Tastes of Andalucia, Spanish Gastronomy Tour

Hotels & restaurants

HOTELS

Hacienda Minerva Hotel, Zuheros
This rural boutique hotel, a former 19th century farmhouse, was carefully renovated to retain its original features and charm that includes the lounge with an open fireplace and Tavern in an old barn. Surrounded by centuries-old olive groves, its’ Adycante restaurant terrace offers panoramic views. There is a saltwater swimming pool for adults and another for children, and the Arabic Baths are the perfect place to relax and enjoy massages. Its 24 air-conditioned rooms with en suite bathrooms are equipped with TV, telephone, minibar and Wi-Fi.

Las Casas de la Juderia, Cordoba
This welcoming hotel with a lounger-lined pool is located on the edge of Córdoba’s historic Jewish Quarter and only meters away from famous Alcazar, and minutes the Guadalquivir River, Roman Bridge and the Mezquita. This luxury hotel made up of a collection majestic old mansions and courtyards dotted with fountains combines historical splendour with modern conveniences. Its 64 luxury rooms with antique wardrobes and desks, embossed-leather bedheads range from small and comfy to Junior Suites and Penthouse with private terraces.

Hotel Rural Miguel Angel, Alcaracejos, Los Pedroches
This rural resort type hotel situated in the Pedroches Valley, has 15 brightly decorated rustic, minimalist style rooms with wooden furniture, tiled floors, TV, desk and air conditioning. Its restaurant and cafeteria is located some 20 metres from the hotel, and its fully equipped Alcaracejos Thermal Center some 30 metres from the hotel offers some of the most advanced thermal and aesthetic techniques. Its location is also ideal for those clients, visitors looking for golf, hiking, horseback riding, land and water sports activities.

Hotel Los Castanos, Cartajima, Ronda
This beautiful boutique hotel, located in the traditional village of Cartajima near Ronda, is a haven of peace, comfort and friendliness. There are just six light and airy ensuite rooms, each with its own name and lounging area, individually controlled AC/heating, free wifi and amazing views of the surrounding countryside which are even more impressive from the rooftop terrace. A sumptuous breakfast buffet is served in the delightful dining room and there is a drawing room where you can relax and a snug with honesty bar, extensive library, games and DVDs.

Note: The hotels could be subject to change if there are availability issues around the tour dates. Any hotel changes will be notified at the time of booking, and those changes would be the closest in terms of style, type and category.

Places & attractions

PLACES YOU VISIT

Zuheros
A Subbética village nestled in a gorge, with a cluster of “pueblo blanco” (white houses) tumbling down the hill toward a romantic Moorish castle built into the rock. Opposite the castle the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, the church of the village’s patron saint. Zuheros is famed for its cheese factory Las Balanchares; the locally bred goats from the Sierras provide the milk for this internationally renowned cheese. On the edge of a small square is an archaeological museum displaying fascinating finds from the Cueva de los Murciélagos (bats cave), located in the hills above the village. Ideally situated on the fringe of the Sierra Subbética Natural Park there are many scenic walking and cycling routes such as the old olive oil railway trail, Via Verde, with dramatic views over the whole Subbética landscape.

Rute
This is a typical regional whitewashed town overlooking the Iznajar reservoir, with a ruined Moorish castle and a fine Baroque church overlooked by the hazy Sierra de Rute. It is famous for producing Anís (aniseed liqueurs) which can be sampled at most of the town’s bodegas. It also produces its own celebrated cured ham and delicious, Spanish sweet treats like mantecado, traditionally served at Christmas. The Museo Artesanal Del Mantecado and the Casa-Museo del Jamón have displays and information on the traditional methods of manufacturing these gastronomic delicacies. Just outside Rute is the Sanctuario de Burros; a unique donkey reserve and non-profit organisation founded in 1998, to protect the pure Spanish race which is in extreme danger of extinction.

Iznajar
No matter where you look on the hills around Iznajar, the landscape is full of stunning olive groves; it boasts three olive mills and co-operatives serving the olive farmers in the area, and you can buy the locally produced olive oil from shops or sample the olives at bars and restaurants. Iznajar is a small, picturesque town, once a prehistoric Iberian settlement, with fortified town walls and a 1,200-year old Moorish castle perched atop a vast rocky outcrop overlooking the “El Pantano de Iznajar” embalse (reservoir), which transformed the town in the 1960’s. Today, Iznajar has a waterfront overlooking an inland sea – the largest lake in the whole of Andalusia; its “Valdearenas Beach”, where you can swim and rent pedalos, canoes and dinghy’s, is extremely popular throughout the summer season.

