A winding path, which makes its way between the imposing walls of Despeñaperros, reveals a green sea of olive trees that welcomes Jaén. This land of captivating landscapes has been a source of inspiration for numerous poets throughout history.
The voice of some like Antonio Machado or Miguel Hernández was trapped in the roots of a land worked with the efforts of the olive growers. It is precisely the fruit of this work, the oil, the gold that continues to bathe the roads and corners of the province.
Jaén has more than 66 million olive trees, which represents 25% of the total area of Spain. More than 20% of all olive oil worldwide and 50% of the oil nationally is produced here. After a year in which rains have been scarce and the irrigation allowed for the olive grove, according to experts, is much lower than support irrigation, the province withstands the economic challenge by promoting oil tourism. An experience for the visitor that is completed with the nature tourism offered by this land with three natural parks.
The richness of the environment not only underlies the ancient product that is cultivated in these lands, it is also the result of the effort and dedication of its inhabitants. In the days of autumn and winter, when the harvest starts, the olive grove is covered with green blankets, while the laborers hew the trees, in an increasingly mechanized way, to end the afternoon taking the harvest that will become gold to the oil mill. liquid. Regarding the richness and virtues with which extra virgin olive oil is synonymous, the province has more than enough arguments to exploit oil tourism.
One of the best ways to start this route is to get lost where one day one of Fernando III's lieutenants got lost, in the hills of Úbeda. In the shelter of the Mágina mountain range, are Úbeda and Baeza, two world heritage cities that have managed to preserve the vestiges of Arab and Christian culture in their unique historic centers.
In Úbeda, at the gates of the monumental heritage left by the Andalusian Renaissance, is the Olivar y Aceite Interpretation Center. The museum space allows you to immerse yourself in the ancient culture of EVOO -Extra Virgin Olive Oil- and discover some of the jewels that the area houses, ranging from oil mills to oil tastings.
To know the excellence of the product first-hand, it is necessary to visit an oil mill. The province has 300 of these mills, many of them open to visitors, which show the process by which the green fruit, which laborers drag with effort in the bales, turns into liquid gold.
The activity of these spaces has not stopped since the month of October, although there are some that remain open to visitors all year round. The variety that reaches these facilities is the picual par excellence, which accounts for 95% of the production, although other varieties such as arbequina hojiblanca and royal are also grown in the territory.
In the city of Begíjar and a few kilometers from Baeza, the Oleícola San Francisco mill has been pressing oil since 1927. It was the first to open its doors to tourism and today it is a reference for those who come from anywhere in the world.
Within its walls you can discover the old oil mill with the press systems, containers and the current factory that allows you to understand the technological change that production has undergone. Here you can also satisfy the curiosity of the visitor who wants to get closer to the profession of olive growers. You can participate in the symbolic olive harvest and then go to the oil mill to see what happens to the harvested fruit.
The production of Oleícola San Francisco, specifically its Olive Essential oil, has been one of those recently awarded with the Jaén Selección 2024 seal, a distinction promoted by the Provincial Council of Jaén and that recognizes the best oils of the campaign. In this year's edition held in Úbeda, five cooperatives and three oil mills located in seven Jaén municipalities stood out from the total of 50 proposals that have been presented.
“This year the number of participants has been 20% lower than in previous editions, but the quality has been excellent. The majority of oils participating are of the picual variety, a very productive variety as long as it has water and good soil, but the drought has reduced this production,” explains Brígida Jiménez, head of the panel of this tasting-contest.
In addition to demonstrating tradition, some oil mills discover innovative technological processes. AOVEland, owned by the Jaén Oleícola Group, offers visitors to immerse themselves in the production carried out in its oil mill 4.0, a technological installation that aims to revolutionize the process while guaranteeing the quality of its production, as explained by the Group itself. In addition to this tour, you can enjoy the premium EVOO tasting sessions they offer.
In the north of the province and at the foot of Sierra Morena, the municipality of Bailén adds to the offer of experiences for oil tourists. Oro Bailén opens the doors of its factory and allows a tour of the olive trees that the mountain range houses. Its oil has also obtained the Jaén Selección 2024 recognition. Although traditionally these awards went to family businesses and private capital groups, more and more cooperatives are betting on quality.
“Cooperatives deserve special attention. A businessman can decide if he wants to bet on quality or quantity, but cooperatives are made up of many farmer members and many opinions must be taken into account. Presidents suffer when they bet on quality and not on greater exploitation,” says Brígida Jiménez, who is also director of the IFAPA center in Cabra (Andalusian Institute for Agricultural Research and Training, Food Fisheries and Organic Production).
Learning about this cooperative work that unites farmers from Jaén is possible at the San Vicente de Mogón cooperative, which offers guided tours of its facilities. María del Man Manrique is the manager of the facilities and provides the impetus for women who are making their way in a sector traditionally dominated by men.
