OliOliva in Imperia: The Olive Oil Festival in Liguria

OliOliva in Imperia: The Festival of New Olive Oil in Liguria

As summer slowly draws to a close and the Ligurian Riviera grows quieter, a very special time begins: the olive harvest. And it is precisely then, usually on the first weekend of November, that charming Oneglia transforms into OliOliva, a festival that smells of fresh olive oil and feels like an indulgent stroll through Liguria itself. Among the elegant arcades of Imperia, the narrow lanes and the sunny squares, stalls line up side by side where producers, chefs and food lovers come together. It is lively but not hectic, more that typically Italian bustle in which you automatically slow down and let yourself drift.

A Festival for Food Lovers and Explorers

OliOliva is far more than an ordinary market. It is a tribute to one of Liguria’s most important products: the extra virgin olive oil made from the small, aromatic Taggiasca olive.

Here people taste, compare and talk shop, often directly with the producers, who present their freshly pressed oil with palpable pride. A piece of bread, a sip of oil, perhaps a glass of wine alongside: sometimes nothing more is needed.

Alongside the olive oil you will find, for example, fresh pesto, regional cheeses, Ligurian honey, handmade sweets and jams, wines from the region and plenty of culinary surprises.

 

On top of that, there are small cooking shows, tastings and workshops where you can not only indulge but also take something away with you, be it knowledge or a few culinary treasures for home.

 

If you like, you can taste, compare and shop on the spot. The festival is accompanied by music, street performers, workshops and culinary shows that turn the historic centre of Imperia Oneglia into a lively stage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experience Imperia: Delights Between Sea and Mountains

The port town of Imperia lies picturesquely on the Italian Riviera di Ponente and is known for its mild climate, its colourful old towns and, of course, its high-quality olive oil.

In November, Liguria shows its calm and authentic side, ideal for enjoying Mediterranean life without the summer bustle.

 From your holiday home in Liguria or a holiday apartment in Imperia, you can easily reach the town centre by car or on foot. After a day full of scents, flavours and impressions, you can round off the evening on your terrace overlooking the sea, a perfect end to a culinary short break in Italy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OliOliva is not an event you simply ‘visit’. You experience it. It is this interplay of taste, atmosphere and the Ligurian way of life that makes the difference.

And perhaps that is exactly what is increasingly turning Imperia into a small but perfectly formed foodie destination: real products, real people and that utterly unpretentious kind of enjoyment you won’t forget in a hurry.