Travel to the heart of Andalusia and you can experience a sublime part of Spanish life: the making of olive oil, writes JANE WALKER
THERE IS A LIMIT to the amount of sun, sea and sangria or hours on the golf course anyone can take. But most visitors to the Spanish costas never venture more than 20km to explore inland. This is a great pity, because there are so many wonderful places to visit.
In addition to Cordoba, Granada and Seville, there are dozens of other places of interest in the Andalusian hinterland, and there are many beautiful places to stay at all price levels, whether for relaxation or to fill the time more energetically on foot, bicycle or horseback. You can learn a language, takes classes in Spanish food and wine, study olive oil, hone painting skills or even get married.
With an increasing interest in healthy eating and the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is being used in more kitchens in Ireland, bringing a better-quality oil to supermarket shelves and a growing culture for virgin olive oil. Many consumers now study the label before buying oil, checking on its country of origin or the variety of olive used in its manufacture.
Many Europeans still believe that “Italian olive oil”, for example, was grown, pressed and bottled in that country, whereas much of it has been imported in bulk from Spain, Tunisia or Greece, then blended, bottled and re-exported as Italian. This, of course, doesn’t mean that Italy’s top-quality, genuine, home-grown extra virgin oil is not among the best in the world.
Santiago Botas, a well-known Spanish olive-oil consultant, explains: “Italians, like Spaniards, consume around 12 or 13 litres of olive oil per person a year. Italy cannot produce enough even for their own use, so they have to import and then re- export some of it.”
More than 200 varieties of olives are grown in Spain; the most common are the smooth, delicate arbequina, which originated in Majorca and is now widespread in Catalonia and in some parts of Andalusia; the golden vidueña; the spicier picual and picuda, which are stronger but very high in healthy antioxidants; and the hojiblanca or lechin with their subtle flavour and bite.
The aficionado learns the differences and buys a selection of oils to combine with different dishes. What could be more delicious than a slice of lightly toasted country bread drizzled with a smooth vidueño or a spicy picual, perhaps a scraping of garlic and topped with a slice of sweet tomato and the best Jabugo ham?
Antonio Rubio, an oenologist for Torres wines, loves olive oil. He always has at least three varieties on the go in his kitchen: one for his bread for breakfast, another for salads or on his vegetables; he even uses it for frying.
“Unfortunately, an olive-oil tasting isn’t such a sociable or attractive event as a wine tasting, but it’s a pity more people don’t try to go to one. They would be surprised how much they can learn,” he says as he hands me his 30-page thesis on the subject.
Some people take his advice and join tastings in gourmet shops and a few hotels. One hotel where visitors can try different oils is the Spa Coto Mi Refugio hotel, perched on a hilltop up the Ruta de Olivas, seven kilometres from the village of Cuevas de San Marcos, with olive groves as far as the eye can see.
Surrounded by more than 400 hectares of its own olive trees, the hotel offers riding, small-game and clay-pigeon shooting, swimming and what it boasts is the largest hotel spa in Andalusia. It even has a charming chapel for civil weddings or blessings.
Because Mi Refugio is combined with a hotel school, many of the staff are young trainees, who, under supervision, provide excellent food – much of it traditional Spanish fare – and friendly, willing service. A demonstration kitchen is available where manager Enrique Malagon will arrange tailor-made cooking classes or wine and olive-oil tastings for guests – or even, if requested, whisky and Cuban- cigar tastings.
At the top end of the scale is the five-star Barceló La Bobadilla, near Loja, 60km from Malaga and 70km from Granada. Although only 20 years old, La Bobadilla resembles a traditional Andalusian palace, set in 350 hectares of Mediterranean forest. It was built about 20 years ago by a German millionaire to entertain his friends before he sold it to the Barceló luxury hotel chain. And no luxury has been spared at La Bobadilla; the 70 rooms are all large, and each has different decor. The atmosphere is of a Moorish palace, with a labyrinth of patios and passageways, some whitewashed and others elaborately tiled, overlooking wonderful gardens. The hotel is especially proud of its Mudéjar chapel and 1,595-pipe organ, which is a terrific setting for a memorable wedding.
Anyone who wants to do more than chill out on the patio, around the pool or in the spa can choose a horse from the hotel stables, tour the grounds on a quad bike, rent a mountain bike or even hover over the landscape in a hot-air balloon. La Bobadilla also arranges wine, oil and caviar tastings for guests. The beluga-style caviar comes from the nearby Riofrio sturgeon farm, which can also be visited.
Few oil producers offer tours or cellar-door sales. But on a recent trip to Andalusia I visited three of the top producers, all of which are old family firms that welcome visitors.
One of the oldest and most attractive is Núñez de Prado, which has been in the same family for seven generations, producing extra- virgin olive oil since the 18th century. Although the oil today is produced with the most modern equipment, similar to that used for wine, it is especially interesting to visit the historic installations, including the ancient almazara, the stone grinding wheel, and the huge 18th-century stone vats known as tinajas.
