Astrikas: Frescoes, Olive Oil and Green Landscapes

Astrikas brings together three distinct travel experiences: green landscapes along the road to the village, frescoes in the church of Zoodochos Pigi, and olive oil production at BIOLEA. This means there is something to appeal to those interested in landscapes, sacred art, or a tour that combines production methods with a tasting. When deciding on your trip, it helps to distinguish between these highlights: the stretch of road shapes the landscape experience, the church offers an art-historical focus, and BIOLEA provides insight into the processing and taste of olive oil. Depending on which of these aspects you would like to discover, Astrikas can give your stay a different focus.

Frescoes at Zoodochos Pigi

In the church of Zoodochos Pigi in Astrikas, high-quality frescoes are visible beneath the lime plaster; they are attributed to the early Cretan School. This attribution offers an art-historical point of interest, while the frescoes themselves are the tangible subject. If you are interested in Cretan art, you can make a point of including this in your travel plans. If you would like to visit the church, check access in advance.

Olive oil: tour and tasting

At BIOLEA, the tour takes you through the olive mill and shows how olive oil is produced using a stone mill and cold pressing, as well as through modern cold extraction. It combines insight into two production methods with a tasting that is part of the tour. The tour is available by appointment, so include arranging a time in your plans.

The BIOLEA tour includes a guided tasting of four award-winning olive oils served in glasses. Biolea Stone Milled & Cold Pressed is made from the Koroneiki variety, while PAMAKO High Phenolic Mountain Extra Virgin is made from the Tsounati variety. The tasting also includes Lemoni Flavored Olive Oil and Nerantzi Bitter Orange Flavored Olive Oil. The selection allows for a clear comparison: the first two oils are identified by their Koroneiki and Tsounati varieties, while the other two are distinguished by their lemon and bitter orange flavors. This gives you two different points of comparison for the four samples: variety and flavoring.

Landscapes along the road to Astrikas

There is plenty of greenery along the road to Astrikas, as well as olive groves, eucalyptus trees and blooming gardens. The landscape is part of the journey to the village, while the church and olive mill offer specific points of interest once you arrive. Olives feature in two contexts: as part of the groves along the road, and as the focus of production and tasting at BIOLEA. In this way, landscapes and culinary discovery are two distinct aspects of a stay here.

Which experiences would you like to shape your stay?

When deciding whether Astrikas fits your travel plans, you can start by choosing your main interest: art and frescoes, the tour with tasting available by appointment, or the green landscape along the road. These themes make choosing the destination more specific than relying on a general impression of a holiday spot. They can also help when looking for a holiday rental in Astrikas: you can base your choice of location on the experiences that matter most to you during your trip.

Discover more destinations: Katochori, Neo Chorio, Sougia, Marathokefala, Marathi, Askyfou, Fragkokastello, Marediana.

For the main travel overview: Chania.