Cyclades Olive Museum

The olive press in Pitrofos, also known as “vida,” occupies a significant portion of the ground floor, or “katogi,” of a two-story stone building. The first floor has always served as the owner’s residence. This olive press is a remarkable example of a small, pre-industrial, animal-powered olive oil production unit. The facades and interior stonework have been beautifully restored by the owner, Dimitris Chelmis, a civil engineer, who has preserved all the original structural elements typical of Cycladic rural architecture.

What sets this olive press apart is its unique layout. Unlike most olive presses on Andros, where the process was confined to a single small space, this one was divided into separate rooms for the various stages of production. Authentic features of the building, such as three millstones, two stone milling slabs, and other structural details, indicate that the olive press was operational long before the 18th century, with some elements dating back more than 400 years.

Tour

The owner, Dimitris Chelmis, guides visitors through the museum, explaining each stage of olive oil production: the animal-powered milling in one room, the ingenious pressing mechanism in another, and finally the storage room. The various qualities of olive oil are clearly explained, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of what to look for when purchasing olive oil. In the cool, 400-year-old “katogi” storage area, visitors are invited to watch a video showcasing the animal-powered olive oil production that took place in 2000 at the museum using the authentic equipment.

The museum also offers an unforgettable glimpse into the life of a Cycladic island village, making it an ideal starting point, endpoint, or intermediate stop when planning hiking routes. In recent years, the Cyclades Olive Oil Museum has been recognized as one of the top 10 attractions in Greece.