The #AGRI&TOUR partners visit Jaén and discover olive oil tourism
Jaén (Spain), 15 January 2026, 9 a.m. Ten representatives of the #AGRI&TOUR consortium gathered at the COAG-Jaén headquarters for a working meeting. This marked the official start of our first project TPM, although the previous evening we had the opportunity to walk around the city centre and have dinner in a typical tavern, an informal, unscheduled meeting to catch up with old colleagues, in some cases, and to finally meet others in person. We were ready to continue working on this exciting project that aims to boost agritourism among young people in our countries.
After a dynamic and intense working session focused on guiding the progress of the project, the presentation of the project’s corporative image by our colleagues from the ASR, and planning the market research on agritourism in Spain, Romania, Ireland, and Italy, we moved on to the first field visit.
Our colleagues from COAG -Jaén had prepared an intensive two-day work programme in the province of Jaén, which included visits to several agrotourism farms. This gave partners the opportunity to see the facilities, chat with the owners, enjoy the regional cuisine and, in short, get an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of the agrotourism sector in Jaén, as well as its potential.
Fernando López (Tierras de Jaén Olive Oil S.L.; https://www.thuelma.es/oleoturismo) was our first host. His family is devoted to the production, bottling and sale of their own olive oil, bottling for third parties, and organizing olive oil tourism experiences on their farm in Huelma, which include guided tours of the olive groves, the modern oil mill and the old oil mill (exhibition), accommodation (two rural houses), gastronomy, and direct sales of products made with their olive oil, among other things. He guided us on a tour of part of the property, including their 400-year-old olive grove (we even saw the crew harvesting!), and a visit to the facilities. The main course was a fantastic lunch that we enjoyed in the old oil mill itself, surrounded by machinery and old tools that were used for oil production, with a homemade menu based on typical local recipes and products, in which the EVOO produced on the farm itself was in the spotlight.
Next stop, the Arroyovil estate (https://www.condeargillo.com/oleoturismo), in Mancha Real. There, Antonio (the farm manager) was waiting for us to share the history of a century-old farm and some unexpected anecdotes, and to show us two rural houses (La Cateta and Casa de Cortadores y Molineros), and the facilities where the Conde de Argillo brand oil is produced.
The next day, we had a long drive from the capital to the edge of the province. In Siles, Rocío and Rafa, owners of Cortijo la Ajedrea (https://cortijolaajedrea.com), were waiting for us with a breakfast that included typical sweets from the area, which brightened up a rainy winter morning. After a pleasant conversation about agritourism entrepreneurship and life in the countryside, and a guided tour to see the rural apartments, the swimming pool, the orchard, and the olive grove, the partners were ready for the next stop.
We drove along a mountain road in the heart of Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas Nature Park, one of the largest in Europe, to reach Segura de la Sierra. Rain and clouds surrounded us throughout the trip, but just as we arrived at the castle, the sky cleared and we were able to enjoy a panoramic view of the village and its surroundings, with the mountain range and the sea of olive trees as the main points of interest.
On our way to the last stop. Amparo and Marc, our hosts at Casa Rural Cortijo de Ramón (https://www.cortijoderamon.com), were waiting for us with a delicious and huge lunch featuring traditional recipes with a touch of innovation, local products and a lively after-lunch conversation in which the history of navigation took on an unexpected prominence 😊. Of course, they also told us how they run their agritourism business and showed us the rural accommodation, the shop selling local products, and the nearby olive grove.
This marked the end of an intense work programme, thanks to which we have learned about some interesting examples of entrepreneurship in agritourism and olive oil tourism in Jaén, a region with huge potential for these practices but with a long way to go to consolidate a supply that matches the multiple resources in the area. Now, the challenge is for the rest of the partners: will they be able to match what we have experienced in Jaén? 😊. Don’t miss this blog to find out what happens in our next TPMs.
