Andalusian Grove Tour 2023
Join us, mid November 2023, on this limited and unforgettable experience through the olive groves in Andalusia, Spain, for three days and two nights. We'll tour, during the heart of the olive harvest season, the world's capital of olive oil in Jaén, in Andalusia. We'll walk the groves, tour the olive oil mills, and meet with the passionate farmers that have produced this raw juice for thousands of years dating back to the pre-Roman times.
Be prepared to eat exceptional Spanish food, where condiments are replaced with locally harvested olive oil at each table, with a singular intent: to drizzle your heart out. Get ready to taste some of the highest caliber and freshest olive oil the world has to offer, that should include the warning label: "after you taste this olive oil, you'll never look at your olive oil at home the same".
We'll rewind the clock back to the 16th century when we visit the Sabiote Castle, one of the oldest existing examples of Renaissance construction.
For those preferring a bit of rest & relaxation, we'll be staying at the beautiful
Balneario San Andres, with fully equipped spa services.
The small region of Jaén produces more olive oil than Italy, Greece, and Turkey combined! Hands down, Jaén IS the world capital of olive oil production, and one of the largest human-made forests in the world, with its 66 million olive trees to prove it.
Walking these groves will forever change you, as if the trees are all connected underground, and their collective presence will straighten the hairs on the back of your neck. We'll celebrate this majestic experience with a rustic lunch on the grove and among the trees.
So, whether you're a foodie, an olive oil lover, a history buff, or an admirer of Renaissance architecture, this limited and exclusive tour will have a lasting impact on you.
This tour starts and ends in centrally located Madrid, especially designed for you to continue your European travels wherever your heart guides you.
The tour's leader is a fluent English and Spanish speaker, is a Spanish native and citizen, and has personally crafted the itinerary after years of visiting the area, with particular attention to unique groves, museums, restaurants, and lodging (many only known to locals). The tour will be held in English.
Itinerary
Sat Nov 11 (Day 1)
- Arrive and spend the day in Madrid. Visit the world renown Palacio Real, Prado Museum, and grab some tapas and Rioja wine at the open-air Plaza Mayor
- Check-in to your preferred hotel
- Group evening dinner
Sun Nov 12 (Day 2)
- Group meets at the Palacio Real at 10 AM, for a 10:30 AM bus departure
- Drive to Baños de la Encina (3.5 hrs), have lunch at Hotel Palacio Guzmanes (beautiful place with breathtaking vistas)
- Guided tour of the Picualia olive oil producer
- Drive to Canena (30 min) & check-in to Balneario San Andres (gorgeous hotel with full spa services)
Mon Nov 13 (Day 3)
- Breakfast at hotel
- 10 am, drive to Castillo de Sabiote for a guided tour and enjoy the unforgettable vista with one of the oldest castles in the region
- Go to Almazara Oleicola San Francisco de Begijar for a guided tour and rustic lunch on the grove and among the trees
- Tour Terra Oleum, the premier science and education center, where you'll learn the entire lifecycle of olives
- Tapas dinner in ancient Baeza, then return to the beautiful hotel Balneario San Andres
Tue Nov 14 (Day 4)
- Breakfast at hotel
- Depart for Madrid at 10 AM via bus, and arrive at Palacio Real in Madrid by 1:30 PM (4.5 hrs). Enjoy metropolitan Madrid a few more days, take the high speed train to Barcelona, or continue your travel to other beautiful parts of Europe!
Costs & Fees
Tour fee includes the following:
- Transportation from when we depart Madrid's pick-up location, throughout the tour, and to the drop-off location in Madrid, transportation
- Entrance fees and costs to all grove tours and science museums
- Grove lunch event
- Lodging for nights of 11/12 and 11/13, and breakfast at the hotel
- The tour's leader is a fluent English and Spanish speaker, is a Spanish native and citizen, and has personally crafted the itinerary after years of visiting the area, with particular attention to unique groves, museums, restaurants, and lodging (many only known to locals)
- The tour will be held in English
Costs not covered (responsibility of the participants):
- Airfare and other travel outside the tour (e.g. getting to Madrid, flying to Greece afterwards)
- Any accommodations other than 11/12 and 11/13 (i.e. night before our departure in Madrid, and after our return to Madrid)
- Food/meals (except the grove lunch event and breakfast at the hotel)
- Hotel spa services
- Travel and health insurance (recommended)
Reserve your spot!
BEFORE SEPTEMBER 15, 2023:
- Reserve your spot by paying the Grove Tour fee. This fee is fully refundable before SEPTEMBER 15, 2023, please see "Cancellation & Refunds" below for details.
- Ensure your passport expires no earlier than 6 months from when you arrive in Europe. Authorities won't let you board the airplane if your passport expires within six months of arrival to the EU.
AFTER SEPTEMBER 15, 2023:
We'll finalize the tour and participants, and send you the final itinerary details. It's at this point (and not before) that we recommend that you purchase any transportation to Madrid (i.e. flight to MAD airport). We will handle the lodging reservations for nights of 11/15 and 11/16 only, so you should make reservations that you may need prior or after these dates. We'll also send you a list of items you'll need for the trip (e.g. passport, insurance, recommended clothing, etc.).
Cancellations & Refunds
- Participants may cancel the tour at any time for a full Grove Tour fee refund prior to SEPTEMBER 15, 2023
- Cancellations made after this date will receive 50% reimbursement. If a replacement can be arranged, a full refund will be provided
- In the unlikely event that the trip is canceled due to unforeseen reasons, the entire Grove Tour fee will be refunded to participants, regardless of when it's canceled.
Other Important Details
- The total number of participants for this Grove Tour is intentionally limited in order to provide the best experience possible. If the Grove Tour product is not sold out, then we still have at least one seat open. OLIVE OIL GROVE reserves the right to adjust the group size at any time based on safety and other considerations.
- The above itinerary is not final, and excludes some details until the trip is confirmed. Actual groves, museums, and accommodations may change due to unforeseen changes in Spain, and in order to maximize the experience for the group.
