Olive Wood House
Visitors say
Myrseni is a wonderful and kind hostess and I love to visit here when in Lesbos. Amazing and beautiful things in her shop. She packages items beautifully, especially if they are a gift for someone. Thank you and see you soon.
We were greeted like family! I highly recommend visiting this shop and purchasing some olive wood treasures. The shop was easy to find with lots of signs.
About
Lesvos is home to one of the largest olive groves in the world, with an estimated eleven million olive trees blanketing the island's hillsides and valleys in silver-green. This extraordinary abundance of olive wood has given rise to a proud tradition of woodcraft, and the Olive Wood House near the village of Pamfila is a testament to that heritage. Here, the gnarled, dense timber of old olive trees — wood prized for its warmth, grain, and near-indestructibility — is transformed into handcrafted objects that carry the island's soul in every curve and knot.
Visitors can expect to find a curated selection of handmade items fashioned from local olive wood: kitchen utensils, bowls, serving boards, decorative pieces, and smaller keepsakes that make for genuinely meaningful souvenirs. Unlike mass-produced gifts, each piece bears the natural character of the wood itself, with its distinctive honey and amber tones, flowing grain, and organic irregularities. The setting near Pamfila, a quiet village in the olive-rich interior of the island, adds to the sense that you are encountering something authentically rooted in place rather than staged for tourism.
Stopping at the Olive Wood House offers more than a shopping opportunity — it is a chance to connect with one of Lesvos's most enduring relationships, that between its people and the ancient olive tree. Whether you are looking for a practical piece for your kitchen or a lasting reminder of your time on the island, the craftsmanship here reflects a tradition that has shaped Lesbian life for centuries. It is the kind of place that rewards a deliberate detour.
Before you go
What to expect
The shop is small and unhurried — shelves lined with bowls, spoons, and boards that you pick up, turn over in your hands, and feel the weight of. Olive wood has a warmth that photographs cannot convey: smooth where it has been worked, faintly fragrant, with amber and honey tones that shift in the light. It is the kind of place where you come for one small gift and leave having made a real choice rather than a hasty purchase.
Best time to visit
Open through the main season from April to October; a weekday morning in late spring or early autumn gives you the shop almost to yourself.
How to get there
Pamfila is a short drive of around 10 minutes north of Mytilene, through the olive groves. The shop is in or just outside the village itself.
Details
Photos
Visitor Reviews
Joanne McDonald
October 2025
Myrseni is a wonderful and kind hostess and I love to visit here when in Lesbos. Amazing and beautiful things in her shop. She packages items beautifully, especially if they are a gift for someone. Thank you and see you soon.
Jennifer Elliott
October 2025
Beautiful store with most welcoming owner! You leave feeling like family. We learned about the process and how to care for the products. So many wonderful gifts and useful items. So much to see and try. It’s like bringing a piece of Greece and its history home with you. They also have other local made products- loved it all!!!💕💕💕. A must stop for every visit.
Katie Berry
September 2025
We were greeted like family! I highly recommend visiting this shop and purchasing some olive wood treasures. The shop was easy to find with lots of signs.
Stephan Becker
August 2025
Always one of the best welcomes and great Greek hospitality. You can find anything from souvenirs to useful household items hand made out of olive wood.
Rozi Rajnai
August 2025
Incredible place! The owner could be your grandma who welcomes you home after not seeing you some time. The whole epxerience was incredibly unique and welcoming
Jamie Maaskant
June 2025
The owner is incredibly kind and welcoming. She makes sure that the packaging is very cute and welcomes you in with candy and local lemonade. I heard amazing things about the shop beforehand, but it exceeded my expectations!
Kat Padding
May 2025
Definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Lesbos! The place is full of passionate and kind people that are rare to come by! Plenty of beautiful, high quality items to browse through and a great opportunity to learn about their process of woodworking. As a wood fanatic like myself I enjoyed observing the master at work. The lady owner is a powerhouse and has plenty of stories to tell. I would recommend going with an empty stomach because she will feed you delicious home made cookies :) thank you for having us!
Abigail Carter
May 2025
I have been to olive wood house twice now and had any amazing experience both times. The ladies in the shop are so kind and friendly and took us down to the workshop where we were shown how the items are made. We were even able to help finish off the making of a couple of items. I would highly recommend a visit to this lovely place that sell beautiful, unique items made from olive wood!
Jekaterina Golubjova
June 2023
This little store is amazing. The owners of this store are so nice and kind! In my opinion it is must vist store, if you are on Lesvos island. Definitley recommend! ... and cookies are very tasty 🤤 and I really liked police patches collection from different countires. Nice collection!
Izzy
August 2019
It was the cutest place ever, the lady was so friendly, she offered us bunch of things to eat and drink. All wooden stuff were high quailty and handmade by her husband, who has been doing this for 53 years now. You should definitely visit and buy some nice things for you and your loved ones. They have EVERYTHING!
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