Treasures of Aracena

We'd not been to this part of Spain before and Inntravel made our introduction to it very interesting and enjoyable.

This is our first Inntravel holiday and we found every aspect to be well organised and efficient. Our accommodation was excellent and we enjoyed the week very much.

Lucy & Angel and their staff were perfect hosts throughout the week. Lucy's cooking using local produce was excellent, and dining with other guests made it a sociable occasion. There were different nationalities staying all like-minded people which made the week more enjoyable. The walk with Angel was very informative and helped when on other walks. His demonstration of the local Jamón and sherry took three hours and was great fun, they both have a real passion for their Eco Posada and their local environment. The village Alájar was typical of Andalusia although driving around the narrow streets and local roads was an adventure in itself. Eating out in January there were few places open however the La Plazita opening at weekends served excellent pizza and pasta and had a great atmosphere. This is the second year we have been to this region at the beginning of January, and both times the sun has been out which made it a great place to visit.

We had never heard of Aracena let alone Alájar but what a wonderful area. Lucy and Angel at Posada San Marcos could not have been more friendly and welcoming. The introductory guided walk was fascinating. Meals were just the right balance of high quality and low formality. Since the area and the type of hotel attract other walkers, we enjoyed the company in the hotel, chatting about plans for the day and learning what others had found good. I would liken this area to the Cotswolds, rolling countryside, and pretty villages, nothing too strenuous but all charming.

Sierra Aracena is a quiet, unspoilt area of Spain less than two hours of easy driving from Seville Airport.  It offers very good, fairly easy walking.  There were a few moderate climbs to local viewpoints but most of the recommended routes were four to five hours strolling through pleasant chestnut and cork oak woodland often finishing at a welcome bar or restaurant for lunch.  We particularly enjoyed our walks to Linares with its excellent bars and restaurant and to Almonaster with its ancient mosque, old bull ring and very good restaurant at the end of a good walk around the viewpoints above the town.   The introductory walk with Angel on the first day was a brilliant introduction to the area and a great help in planning the rest of the week.  On the evenings, when Lucy was treating us to her excellent home cooking, we found some good restaurants in the village.  We really liked the easy going atmosphere, pizzas and salads in La Plazita as well as the (slightly) more formal El Molino with its superb local dishes.   During our week in mid-November, we had a couple damp days but for most of the week, we had sunshine and were down to tee shirts for walking when we were out of the wind.  However, the temperature plummeted whenever the clouds blew over and the wind could be icy cold; so something warm and windproof in our rucksacks was essential even on the sunniest of days.

In summary this was a great holiday for easy walking in quiet countryside staying in a very welcoming hotel.  Afterwards we really enjoyed 5 days in Seville but that is another story.

It was wonderful to have the benefit of advice and information from an Anglo/Spanish couple (Lucy and Angel) at Posada San Marcos. Their nationalities and experience meant that they understood British expectations but were able to explain and introduce us to local customs, food, culture, wildlife, history etc. The accommodation was very good, as were the staff. I would have no hesitation in recommending the whole experience.

Alajar and the entire Aracena area are absolutely unspoilt, and hopefully will remain so. Alajar is a pristine village with the tradition and charm of Andalucia. We were very fortunate to be there during one of their religious festivals and to witness the late-night procession of the Virgen from La Peña. Lucy and Angel are so knowledgeable about their community and the surrounding villages, so they were able to offer additional, valuable guidance before we set out on our walks. I speak Spanish well, which was a help when we ventured out of Alajar, but I do think it's possible to manage without the language.

We enjoyed this week in Alajar very much. Lucy and Angel are excellent hosts, we had some good conversation with them and other guests of all nationalities. As this was one of many holidays with Inntravel we were expecting the accurate notes for interesting and varied walks, what we weren't expecting to find, in such a small village, was good unpretentious restaurants with excellent service and locally sourced menus. The walking was through lovely countryside to typical white villages, very quiet and mostly with a small bar for a much needed cold drink. Dappled shade made walking a pleasure even though it was hot enough to return to the posada for a swim in the late afternoon. The drive up from Faro airport was easy, motorway on the way up and rural roads on the return, very few cars, pretty villages. This is slow travel at its best in an area we would be very happy to return to.

We found it a very interesting area of Spain to visit, being unlike anywhere we had been before.  We enjoyed walking in the chestnut and oak woods but thought driving along the narrow roads in the small villages was not for the faint hearted.  We did not see one local car that was not damaged!

