EVO oil itinerary

We go to Amelia, CittàSlow, rich in history, art and culture all “steeped in oil.” The history of this village, on the border between Latium and Umbria, tells of a life linked to the olive trees far back in the centuries. Just outside the beautiful historic center, in Montecampano, begins the search for rural history, that of the noble lords of the 15th century, that of landed estates and bishops, friars and the Church, a search that offers an unexpected reward: the centuries-old olive trees of Rajo.
An expanse of specimens of Rajo olive trees, estimated to be between 400 and 600 years old, and Moraiolo is among the most representative olive groves in the Amerino area, which is also home to centuries-old Moraiolo trees. The Slow Food Community of Rajo Oil Producers has recently been formed, which aims to protect and enhance this priceless heritage.
These large trees with flowing foliage and an imposing trunk circumference (the largest reaches 3.5 meters and 6 meters in height) are a silent and calm presence, they tell in a whisper the events that they have seen unfold around them over hundreds of years, they show the signs of time on their twisted trunks and among their branches, at the slightest caress they move their foliage and shake their small elongated and shiny leaves that hide juicy fruits capable of giving unique scents and flavors: these are the scents of oil and the precious taste of Rajo, a native cultivar that exists only here, in this territory that has protected it against war and frost for centuries.
Centuries-old specimens of Rajo are also visible in the area of Porchiano del Monte, Giove and Penna in Teverina.
Here the landscape is fascinating, contemplative and unspoiled, history and emotions enclosed in a concentration of centuries-old olive trees, humble plants that provide protection, warmth, sustenance and spirituality. 

Lugnano in Teverina. Continuing in search of majestic, centuries-old olive trees that have survived wars, fires and natural disasters over the centuries, one arrives at Lugnano in Teverina, among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy and the City of Oil. Here the fatal attraction for nature lovers and olive enthusiasts is the World Collection of Olive Trees “Olea Mundi,” a true naturalistic temple created in 2014 for the preservation and enhancement of a unique olive-growing heritage. A collection of more than 1,200 olive trees from 23 different olive-growing countries in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and new growing areas. All to represent 263 varieties from Italy and 128 from other nations including Chile and the United States D’America. These are not centuries-old olive trees, but these varieties have been around for centuries, and the beauty of seeing them all gathered in one place, walking among them, seeing the differently shaped and colored olives on each plant is a truly unique way to get to know them and appreciate the world’s wealth of olive biodiversity concentrated in this delightful Umbrian village. 

Montecchio. We go in search of the monumental olive trees that moving away from Lugnano, north toward Baschi and Lake Corbara, become PDO Umbria Colli Orvietani. Continuing on the SS205 passing Alviano and its magnificent Castle and then Guardea where younger olive groves alternate with olive trees that, if they have not reached it, are approaching the century mark, one immediately realizes that one is literally surrounded by these evergreen trees with dense, gathered foliage, rich in elongated leaves, but different from those seen previously, these are greenish gray and medium-sized. The olive trees are no longer the centuries-old Rajo, the predominant variety now being the Moraiolo. A small suggestion is to follow the signs for Tenaglie, before arriving in Montecchio, to turn onto an internal road (part of the Silent Villages Trail) that skirts and parallels the state highway and passes by the pilgrim’s benches. Here you can stop with your car, get out and sit on one of these wooden chairs to experience at sunset a true moment of pure enchantment in which to enjoy the magical succession of colors and lights that accompany it: the entire valley widens toward the horizon, everything seems small and distant, even thoughts, and you can admire below the Oasis of Alviano, one of the largest of the WWF, a favorite destination for families and nature lovers. Behind it towers and envelops the lush ilex forest and below and to the sides the olive groves among which stand out a few specimens of centuries-old Frantoio and Moraiolo olive trees, recognizable by their large trunks (some have a circumference diameter of about 1 mt and reach 4 mt in height) and the unfailing signs of time that characterize them.
Upon arriving in Montecchio, the City of Olive Oil, which has about 1,600 inhabitants and is one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, one immediately notices the predominance of olive trees in the town. Olive trees are decor and a founding part of the municipal architecture, from the square to the alleys of the village everything is adorned with olive trees, many are the photographic and literary testimonies that tell of the moments of harvesting and milling as early as the late 1800s (**) and around the Borgo there are about 2000 hectares of olive groves surrounding it. The symbol of Montecchio is the olive tree so much so that it stands out in the coat of arms of the municipality to symbolize the importance of this plant in the economy and life of the local and religious community far back in the centuries. The first oil mill is dated 1889 and was built by Modesto Scianca in Via del Teatro Vecchio along with two steam mills (**). On the hill that leads away from Montecchio toward Baschi here appear the Patriarchs of Moraiolo and Frantoio, plants that tell the story of ancient Rome and the Etruscans who inhabited these lands and who probably first knew the pleasures and benefits of olive oil. Majestic olive trees with the most curious sculptural forms and the strangest, most twisted circumference that stand out among their smaller, younger counterparts planted decades later. Here, in fact, the 1956 frost froze 70-80% of the olive trees and few were the plants that managed to survive but some are still there to testify to their history and greatness with specimens of Moraiolo and Frantoio trees estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old.