WINTER 2008

You have read about olive oil. You have heard about its benefits. A natural wonder from the Mediterranean for which researchers are continuously discovering what makes it so healthy and special. You may be familiar with the grades of olive oil: Extra Virgin, Virgin, Olive Oil, Pomace, etc. And have heard about the native varietals of olives such as Picual, Hojiblanca, Arbequina, to name a few, which give Spain’s olive oil its unique taste and qualities. Then why not visit the source? See the olive groves, experience the harvest, taste the native cuisine and uncover its essence. The only way to do this is to live it. Here is a rough harvest schedule in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the worlds #1 region for olive oil production.

Day One
The program starts in Seville. Check-in at a cozy four-star hotel, an old palace home in the heart of town. The day is yours to rest, or perhaps take a stroll and begin to explore this incredible city! In the evening, meet your guide for a welcome drink at the hotel.

The night in Seville is a great opportunity to begin exploring Tapas in its birthplace. Visit Calle Mateo Gago and sample the tapas bars. La Fresquita is a tiny place serving mini toasts with morcilla (blood sausage). Then onto the Bodega de Santa Cruz for tortilla and Bar Giralda, a former Moorish bathhouse is also worth visiting.

Day Two
A leisurely stroll with your guide around Seville will help you get your bearings in the city and take in some of its history and magic. Afterwards, sit down to lunch at a select local restaurant, specializing in traditional Andalusian cuisine. The recipes highlight seasonal specialties, and of course, the use of premium quality olive oil. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy on your own. Night in Seville.

Day Three
Today you’ll be moving on to Jaén, in northern Andalusia, with olive-trees as the inseparable companions of your journey. The first stop is a visit to Castillo de Canena, and the Vañó family, who owns this impressive Renaissance castle, and produces one of Spain’s finest extra virgin olive oils, under the same name. Your time with them will not only be a thrilling plunge into history, but a master lesson on the “abc’s” of making excellent olive oil. After the visit, lunch will be taken at one of the finest restaurants of the area, and then you’ll continue to the beautiful town of Úbeda, where you’ll check in at your hotel, a charming palace – home in the heart of town. After you’ve settled in, visit the local Olive Oil Museum, for a comprehensive look at the origins of olive oil production, traditional harvest and pressing methods, olive varieties, and much more. Following this visit, discover nearby Baeza, a small but splendid monumental town that will, once again, bring you back in time. Then it’s back to Úbeda, for a leisurely walk with your guide. The evening is free for you to rest and enjoy on your own.
Night in Úbeda.

Day Four
This morning you’ll be headed for Córdoba. Check in at an attractive new hotel in the heart of the historical city center. Enjoy some free time to settle in and perhaps get a bite for lunch. In the afternoon, take a guided tour round the old town, including a visit to the famous Mezquita where you’ll be taken aback by a lavish mixture of veritable treasures that can hardly be described; they must be seen.

Tonight’s dinner is served at one of the finest restaurants in Córdoba. Located in a beautiful winery (the origin of this family business), it bears the splendor of several generations of culinary expertise. Indulge in a dazzling succession of local recipes, with an innovative modern touch.
Night in Córdoba.

Day Five
Today you’ll be discovering the Route of the Caliphate, a scenic road linking Córdoba and Granada during Arab times. The first stop is Baena, home to some of Spain’s finest olive oils. Take a guided tour of the traditional olive oil mill at Núñez de Prado, a seven-generation, pioneer organic producer that helped give Spanish oil its long due prestige. If time allows, you can also visit the local Olive Oil Museum, for another enlightening and very didactic look at the past and present of olive oil making in Andalusia.

From there, move on to Castro del Río, for a visit and olive oil tasting session with the Luque family, also producing extraordinary organic oils. Best of all, if the time of the year is right, you’ll be seeing and living the harvest. Walk into the fields for a firsthand look at it all.

Lunch will follow at an old almazara (mill), nowadays a restaurant called Oleocultura, where chef Diego Alba and his wife will dazzle you with true Andalusian “home cooking”. After lunch, it’s back to Córdoba for some free time. Tonight, your farewell dinner will be served at the best restaurant in town. Enjoy the coziness of one of its many salones (rooms), in what used to be an aristocratic home. Your mouthwatering menu, based on the basic ingredients of Andalusian cuisine, is complemented by select wines from this restaurant’s remarkable cellar, dating back to Roman times.
Night in Córdoba.

Day Six
Enjoy breakfast before heading back home… or maybe continuing your trip in Spain!

The harvest season runs from November through January. The aforementioned is the basis of a custom tour run by A Taste of Spain ( www.atasteofspain.com ), a boutique agency specialized in culinary tours and services, anywhere in Spain. Their Olive Oil Harvest Tour brings you the essence of Andalusian olive oil, in a way you could never discover on your own…