Juan de Garcia, who is in his 30s, and trained as a pharmacist, loves his family’s olive groves and the small O-Med factory in the village of Ventas de Huelma, near Granada. Although he buys olives from other local farmers, Garcia is very strict about their crops and methods, insisting that the fruit is only transported in shallow trays, to prevent it from bruising before it reaches the mill.
He controls every step of the process from start to finish, which is always within 24 to 36 hours of picking. He bottles only a limited amount of his top-quality Omed extra virgin, and any oil that does not meet his standards is sold in bulk to supermarkets to bottle under their own labels. “As long as they don’t put my name on them I don’t mind. We use the money it brings to plough back into the business and buy more equipment,” he says.
Not far away in Fuente de Piedra is the multiple-award-winning El Labrador, another old family firm that has been producing oils for six generations. Its dynamic boss, Rosario Lopez, says that the secret of good-quality oil is good-quality fruit. She says the olives are harvested when they are at their peak condition, even if this means they produce less oil and are less economic.
Another reason for visiting Fuente de Piedra is its stunning lake and nature reserve, which is one of the largest nesting sites for pink flamingoes. It is well equipped for visitors, both ornithologists, who come to study the birds from the various hides and viewing platforms, and others, who use the paths, some of them suitable for disabled access (wheelchairs are available), and bicycles for rent.
I was lucky in my visit to have the friendly and knowledgeable company of Paul Moore, formerly of Newcastle, Co Down. Moore lives near Malaga, where he is a guide and adviser for visitors, groups and travel agencies. He specialises in cultural, educational, equestrian and activity holidays in Andalusia.
Go there
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) flies to Malaga from Dublin, Cork and Belfast. Ryanair (www.ryanair. com) flies to Malaga from Dublin during the summer. Iberia (www.iberia.com/ie) flies from Dublin to Malaga via Madrid. Aer Lingus and Ryanair also fly from Dublin to Madrid, where you can catch a high-speed AVE train to Malaga or Seville (www. renfe.es/horarios/english/ index.html).
Where to stay, where to eat and where to go on the olive oil trail
Where to stay
Barceló Finca la Bobadilla. Carretera Salinas-Villanueva de Tapia, Loja, Granada. 00-34-958-321861, www.barcelo.com. Five-star luxury with every amenity set in its own grounds. Rooms from €295 to €1,215 for the presidential suite.
Spa Coto Mi Refugio. Carretera Villanueva de Algaidas a Cuevas de San Miguel, 00-34-951-904906, www.cotomirefugio.com. Four double rooms, 12 junior suites and two apartments with disabled access. From €90 BB for a double to €145 BB for a junior suite. Special rates for midweek and weekend packages, including half-board and spa deals.
Monasterio de San Francisco. Avenida Pio XII 35, Palma del Rio, Cordoba, 00-34-957-710183, www.casasypalacios.com/sanfrancisco/es. A charming 35-room hotel in a 15th-century monastery, with peaceful patios, a garden with a swimming pool and an organic orchard. Double rooms €115; weekend and off-season rates €70-€90.
Camping Fuente de Piedra. Ctra La Rábita s/n, Fuente de Piedra, Málaga, 00-34-952- 735294, www.camping- rural.com. Well-equipped site adjoining Fuente de Piedra Lake and Nature Park, with cabins, bungalows, an outdoor pool, restaurant, cafe and bar.
Where to eat
El Olivo. Calle Constitucion 12, Castillo de Tajarja, Granada, 00-34-958-557493. A short 20-minute drive from Granada, this charming and welcoming restaurant is run by Miguel Garcia and his wife, Celia. Very popular, so book ahead. Garcia is as proud of his olive-oil list as he is of his wine list.
Ruta de Veleta. Carretera Sierra Nevada (Cenes de la Vega), 00-34-958-486134. Traditional cuisine and a charming terrace.
La Finca. Finca la Bobadilla, Loja, 00-34-958-321861, www.barcelo.com. One of Andalusia’s top restaurants. Top-class food and service.
Where to go
Núñez de Prado. Avenida Cervantes 15, Baena, Cordoba, 00-34-957-670141, www.nunezdepradousa.com.
O-Med. Ctra Ácula-Ventas de Huelma Km 1, Ácula, Granada, 00-34-952-474094, www.omedoil.com
El Labrador. Plaza de la Constitucion, Los Visos, Fuente Piedra, Malaga, 00-34-952- 302939, www.satlabrador.com
Who to go with
Paul Moore, who knows Andalusia like the back of his hand, can arrange trips and accompany visitors if requested. 00-34-666-601279 or 00-34-952-964247, e-mail paul moore122@gmail.com.