Discovering the delights of Cordoba's Subbética

A group of 25 SUR in English readers from the Axarquía district east of Malaga joined a coach tour to the Subbética area of Cordoba province on Friday 3 October. Their first stop was the town of Carcabuey where they enjoyed a Desayuno Molinero breakfast provided by the Subbética Tourist Board and watched a short video about the area, a hiker's paradise, rich in flora and fauna.

The visitors were then taken on a walk through the olive groves with Mercedes, a local guide, who offered information about the types of trees, the olive harvest and the olive oil making process.

The walk finished at the 10th-century Puente del Califat - part of the route which joined the Cordoba and Granada Caliphates, a point that is exactly one hour (by car) from Granada, Cordoba and Malaga.

The group then went on to Priego de Córdoba where local guide Fran showed them the Asunción church with its stunning retablo, an example of Priego Baroque, brilliant white with gold relief. Priego flourished in the 17th century due to the production of silk and many churches and buildings have this characteristic “Priego” Baroque style.

The group then went on to the Carnicerías Reales, the only standing 16th-century meat market and slaughter house, and finished at at Fuente del Rey, a 19th-century Baroque set of fountains.

Next stop on the tour was Cabra, when the group had lunch in a typical restaurant with local favourite dishes such as salmorejo and flamenquín. Dessert, served with Pedro Ximénez wine, was the “Priego” pionono.