Priego
This is the centre of a major olive oil zone with its own denominational label, produces some of Spain’s finest olive oils, recognised by numerous international awards. Capital of the Subbética region overlooking the mountain range, Priego is built around an Arabic castle at the edge of the escarpment. The northern approach presents a dramatic view of the whitewashed buildings of its old quarter, the Barrio de la Villa, sited along the edge of Balcón Del Adarve with amazing views across the countryside. A prosperous town, with many thanks to the 18th-century silk-production boom. It is famous for its baroque churches; its sacristy chapel in particular is recognised as a masterpiece of the Spanish baroque. However, its showpiece monument is undoubtedly the Fuente Del Rey: an extraordinary fountain set in a leafy park with numerous pools and 139 spouts surrounding a Neptune statue.

Montilla
With endless fields of grape-vines punctuating a landscape of gentle rolling hills, is the centre of this Denomination of Origin wine zone. The principle white grape variety is Pedro Ximenez, with a delicate skin and high sugar content. The wines that are made from it can reach up to 16% alcohol, leaving behind plenty of residual sugar. Matured using the solera system and classified in styles: Joven (young and fruity), Fino (dry and nutty), Amontillado (gradually oxidated), Oloroso (richer and heavier) and Pedro Ximénez (sweet and thick, honouring the actual grape name). The winemaking history of this area dates back to the Romans and the Moors and it’s quite possibly the oldest in Andalusia. The landscape here is dry and the soil is a blinding white Albariza: white marl composed of clay, calcium and marine fossils has excellent moisture retention, which is very significant in an area that is hotter than almost anywhere else in Spain.

Los Pedroches Valley
A region of thirty-two towns in central area of Sierra Morena Mountains that produces Jamon Ibérico, considered the finest ham in the world and greatly prized as a gourmet food. The valley takes its name from the town of Pedroche, the oldest in the area. Here the Ibérico pigs, the original swine of Spain, are released from November till March to eat “bellota”, the acorns of the holm oak trees in the Dehesa pastureland. The Dehesa is one of the best-preserved ecosystems in Europe, where livestock breeds and lives side by side with deer, wild boars, wild cats, imperial eagles and black vultures. The Jarmon Ibérico ham covered by this Denomination of Origin is only produced from the Iberian pig’s breed in four different regions of Spain: Guijuelo, Dehesa de Extremadura, Huelva and Los Pedroches.

Montoro
Sited on an escarpment of 5 small hills above a horseshoe bend in the Gualquivir river is a typical Andalusian ‘pueblo blanco’ (white village) with narrow steep streets and brightly whitewashed houses. Amongst its cultural attractions is a 16th century bridge ‘Puente de las Donadas’ that spans the Guadalquivir River. The Plaza de Espana is an enchanting town square with a historic town hall as well as the San Bartolomé, Santa Maria and San Sebastian churches, and the remains of its Moorish castle and the tower of Villaverde. Declared an Historic-Artistic Site in 1969, there is also an olive oil museum, an archaeological museum, the museum of the famous artist Antonoio Rudriquez Luna, and some wonderful bars and restaurants where you can enjoy a drink with some typical Spanish tapas.

General tour information

‘Tastes of Andalucía’ is culinary journey full of gastronomic delights, fine wine and local beverages. The many cultural influences of the region combine to create a diverse and tantalising treat for the eager gourmand. The world-famous Gazpacho is a quintessential part of Andalusian cuisine, particularly in Cordoba and Seville, as is Iberian ham, jamón serrano (meaning ham from the sierra or mountains) and jamón ibérico (ham from the black Iberian pig).

ANDALUCIA
The southernmost region of Spain, famed as the birthplace of Flamenco, is known for its fabulous food, wines, history, culture and heritage, which is very evident amongst the amazing palaces, museums and monuments of Granada, Seville, Cordoba, Ronda and Malaga. Its terrain varies from fertile plains and barren deserts to alpine forests and high mountain ranges, including the snow-capped peaks of Sierra Nevada. Once Spain’s poorest region, its sandy beaches and seaside cities, typical Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers – particularly around coastal areas such as the Costa del Sol– has made Andalucia one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe.