The Provincial Palace of the Provincial Council of Almeria has hosted the presentation of the ‘Rutas del Almendro en Flor Filabres Alhamilla’. This initiative returns to the provincial sports and tourism calendar after two years of interruption with an offer of guided trails, a cycling route and the VIII Gastronomic Days of the Almond.
The event was attended by the vice-president of the Provincial Council, Fernando Giménez, as well as the promoter of this initiative, Diego García Campos – director of Paralelo 37 active tourism, Foco Sur and www.almeriainformacion.com-, the mayor of Lucainena, Juan Herrera, representing the mayors and the Mancomunidad, and the chef of Tabernas, Antonio Gázquez. In addition, the mayors and collaborators of this initiative were present at the launch of this active tourism initiative.
The programme will run from 4 February to 5 March through 10 municipalities in the Filabres Alhamilla region: Alcudia de Monteagud, Benizalón, Castro de Filabres, Lubrín, Lucainena de las Torres, Senés, Sorbas, Tabernas, Tahal and Uleila del Campo.
Fernando Giménez has highlighted the importance of this initiative which is an exponent of the «trinomial Tourism, Sport and Gastronomy» and a resource to promote the natural and ethnographic resources of the province. «It is a great tool to promote the whole region and make tourism an effective resource to fix the population in the territory and boost the economy, generate employment and wealth,» he said.
He also thanked the restaurants that make the Almond Gastronomic Days possible and the mayors for making all of the region’s tourist resources available to the people of Almeria.
For his part, Diego García Campos explained the importance of a project that has managed to unite a group of companies, associations, town councils and provincial institutions to promote this attraction as an element that generates wealth and supports existing economic activities, especially sustainable tourism. The beauty of the almond blossom has been joined by gastronomy and the dissemination of the main attractions of the region, as well as folklore and typical products.
In the same way, he has revealed details of the calendar (attached at the end of the press release) in which you can take guided routes through different areas of municipalities in the region: Alcudia de Monteagud, Benizalón, Castro de Filabres, Lubrín, Lucainena de las Torres, Senés, Sorbas, Tabernas, Tahal and Uleila del Campo, and enjoy the gastronomy, nature, and many other attractions such as folklore, handicrafts or historical and ethnographic heritage.
As in previous editions, the nine hiking routes will be joined by an urban cultural route in Tabernas, focusing on cinema, the history of the Filabres Alhamilla region and the desert, with a gastronomic workshop, and another cycling route.
For his part, Juan Herrera congratulated the promoters of the initiative and thanked the support of the institutions, Regional Government of Andalusia and Diputación Provincial, and the drive of the mayors and town councils to achieve the return of this important programme.
Chef Antonio Gázquez was proud to be able to participate in the routes together with other restaurateurs in the area through the Gastronomic Days of the Almond. And he invited the people of Almeria to enjoy a unique gastronomic offer that is characterised by the preservation of the ancestral recipes of the region that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Gastronomic days and show cooking
Given the success of previous years, once again this year the Gastronomic Days of the Almonds will be held in parallel to each route, which this year celebrates its VIII edition, and which will show us the best gastronomy of this region.
In parallel to the development of the routes will take place in 8 of the best restaurants in the region these Gastronomic Days that aim to raise awareness of the gastronomic offer and make a commitment to the dishes made with almonds as an ingredient. The participating restaurants are: El Mirador de las Estrellas, in Alcudía de Monteagud; Los Olivos, in Benizalón; Las Eras Antonio Gázquez, in Tabernas; Albar, in El Pilar de Lubrín; Montesión Luz del Desierto, in Lucainena de las Torres; Restaurante Cuevas in Sorbas; Rubira, in Tahal and Bodega Perfer, in Uleila del Campo.
This edition of the routes will also close with an extraordinary day of gastronomy and showcooking developed by the master Antonio Gázquez. The event will take place on the 5th of March, and will focus on the Desert Cuisine, with the special presence of La Gergaleña products.
This year on each route, with the lunch voucher, you can take part in a prize draw for a set of local products. The draw will take place in each collaborating restaurant at the beginning of the lunch.
Almond Blossom Photographic Competition
During the eight routes, participants will be able to take photographs and send a maximum of five to the Almond Tree in Bloom Photography Competition. A jury will decide on the winning photo, which will be part of the 2024 edition of the Routes poster. The winner will receive a pack of local products and a ticket to the Caves of Sorbas. Send to almendroflorfilabresalhamilla@gmail.com.
Other complementary activities
Exhibition of local products.
Guided visits to artisans and Interpretation Centres.
Objectives:
To promote Filabres-Alhamilla for tourism around a thematic product such as the almond blossom, similar to other existing products at national level such as the cherry blossom in the Jerte Valley. Promotion of culture, folklore, history and gastronomy.
Commitment to sustainable development, bearing in mind that the almond tree is a key element in the agricultural economy of the area, an important element of the landscape and a future tool for tourism development and the fight against depopulation.
Promote the region’s restaurants and accommodation.
Promote the excellent food products of the region.
Outstanding elements
Unique landscape, nature, sport, active tourism, gastronomy, history, ethnography, geology, flora, traditions, folklore… and much more.
Calendar of routes and Conferences
Routes 2023. Calendar
Place and Restaurant:
1. Lubrín-La Alcarria-La Alameda. 4th February
Lunch: Restaurant Albar de El Pilar-Lubrín.
2. Castro de Filabres Architecture Pizarra. 5th February.
Lunch: Restaurant Las Eras- Antonio Gázquez- Tabernas.
3. Benizalón- Collado Almecino-Castillo Benimina. 11th February
Lunch: Los Olivos Restaurant.
4. Senés- Pizarra, Moors and Christians. Mysteries. 12th February.
Lunch: Restaurant Las Eras- Antonio Gázquez- Tabernas.
5. Lucainena de las Torres-Hornos Calcinación- Vía Verde. 18th February. Lunch: Restaurante Montesión.
6. Tahal – Medala – Enrique Enriquez Enriquez Castle. 19th February.
Lunch: Ruvira Restaurant.
7. Alcudia de Monteagud- Torre de Alhabia. 25th February.
Lunch: Restaurant El Mirador de las Estrellas.
8. Sorbas-Karst en Yesos. Cariatiz. Fossil reef. 26th February.
Lunch: Restaurant Cuevas de Sorbas.
9. Uleila del Campo-Ethnographic heritage-Bodega. 4th March.
Lunch: Bodega Perfer Restaurant.
10. Tabernas, Gastronomic day and show cooking. 5th March.
Urban route. Terrera Ventura Centre and Torre del Castillo. The landscapes of cinema. Show cooking and gastronomic workshop The desert cuisine with Antonio Gázquez.
Presentation of Filabres Alhamilla products.
Bicycle route. To be held in El Pilar-La Mela-El Fonte if groups are consolidated on a date to be determined by the organisation. Lunch: Albar Restaurant in El Pilar-Lubrín.