landscape, orientation and accessibility of tourists, communication, promotion and enhancement of the territory. Furthermore, all the awarded experiences are proposals of excellence of the Città dell’Olio.

8 winners (including two ex-aequo) in the 6 categories 

  • Oil Mills / Olive Farms and Cooperatives: The category with more than 50% of the proposals in the tender, the Azienda Agricola Passo della Palomba in Todi (PG) won the first prize with the " Slow Food Fundamental Knowledge of Extra Virgin Olive Oil" experience, presenting various activities aimed at "gluttonous" visitors to the history of the olive growing area, health promoting properties and characteristics, classifications and labels of extra virgin olive oil through specific tasting sessions.
  • Oil Bars: " Extra Gallery Cocktail Experience " by Frantoio Pruneti in Greve in Chianti (FI) , Pruneti's signature mix - oil - logy , reserved for aperitif aficionados: an unconventional glass tasting of the three Monocultivar Pruneti Leccino, Moraiolo and Frantoio in the Olive Oil Spritz, Blooily Mary, Oliveto and many others, accompanied by appetizers and pickles from the Pruneti gourmet specialty collection made with extra virgin olive oil.
  • Museums Dedicated to Olive Oil / Underground Oil Mills (ipogei) / Historic Olive Groves: Il MOOM Matera Olive Oil Museum with the experience "The Olive Oil in the Sassi of Matera: technologies, quality and daily life in an underground oil mill (ipogeo)" wins the first prize. Here the visit begins with the description of the neighborhood, the restoration works of the factory and the main features of an underground oil mill (ipogeo) and merges with the story of the life of the oil millers and that of Peppino Mitarotonda (artist from Matera) and the ceramics created exclusively to the museum which depict the different stages of olive oil production.
  • Restaurants / Osterie (Taverns) / Pizzerie:  in this category 2 ex-aequo winners were featured : "Al 588" of Bagno a Ripoli (FI), led by chef Andrea Perini, with the experience "Al 588 Il Ristorante dell'Olio", a tasting itinerary starting from the appetizer to dessert in which the extra virgin olive oil of excellence performs as the main element, and "Il Frantoio di Assisi" (PG) with "The oil and its consistencies": a variation of extra virgin olive oil which, thanks to skillful chef Cantoni, plays to take on new forms and new consistencies; a cooking workshop on olive oil, its use, its functionality an "ingredient" and not a simple condiment. Inside the restaurant it is possible to visit a synergistic vegetable garden with wild herbs and edible flowers used to create healthy condiments together with extra virgin olive oil.
  • Farmhouses / Historic Houses / B & B / Hotel : The Palazzo di Varignana climbs to the highest rung of the podium with the "Olivum Experience " - a sensory path dedicated to the unique oil of Palazzo di Varignana "which includes a traditional VARSANA SPA path including a circuit of sensory tubs and showers, bio -sauna, Finnish sauna, bathroom turkish, ice waterfall, sound pool, Kneipp path , swimming pool with jets and water blade, hydromassage seats, relaxation area and herbal tea and EVO oil tasting in a suggestive location for two people with expert sommeliers. Also included is dinner for two with a tasting course based on their Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Olive Oil Treatment, the ritual in which the oil is brushed all over the body with slow and relaxing movements, followed by a massage with the moisturizing emulsion with olive oil.
  • Tour operators / Travel agencies / Other organizers (Proloco / Associations ...): Equal merit in the category " the Umbria PDO Oil Road Association" in Trevi (PG) with the "Frantoi Aperti in Umbria" experience, which offers five weekends during the olive harvest and milling period, characterized by traditional events, performances and musical entertainments in the squares and by tasting initiatives of new extra virgin olive oil in the production areas, as well as activities such as trekking along nature trails , the use of new languages, in which the involvement of people is; the Soc . Coop. SERAPIA of Ostuni (BR) with the experience "Ciclotrekking among the green patriarchs of Puglia", a cycle trekking in the heart of the “olivetata” plain (olive grove plain) of Puglia, where the great patriarch trees have made the history of a people dedicated to the land and the sea.


3 Special Mentions Awards

  • Oil Bar Caffè del Mercato di Livorno (LI) for the "Street Olive Oil School & Frantoiani Coraggiosi", Alessandro Camici holds the "Street Olive Oil School" in the local market of the city, presenting selected emblematic young producers, called "Frantoi Coraggiosi", lovers and guardians of their land, with a passion for olive cultivation.
  • Sa Mola di Escolca (SU) for the experience “Sa Mola Glamping Experience", which includes a visit to the company, a walk among the centuries-old olive trees and the tasting of the different extra virgin olive oils produced on site, as well as a preparatory course of EVO oils tasting, providing a pleasant glamping experience, sleeping among the olive trees in a tent or in a vintage caravan..
  • Agriturismo (farmhouse) Essentia Rural Residence of Larino (CB) with the experience "Tour dell’Olio: tra e-bike, assaggi e racconti” – Olive Oil Tour: among e-bikes, tastings and stories -. The itinerary includes the welcome in the themed rooms of the farmhouse, and the one dedicated to grandfather Salvatore's olive grove, then continue with pedaling on e-bikes among the olive groves to discover the most widespread variety in the area and dinners based on food produced on the family farm, paired with local extra virgin olive oils and storytelling.

"The implementation of the law on oleotourism and also through the awarding of the best tourist practices related to the olive oil sector have finally handed over identity and recognition to the new generation, introducing the innovation process, as well as from an economic and social point of view, that over the centuries the work in olive growing and, in the mill, have been considered as second-class jobs …. - the senator Dario Stefàno, senator author of the related law, pointing out the importance of the multidimensional perspective in promoting various oleotourism activities in terms of adequate incomes, internal training in the field of tourist accommodation, therefore, of qualified tourist offer and finally, of shared sensitivity in practice and in respect of environmental sustainability.

"The second edition of the national Turismo dell’Olio Competition saw even more exciting initiatives related to extra virgin olive oil and all to be experienced firsthand - declared Michele Sonnessa, President of the Città dell’Olio - thanks to Bene Assicurazioni who has always believed in this project and congratulations to the winners but also to the numerous participants. From this year, in order to better qualify the oleotourism experiences, we have introduced new standards and then thanks to the contribution of UNAPROL we will create a free training course for the companies that will participate in the Competition ".

“Expressing a preference is always difficult. For this I thank the experts of the jury for the generosity and competence with which they evaluated the experiences in the competition. We have experienced firsthand the passion of those who believe in oleotourism and are committed every day to building best practices that become everyone's heritage of all - said Prof. Roberta Garibaldi, President of the Jury - oleotourism represents the future of food and wine tourism… We have a duty to reward those who want to be there, grow and count and therefore invest more in training”.
 
https://www.turismodellolio.com/concorso-turismo-dellolio/