Date Harvest
Each summer, from July to September, more than 400 date palms across Anantara Retreat Santorini Abu Dhabi come to life with ripening fruit. What began as a sustainability initiative has become a signature guest experience, where nature, culture and wellbeing come together.
Walk among the palms
Discover one of the UAE's oldest traditions with our seasonal date harvest experience. Home to six varieties of dates, the retreat's palm groves become a living story led by our resident Date Storyteller, Nadia Bouaissa. During the signature date farm tour, guests stroll through the palm groves, witness the harvest firsthand, learn about the cultivation and harvesting process, and savour freshly picked dates as Nadia shares the rich traditions, heritage, and cultural significance of the UAE's most treasured fruit. In the lobby, a curated date display extends the experience with a seasonal tasting station for the guests.
The Flavours of the harvest
The journey of our dates continues throughout the retreat's culinary experiences. Discover their versatility during our Spice Spoons cooking class, where guests learn to create seasonal date-pudding dessert inspired by local ingredients. Across our restaurants, freshly harvested dates appear in thoughtfully curated breakfast selections, desserts and seasonal dishes, celebrating one of the region's most treasured ingredients in both traditional and contemporary ways.
Nature's ritual
Experience the healing gifts of the date palm with Tamr Al Nakheel Ritual (Dates of the Palm Ritual). This 90-minute seasonal spa journey begins with a nourishing body wrap handcrafted from dates harvested from the retreat's own palm trees, blended with natural ingredients including fresh milk to deeply nourish the skin. After a quick rinse, the ritual continues with a shea butter massage and concludes with our signature Golden Harvest Elixir drink.
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Every part has purpose
Our commitment to sustainability extends well beyond the harvest itself, embracing a thoughtful zero-waste philosophy where every part of the date is given a purpose. Nothing goes to waste. The seeds are carefully roasted to create our signature Arabic date coffee, offering guests a distinctive taste of Emirati hospitality, while the fruit lends its natural sweetness to the refreshing Jewel of Al Jurf mocktail, crafted with dates, tamarind and honey.The Journey of every date
Growing exceptional dates begins long before the harvest. Our palms flourish with minimal intervention, reflecting the resilience of one of the world's oldest cultivated trees. As the fruit begins to ripen, each cluster is carefully covered to protect it and allow it to mature naturally before being hand-harvested and sun-dried.
Each season, the retreat harvests approximately 3,200 kilograms of dates. The harvest is thoughtfully incorporated into our culinary and wellness experiences, while a portion is shared with the local community, ensuring the season's abundance is enjoyed both within and beyond the retreat.
While inspired by the timeless elegance of Greece, the retreat remains connected to the Emirates it calls home, making the annual date harvest a meaningful celebration of the land, its traditions and its enduring heritage.
