Agios Leon: Olive Oil, Weaving and Village History

Agios Leon brings together several themes that offer distinct considerations when choosing a destination: olive oil production and a seasonal visitor offering, the history of the village church, and traditional weaving. The surrounding area has its own character, too: Porto Limnionas is 6 km away, and a cheese dairy lies just outside the village. When looking for hotels in Agios Leon, you can weigh up whether your focus should be village history, crafts and olive oil, or the nearby landscape as well.

Olive oil with a seasonal visitor offering

Vouno Olive Press in Agios Leon produces extra virgin olive oil. From May to October, it offers tours of its facilities and tastings of its products. The tour focuses on the facilities, while the tasting focuses on the products; the two formats therefore offer different insights into the same business. If you would like to include either in your travel plans, check in advance whether the seasonal offering is currently available on your dates.

Village history and weaving

The Church of Saint Leon in Agios Leon was founded in the 14th century and is a single-aisle basilica. “Single-aisle” describes a church with one main nave; this detail complements the historical date with a specific reference to its architecture. Anemidi is a family business in Agios Leon. Panagiota makes many items by hand on a loom; “Anemidi” refers to a particular part of traditional weaving equipment. Its products include handwoven textiles, dream catchers and driftwood creations. The name refers to a component of weaving equipment, while the range also goes beyond woven textiles.

Rocky cove and cheese dairy nearby

Porto Limnionas is a rocky cove, 6 km from Agios Leon. When choosing a destination, this makes it possible to distinguish the character of the village from a nearby landscape feature: the church and weaving provide cultural points of interest in the village, while the cove offers a different kind of landscape. The Bastas cheese dairy is just outside Agios Leon. It produces Ladotyri, Ladograviera, Graviera and Prentza, as well as small quantities of white brined cheese (feta). The range adds its own culinary note; it may change. If a particular variety matters to you, ask about the current selection in advance.

Zakynthos: further cultural and natural themes

Zakynthos offers additional themes in their own right, taking you beyond Agios Leon. The Museum of Zakynthos displays works of the Cretan School, Cretan-Ionian icons and works of Ionian Naturalism from the 15th to the 19th century. The Blue Caves are located in the Aspros Vrachos area at Cape Skinari. Keri Lighthouse is known for panoramic views of the Ionian Sea and the Myzithres rocks at sunset.

The island’s historical perspective is also broad: the Monastery of Agios Georgios sta Gremna in Volimes was founded in 1535; in the Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians, the mausoleum has housed the remains of the national poets Andreas Kalvos and Dionysios Solomos since 1968. Zakynthian Ladotyri is made in cheese dairies and home workshops in Volimes and offered as a local product. The port of Agios Nikolaos in Volimes connects Zakynthos to Kefalonia by ferry. Check the timetable if a crossing is part of your plans.

Discover more destinations: Xirokastello, Marathias, Kampíon, Kipseli, Anafonitria, Laganas, Alykes, Volímai.

For the broader travel overview: Zakynthos.