Already at 9 o'clock it starts – the olive tour of Oletrips. Within the next six hours the tour guide Cipriano Ramos shows us how olives are turned into high-quality olive oil. Our first stop is on an olive grove in the interior of the Axarquía. Armed with a large net, a bucket and a long bar, Cipriano searches for a tree with plenty of olives on it. After explaining how to recognize the ripeness of the olives, he unfolds the large black net he brought with him and carefully wraps it around the olive tree. He then shows us how to hit the branches of the tree with the long bar so that the olives simply fall down into the net. Then the tour participants can try it out for themselves. The last step is to roll up the net so that the olives collapse in the middle and can simply be poured into the bucket.
From the olive grove we take the Olevan – Ciprianos minibus, which takes the tourists from one attraction to the next – to the olive mill Molino del Hortelano in Casabermeja. An employee of the farm explains in detail what happens to the olives. For example, they are not washed, but cleaned under high air pressure. The aim is to preserve vitamins, minerals and taste completely. Nowadays they use modern equipment for the production process in the mill. The oil is checked regularly. Because the best quality is important for the operators of the oil mill. They sell their products under the international quality brand Sabor a Málaga.
However, there is still an old oil mill on the property. It was converted into a museum by its owners. And of course we also take a look at it. The tour through the museum is organized by an employee. She explains the old devices, so that we get a quick impression of how strenuous the olive oil production process must have been in former times. After the guided tour of about one hour, the olive oil tasting follows.
Because there are different olives, there are also different tastes and pungencies in olive oil. We can convince ourselves of this during the olive oil tasting. We are offered three different types of oil together with white bread. We dip the bread into the different oils for about 20 minutes. Since the taste of the oils is really unique, we decide to buy two 500 millilitre cans with fresh olive oil.
Afterwards Cipriano takes the tour participants for lunch in an old, traditional restaurant in the middle of the mountains, before they go on a sightseeing tour through the villages Alfarnate and Alfarnatejo. The excursion is suitable for everyone who wants to get to know the true Andalusia off the beaten track. (Editor/Photos/Video: Michael Trampert)
Cipriano explains how to recognise ripe olives.
The net is rolled out around the olive tree.
With a stick he hits lightly against the branches, so that the olives fall down.
In order to be able to pour the olives simply into the bucket, the net is put together.
An employee of the mill explains the production process of the olive oil.
A glass of freshly pressed olive oil.
Old millstone in the museum of the olive mill.
In the past olive oil was often used instead of candles.
