What's on - Andalucia 2010
Enjoy one of Andalucia’s big cultural festivals or in-the-know fiestas in 2010, while staying at the exciting new boutique B&B, Casa Olea, located half way between Granada and Cordoba and ideal for visits to the Alhambra, Mezquita and much more.
January
Los Reyes (Three Kings): watch the children go crazy as sweets are thrown from carnival floats in street processions throughout Andalucia (06 January).
February
Valentine’s Day: treat your loved one to breakfast-in-bed at Casa Olea, then a “champagne picnic” on a walk through the olive groves to a hill-top medieval watch-tower.
March
The onset of Spring in the Sierras Subbéticas, ideal temperatures for hiking, biking, a day’s skiing in the Sierra Nevada, or visiting the Alhambra (Granada) & Mezquita (Córdoba) nearby. In Baena, an ear-busting 3000 drummers hit the streets for their “Vispera de San José” fiesta.
April
“Viernes Santo” (Good Friday) is the climax of Semana Santa in Priego de Córdoba, with emotive processions day and night and ritual blessing of the hornazos, the lucky pastry chicken!
May
Patios de Mayo in Córdoba: annual contest of flower-filled patios and balconies. The “Hay Festival Alhambra” comes to Granada, while the MotorGP Spanish Grand Prix takes place in Jerez (02 May).
June
Corpus Christi, observed throughout Andalucia (03 Jun), is especially traditional/fun in Granada. The “Festival de Musica Sefardi” celebrates Córdoba’s ancient Jewish heritage with night-time concerts and food stalls in the Botanical Gardens and Juderia district.
July
Escape the World Cup obsession for “Jazz entre Olivos” (Jazz in the Olives) in Jaén, with open-air street concerts; or the “Festival de la Guitarra” (Córdoba Guitar Festival), with flamenco, classical, jazz guitar & Dire Straits legend Mark Knopfler live in the Plaza de Toros.
August
The “Fiesta de la Alcaparra” (Caper Festival) in Fuente Tójar - a very local, small-scale fiesta typical of the summer weekends in Andalucia. Or, experience the crazy Pamplona-style fiesta of “Toro de Cuerda” in Carcabuey, with locals running with “baby bulls” on ropes.
September
Sample cheeses from all over Spain at the “Feria de Quesos” (Cheese Festival) in Zuheros; try the fine wines at the “Fiesta de la Vendimia Montilla Moriles”, one of Spain’s oldest wine festivals (since 1816). Or, see U2 in Seville, as part of their U2 360° Tour.
October
Sample quince in every form conceivable at the “Fiesta de Membrillo” (Quince Festival) in the white village of Zagrilla, then burn it off with hiking in the Sierras Subbéticas. See Europe’s top golfers (and hopefully recent Ryder Cup winners?!) at the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama, Sotogrande.
November
Catch up with the latest releases in European film at the Seville European Film Festival; or enjoy jazz performances throughout Granada at the “International Jazz Festival”, one of Europe’s oldest. Baena’s “Olive & Olive Oil Festival” celebrates the region’s rich olive heritage.
December
All of Spain heads to the campo (countryside) for the popular “Puente de la Inmaculada” long weekend (4-8 December); while “Noche Vieja” (New Year’s Eve) is also celebrated throughout Andalucia – with locals eating their 12 lucky grapes on the main square to chimes of midnight.
Having recently opened in December ’09, Casa Olea is an idyllic new 6-room luxury B&B located in the heart of Andalucia, half-way between Granada and Córdoba and ideal for visits to the Alhambra and Mezquita.
Casa Olea is a traditional olive farm but with indulgent touches: under-floor heating, super-king sized beds, Egyptian cotton bedding, luxury en-suite bathrooms and a stunning swimming pool terrace.
Panoramic views from every window look out to olive groves, Sierras Subbéticas mountain range and Rio Salado river at the bottom of the finca.
Explore a hidden corner of inland Spain, surprisingly still “off the map” for UK travellers, with a range of fully-researched self-guide walking and biking routes in the area. Discover ancient olive groves, dramatic karst mountain scenery and traditional white villages with medieval hill-top castles and local gastronomy.
Casa Olea is also an exciting new “green getaway” - 100% of the house’s under-floor heating comes from a biomass boiler, using recycled olive pellets from a local olive cooperative and 100% of the hot water comes from solar panels.
With only 6 bedrooms, Casa Olea is ideal for private rental as an exclusive villa, with 2 or 3 families (or a group of friends) taking over the whole house - available on a self-catering basis or with catering provided. Ideal for special family celebrations.
PRICES
Double rooms from 79 euros per night, including breakfast. High season (Easter, July & August) prices from 99 euros for a double, including breakfast.
Villa rates from 2,940 euros for the whole house for 7 nights in low season. Ideal for school half-terms. Based on private rental (6 doubles/12 people total).
Summer special - pay the same low season rate for July/August bookings made before 01 May before the price rises to 3,832 euros for 7 nights.
HOW TO GET THERE
Fly to Granada with Ryanair for London Stansted, Liverpool or East Midlands; Málaga from most UK and Irish airports with most low-cost airlines; or Seville (Ryanair).
AVE fast-train accessible to/from Córdoba (2 hours to Madrid), a new line for 2009.
Hire car possible from all airports and train stations. See interactive maps on the website.
For more information and bookings, visit casaolea.com.
