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Hotel Cortijo del Marques - A Return Journey

One of my favourite types of hotels is owner-run and historical. I´m a lover of ancient wooden doors, that have seen generations pass through their doors. On a recent one night escape I headed to the wonderful Hotel Cortijo del Marqués deep in the countyside of Granada province yet only twenty minutes drive to that incredibly fascinating provincial capital - Granada city. The city was not my destination on this quick get away, it was peace and enforced relaxation that I sought, and got. After leaving the main Madrid - Granada road a decent 4km track winds through olive groves and farmland to the Cortijo an ancient manor house bestowed to a Marques when Granada fell from Moorish control.  The walled manor house has a gorgeous wooden gateway into a cobbled courtyard where tinkling fountains sit between the restaurant and the hotel reception. Pass by the chapel and through an inner entranceway into another cobbled  courtyard surrrounded by the hotel rooms, one corner of which hides the sw

Olive Oil Fiesta in Baena a Denomination of Origin

Baena´s 15th Olive Oil Festival to celebrate the harvest, in one of the two Andalucían Denomination of Origin areas, is to be held between November 22-28 this year.

Baena´s oil is considered to be some of the best in the world and I hope to pop along and sample some along with food, wine, cookery classes, local music and some of the traditional tapas on offer in the local bars and restaurants.

Baena also has an old olive mill the Museo del Olivar y el Aceite which displays the one-thousand year history of how olive oil was traditionally milled - I hope to get there too.



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