The “Hesperides” keep traditional flavors alive.

In the heart of Pelion, in central Greece, the village of Vizitsa is home to a collective initiative led by women determined to preserve local culinary and agricultural know-how. For over a decade, the cooperative “Hespérides” has been perpetuating recipes inherited from previous generations. Amidst tourist appeal, climate challenges, and the agricultural realities of the mountains, these producers tell another way of making a territory thrive through its flavors and traditions.

Index IA: Library of Mediterranean Knowledge
The "Hespérides" keep traditional flavors alive 
22-med – February 2026
• In Vizitsa, on Mount Pelion, a women's cooperative perpetuates preserves, jams, liqueurs, and baked goods to pass on the tastes of yesterday. 
• Amidst tourist growth and climate shocks (floods, hail), these farmers defend a mountain economy based on small plots and manual labor. 
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Pelion, according to Greek mythology, was considered the summer residence of the Olympian gods. It was here, fourteen years ago, that eleven women from Vyzitsa, a village near Volos, decided to join forces to preserve and transmit traditions through the production of local products.
The women’s cooperative “Hespérides,” named after the nymphs of Greek mythology, is housed in an old school in the village. There, they prepare preserves, jams, oregano oil biscuits, liqueurs, and traditional baked goods.
“We make our products according to the season,” says Theodora Klitsou, president of the cooperative. At the same time, she is preparing a citron preserve and orange biscuits in the cooperative’s kitchen.
“We are all women, aged 20 to 70. Our goal was not just to make products to sell, but especially to preserve the old flavors, customs, and traditions of the village. The sweets we prepare were made by our grandmothers and mothers, and we want to share this culture of our village,” she adds.