The pretty girl from Jaen
Jimena appears out of nowhere like a handful of white houses that dot the mountain, making their way on the route of the Nasrids towards the Kingdom of Grenada. With winter, the snowy peaks of its hills and the constant hustle and bustle of day laborers among olive groves at a time when the fields of Sierra Mágina prepare to produce the best EVOO of the world.
like so many towns of Jaen Jimena is a town dominated by a fortress, Very famous for the quality of its water and the friendly character of its inhabitants. Villa of caprice and greenery who discovers whoever decides to travel through this unusual part of Jaén that there is much to discover in this part of the planet.
The mountain range that surrounds Jimena, in Jaén
TRIBUTE TO A LADY
There is a certain legend surrounding the name of Jimena, which immediately could take us to the Cid Campeador , but we would be wrong. Although not proven, one of the theories places us in the thirteenth century when Alvar Pérez de Castro, son of Don Pedro Fernández de Castro and Doña Jimena Gómez and one of the main knights of Fernando III “El Santo” conquers the fortress of Jimena in the year 1234.
Great admiration would that noble knight feel for his mother, who is said to have she paid homage to him by baptizing the town conquered with her name.
In one way or another it is pretty girl from Sierra Mágina, It is a small village It was born around a castle and was a walled town. This is how Mariano Ortega Gámez, a great scholar of the heritage of this beautiful town that had its significance centuries ago, tells us: “Jimena is donated to the Order of Calatrava and remained under his protection for the fifteenth century, but when Carlos V comes to power, what he does is sell the Military Orders”.
Jimena would be sold to Don Francisco de los Cobos and his wife, parents of Don Diego de los Cobos y Mendoza, I Marquis of Camarasa , noble house that would dominate the area for centuries.
Whitewashed walls and the charm of another time in Jimena, Jaén
Ortega tells us that the Civil War caused havoc in Jimena; in fact, the village archive disappeared including the Puebla Letters of the 13th century , except for a few historical notes dating back to 1918 by the well-known Father Lope.
But this does not prevent a route through this beautiful village of snowy houses, drawn by streets with impossible slopes , many of them dotted with blooming geraniums and adorned with perfume of the charcoal of the olive tree.
The olive groves of Jimena from the Cueva de la Graja
A VERY EXTENSIVE ROADMAP
In Jimena you feel calm , the grace and humility of simple people who still they sit on a chair at the door of their house to chat and greet the stranger, giving an almost unusual hospitality. Everyone is willing to guide the traveler so the roadmap is simple.
Jimena Castle. The tourist information point is located in the emblematic building of the town. construction originally dates from the 10th century and is of Arab origin, although it was remodeled over the centuries until it became manor house with the arrival of the Order of Calatrava.
Declared in 1985 as an Asset of Cultural Interest , has been a private home until 1995 when it was acquired by the City Council. Sometimes ** flamenco singing events ** are organized that are simply priceless.
Castle and church of Jimena
Church of Santiago el Mayor. Located in front of the castle. It owes its name to the conquest of Jimena on July 25, 1234 , Santiago's day. This imposing 15th-century church with a Gothic plan It was restored in the 60s of the last century. to add the ship that was missing and replace the belfry with the current tower. Inside, in addition to the impressive vault , there is still a 15th century baptismal font.
Church of Santiago el Mayor, in Jimena
The Canava Walk. The road that connects the center of the town with the Canava Sanctuary It is the dream of any photographer. This path marks the edge of the town and houses viewpoints from where to take incredible panoramic views from the top of a landscape that the view is unable to limit.
At every step, the houses disappear behind pine forests, palm trees and all the vegetation that shows that Jaén is more than a field of olives and fig trees. Nature here imposes its law.
Canava, in Jimena
Canava area. Located on the outskirts of the town, at the end of the promenade, is the place where the the hermitage to the patron saint, a square crowned with palm trees and a beautiful fountain of seven pipes where the water always runs fresh and clean from the mountains.
It's a good place to have a cool beer next to a waterfall which in the thaw season is spectacular. There is also another pillar that bears an inscription that belonged to the old flour mill that was in the center of town.
It was a bucket mill that had undergone several repairs to late 17th century and the inscription on the pillar refers to one of them, at the time of the Marquis of Camarasa.
Hermitage of Canava
Farm Cave. One of the findings that he put Jimena in the spotlight of researchers and paleontologists was the discovery of this cave that hid inside Neolithic cave paintings.
The route to the cave part of the Sanctuary of Cánava and cross the Natural Monument of Pinar de Cánava , Aleppo pine and one of the oldest in existence. Of course, you have to ask first at the Tourist Information Office, since the cave is not open.
Farm Cave
Sierra Mágina Natural Park. Another of the great attractions of Jimena is found in its natural environment, in the heart of Sierra Mágina . You can do a lot of hiking trails from practically anywhere in town.
It is important to ask about the routes that They lead to the Pilar del Moro, the Aznaitín peak, the Pilar de las Pilas, the Recena castle or the Cruz de la Atalaya , an iron cross from the end of the 19th century that watches over the town from above and reminds us of other constructions from that time Like the Eiffel Tower itself.
Farm Cave
HOUSE OF ONE OF THE BEST AVOES IN THE WORLD
Jimena is a producer of one of the best EVOO in the world , winner of the Jaén Selección contest in 2012, 2013, 2018, 2020 and 2021. This year they have received the greatest international recognition, the first prize of the Mario Salinas 2020 contest of Intense Fruity , awarded by the International Olive Oil Council (IOC), something like "the Oscars of oil".
For all this, this small town in Sierra Mágina is in the point of view of our gastronomy. The secret of success reveals it to us Pedro Jesús Ruiz Martinez, Head of Sales and Marketing of this cooperative, which has been successful for 44 years:
“The picual olive is a medium-sized fruit. It has an elliptical and asymmetric shape and a skin color that, when it reaches maturity, has a black color. This gives the fruit a certain bitterness that will be noticed later in the olive oil that is extracted from it” he explains.
Watchtower Cross
The man from Jaén tells us about a variety that is one of the most consumed in our country , precisely due to its versatility and flavor, what prints smell and flavor to each of our recipes.
We met with an oil with enough body, very powerful , which with a small amount makes notice his presence on the plates . The best way to discover it is to stop at its facilities to take a guided tour, that always ends with a tasting.
Olive oil tourism is here to stay and what better way to enjoy it than at the home of one of the best olive oils in the world.
NOT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE WALKING...
The gastronomy of Jaén is so extensive that we could write books about it, always with extra virgin olive oil by flag. To Jimena you have to go hungry , since here they are not squeamish when it comes to pairing things. Here you eat and eat very well.
Panoramic view of Jimena, in Jaén
To eat at the table and tablecloth, a good option is the Mágina viewpoint (Ctra. Mancha Real – Cazorla km 17,400), which has a fantastic terrace to eat, with views of the entire town.
Here the food is from home, with grilled meat, minced black pudding and crumbs , if any. It is the perfect place for long after-meals after a morning of walking.
On the other hand, tapas in Jimena is law , and for this you have to visit the town square, an essential stop. This is where the bar the square , a family business temple of the flamenquines, the croquettes and the XXL size tapas to which one always returns. Size Matters? Definitely yes.
And if you want a bonus track, look for the People's House (Egido San Sebastian Street, 26) and ask for his loin to the daggerboard It is the bar that the locals go to, a little further from the center of town. In addition, right next door is the Asador Los Pozos, the perfect place for those who want to end the day with a drink and some music.
Panoramic view of Jimena, in Jaén