Gastronomy in the Province of Cordoba

Day One

• Transfer from the Malaga airport in the early afternoon to your hotel on the border of the Subbetica Natural Park.
• Time to relax before your gastronomic welcome dinner at the hotel.
• Overnight.

Day Two

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• This morning, explore the region of Córdoba. Transfer first to the town of Rute, where you will visit the anisette liqueur and chocolate museum. Rute is a picturesque, white-washed town overlooking the Sierra de Rute, and it boasts an old Moorish castle, a Baroque church, and a non-profit association dedicated to the conservation of the local race of donkeys!
• You will then be taken for a scenic drive across the Iznajar Lake, where you will be able to take some lovely pictures of the impressive scenery, before arriving in Priego, the capital of the Subbetica region and one of Spain’s most beloved Baroque towns. The Barrio de la Villa, or old quarter, presents as a stunning white-washed conclave perched along the edge of a precipitous gorge.
• Lunch in Priego at a local restaurant which exclusively uses local products.
• Back to the hotel, with the afternoon free for exploring the area, hiking, cycling, or relaxing at the hotel spa.
• Dinner at the hotel restaurant, with a view of the olive groves and mountains.
• Overnight.

Day Three

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Meet your guide for a leisurely hike along the Via Verde, an abandoned railway line that was once a major olive oil rout and is not a popular walking and cycling room. Enjoy a 1-hour hike, stopping to see some spectacular views of the olive groves, and ending in the picturesque town of Zuheros.
• Visit of the medieval castle of Zuheros. The town is nestled in a gorge surrounded by steep rock cliffs, and offers a collection of white cottages and Moorish ruins, the most notable of which the romantic Moorish castle built into the rock.
• Enjoy a visit to a cheese maker in Zuheros at one of the area’s most popular goat cheese producers, with a tasting.
• Wine pairing lunch to follow.
• Next, visit the nearby “Cueva de los Murciélagos” (bats’ cave) with its important rock paintings and archaeological remains.
• Back to the hotel for free time and dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Four

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the Montilla-Moriles region, where you will first visit an olive farm and mill to learn about the production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Enjoy a tasting of this fine oil with freshly baked bread.
• Next, enjoy a visit of Montilla wine country, whose winemaking history dates back to the Romans and the Moors, and whose blinding white soil provides a unique medium for cultivating the area’s local grape varieties, such as the famed Pedro Ximenez grape that is used to make so many varieties of wines and sherries. Enjoy a guided visit of one a family winery in Montilla, which produces some of the most prized wines of the area. You will enjoy a tasting of five different wines of the region paired with local tapas for lunch.
• Transfer to Córdoba and check in to your hotel.
• Afternoon free. This evening enjoy a short orientation to the city on your way to the restaurant where you will have dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Five

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Head to a local cooking school for a market visit and hands-on cooking class focusing on local Spanish and Andalusian cuisine. You will prepare a full Spanish meal. Lunch to follow based on your efforts, paired with quality wines from the Montilla-Moriles wine region.
• This afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of Cordoba’s old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As one of the largest cities in Andalusia and a tremendous cultural heritage, Córdoba has a plethora of sites to see and represents historically a unique mix of cultures (Muslim, Jewish, and Christian). The splendor of its history as a major Moorish capital is tangible in its intellectual and artistic patrimony, including claiming such figures as Seneca, Avveroes, and Maimonides as its own. Visit the old Mosque, the Jewish quarter, and the Alcazar gardens, and wind through the small streets, alleys, and courtyards that are so distinctive of this medieval city.
• In the evening, enjoy a bit of time to freshen up before a tapas dinner in the old Jewish quarter.
• Overnight.

Day Six

• Breakfast at the hotel before an excursion to the Los Pedroches Valley Natural Park. The thirty-two towns of Los Pedroches Valley (in the central area of the Sierra Morena mountains) have DOP status, and it is one of the most unique pasturelands of Spain. Explore the area known as the “Dehesa” pastoral management system. Unique due to the holm oaks on whose acorns the famed Iberian pigs feast, it is also one of the best-preserved ecosystems in Europe, where livestock exist side by side with wild animal species. This is where Iberian pigs are raised, but you may also see such animals as deer, boars, lynx, or eagles during your walk!
• Enjoy a private guided visit of an Iberian pig farm and ham factory to learn about the production of Jamón, with a farm luncheon featuring local ham and other farm products.
• After lunch, transfer back to your hotel with free time to relax. Or, we can arrange a spa service for you upon request.
• When possible, the evening will start with a visit of the Córdoba Royal Stables, home to the town’s famed Equestrian show. The stables are in a historical building founded in 1570 by King Felipe II, a great horse lover. A one-hour equestrian show will highlight the beauty and training of the famed Andalusian horses and their riders.
• Dinner at a traditional Bodega and overnight.

Day Seven

• Breakfast and check out.
• Transfer to the Malaga airport (about 2 hours away) for your return flight.