Olvera is the new Capital of Rural Tourism 2021
Like every year, the Escapada Rural portal invites network users to find the Capital of Rural Tourism , the perfect destination to get lost in those farthest corners of the big cities and discover much of our wealth . Important bets for rural tourism such as Sepúlveda or Daroca have not been absent from the great event, but it has been the Cadiz town of oliver who has risen to victory.
The people of Cadiz can boast this year of being the Capital of Rural Tourism by winning Daroca with 21,794 votes . The third place has fallen in Albacete And this followed by Taramundi and of the smallest Cuacos of Yuste . finishing the list Aia, Chelva, Sepúlveda, Ortigueira and finally La Baronia de Rialb , practically all below the threshold of ten thousand votes. He could only win one and Internet users opted for Cádiz.
Olvera appears among fields of ancient olive trees
RURAL CAPITAL AMONG THE WHITE PEOPLES OF THE SOUTH
We headed to one of the jewels of the Sierra de Cadiz , a beautiful town of whitewashed houses that is the standard of the aptly named Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos. Olvera appears among fields of ancient olive trees under the watchful eye of what was once a Arab fortress and a wall . Because the imprint of Muslim culture is palpable in every corner and every bend of this small town that is now in the spotlight of rural tourism.
Olvera is a small town but it hides many episodes lived through its long centuries of history. Its streets, shockingly white, wind between cobblestones and balconies adorned with pots of geraniums that seem to flirt with each other when the wind blows. from the highest, its castle watches over neighboring Seville and Malaga, which form a border and brotherhood with it . We have arrived at one of the most charming towns in the province of Cádiz.
Olvera, Capital of Rural Tourism
HERITAGE OF THE NAZARÍ KINGDOM AND THE DUKES OF OSUNA
Surely it was the beauty of this place that dazzled to the Muslims who occupied these lands in the 8th century , bringing with him love to the water, to the light, to the earth and to the olive tree . Olvera's privileged situation made her a bastion of reference in the Kingdom of Granada and that ended in the construction of its castle back in the late twelfth century.
Declared Well of Cultural Interest in 1985 , of the original castle (as always happens) there are hardly any remains due to subsequent renovations that were carried out in the Christian era . It has two floors covered by a barrel vault and a cistern that can be visited. The views from the top of the tower are the well-deserved reward for the winding spiral stairs that allow the ascent.
From the castle tower what remains of the Arab wall is drawn , irrefutable proof of the defensive importance that the fortress had and the zeal that the Arabs had with this small city. Although some towers remain, the old wall extends around the Villa neighborhood , which in its day was an Arab medina, a tangle of snowy streets that twist between cobbled slopes and barred windows.
Olvera: a network of white streets
Next to the castle is another of the essential places to visit in Olvera, Cilla's House . This house was owned by the Dukes of Osuna until well into the 19th century, which would become part of the City Council's Heritage. Initially it was a barn, although it was also used for various purposes such as women's prison, warehouse and even school . It was rehabilitated in 1999 and is the current Headquarters of the Tourist Office and the La Frontera and Los Castillos Museum , a permanent collection on the historical route of the Villa and the importance of the Sierra Greenway.
But the Dukes of Osuna did much more for Olvera. They ordered to build the Church of Our Lady of the Incarnation at the end of the 18th century, replacing the one that already existed with this beautiful neoclassical temple that hides inside a carving of Saint Sebastian from the 18th century.
Although it is the sanctuary of the Virgen de los Remedios that has the greatest impact. Located just two kilometers from the town, this temple of 17th century is dedicated to the patron saint of Olvera and in whose surroundings a curious pilgrimage known as the Quasimodo Monday Pilgrimage.
the beautiful oliver
A SIGNIFICANT GREEN DESTINATION IN EUROPE
Olvera has all the ingredients for that rural getaway that we have been needing for so long to be perfect. And it is that this beautiful town of Cadiz is within the route of the Via Verde de la Sierra , a old railway line that fell into disuse and is currently a hiking mecca for lovers of walking routes , on horseback or by bike in direct contact with nature.
The Via extends for 38 kilometers through a Mediterranean forest where the griffon vulture resides. Hopefully it can be seen in the Zaframagón Rock viewpoint , a nature reserve located about 15 kilometers along the road and which is also home to other species such as the Egyptian vulture, the falcon or the eagle owl, visible at this time of year. In addition to being a Route of Tourist Interest, the Via Verde de la Sierra has even come to be considered one of the best Greenways in Europe. Any reason is good to start this adventure.
Olvera, Capital of Rural Tourism
HE HAD EVERYTHING TO SUCCESS (AND SUCCESSFUL)
That this Cadiz town is surrounded by olive trees is not a mere coincidence. The love of the Muslims for the olive and its liquid gold turned the fields of the south into true green mantles that almost defied the dryness of their lands . Olvera is a great producer of olives and has its own Protected Designation of Origin, Sierra de Cádiz , presided over (among others) by the Lechín variety.
That is why extra virgin olive oil is one of the protagonists of the Olvera table , base of dishes as Andalusian as gazpacho or salmorejo. We are in pig slaughter ground , where all kinds of sausages are made and from which the delicious “onion” blood is prepared, which is scrambled with eggs.
Olvera has a good bouquet of bars and restaurants where you can taste the products of the land and even venture into more innovative bets. What is essential is to look for its famous " sticky soups ”, a kind of eggless omelette whose dough is made with breadcrumbs, olive oil from the land and wild asparagus. This dish is native to Olvera and is all the rage. So much so that even the City Council organized during the month of April (at least until before the pandemic) a pegas soup contest in the town . A gastronomic event.
This Cadiz town is also very prepared to receive the tourist who wants to stay several days and make the most of this getaway. From a charming hotel (and swimming pool to mitigate the heat that we are already experiencing at this time of year) to rural houses or tourist apartments for those who want a little more privacy . Of course, Olvera has earned the status of rural tourism capital and there are plenty of reasons. Shall we pack?
Olvera, Capital of Rural Tourism