The guided walk by Angel was excellent, particularly as it was on the first day and showed us what to look for later. We took a trip to Seville in Holy Week, which was very interesting but it was very busy. It is well worth booking on-line for any visits to places of interest - we didn't do that.

We combined 3 nights in Seville before with a week in the Aracena Sierra.  

The hotel (Las Casas Del Rey Baeza) is delightful and felt more like a family-run establishment. The hotel restaurant was also good on the one night we ate there.

Alajar is a perfect village to get away from the stress of city life, particularly after a few days in Seville. The village is in delightful and picturesque countryside with plenty of varied and excellent walks, both those recommended in the trip notes and also those by the hotel - more than enough to keep us occupied for the week. The Posada San Marcos (and owners) fitted the bill perfectly: Angel was a great - and enthusiastic - source of knowledge of the local area and customs, including a guided walk and explanation and tasting of the local jamon; Lucy provided excellent food. There are plenty of restaurants in the village (although not all are open during weekdays) but Lucy’s first-class cooking meant we ate in the Posada whenever possible. Her packed lunches were also the best we have experienced.  

A thoroughly recommended combination!

We had a lovely holiday. The scenery is beautiful, the walks great and the hospitality from Angel and Lucy was brilliant. Lucy's cooking is superb and Angel's guided walk and Jamon carving were great experiences.

We usually prefer hotel to hotel walking but hesitations about our level of fitness led us to choose a one centre holiday. This is an area of Spain we didnt know and are now so pleased to have visited. This is still a very unspoilt area with walking along ancient tracks through beautiful landscapes. On weekdays we rarely saw others outside the villages. We walked in mid November and had rain on just one day. Jackets came off and we walked in tee shirts. The walks take you through different ecosystems despite being based in a relatively small area. The colours of the chestnut trees were absolutely stunning in the sunshine. Having hotel owners Lucy and Angel to intoduce you to the area makes a big difference to how you see it and feel about it once you set off on your own. An excellent holiday which exceeded our expectations.

Lucy and Angel were excellent hosts, and we also enjoyed the quality of food available in local bars and restaurants.

Lucy and Angel [at the La Posada de San Marcos] were very welcoming. We felt very relaxed and 'at home'. 

Driving in the village of Alájar is difficult at the best of times, but especially at weekends. I would advise guests to avoid arriving on Friday or Saturday and before 6pm on Sunday. Also try to arrive in daylight! The smaller your car the less difficult it will be.

The highlight of the holiday was really the reception and guidance on the area, and food, from Angel and Lucy.

Lucy and Angel were the perfect hosts. Indeed, we felt part of the family. And the opportunity to chat with other visitors was a delight - and most interesting. Lucy's cooking was fantastic. And Angel's introductory walk (to see Griffon Vultures) and his talks were fascinating. We fell in love with the area, and we will be back to stay at La Posada.

We really enjoyed the tranquillity of the hotel location combined with its proximity to the village centre and the hustle and bustle of village life. We also appreciated the friendliness of Lucy, Angel and all their staff.

Lucy and Angel were charming hosts, making us feel special and welcome in their lovely hotel. We particularly liked the guided nature walk on our first day and the Jamon talk and demonstration (and sampling) was surprisingly good and informative, helped by the enthusiasm and humour of Angel. Alajar was a perfect place to unwind - the epitomy of a slow holiday.

We much enjoyed the hiking which took in the lovely, serene countryside. Lucy's meals were excellent and Angel's guided hike and tour of the secadero were top notch. We were not sure that we would be able to hike 8- 11 kilometers at one time. But, we pushed through it and were very proud of our efforts, completing all but one of the 6 hikes. 

This was a superb holiday in every way.  Lucy and Angel have a gift for hospitality, and have created a warm, welcoming home for their guests. Angel's walk was an informative introduction to the area, so that we understood what we were seeing on all our walks. His passion for the Sierra de Aracena, Andalucia, and Spain (in that order!) makes him a mine of information, and we learned so much. Lucy's cooking, often based on recipes from Angel's mother, is delicious and gave us an insight into the region's cuisine.

We did all the walks - each one introduces you to a different aspect of the area, and all are interesting and rewarding. Some of the waymarks have disappeared, so that some instructions are out of date, but we found that the distances in the notes were quite accurate: the distance measurer (on Fitbit) was the best way to ensure we stayed on the right path. The walk out of Aracena introduces quite a different landscape from those around Alajar, and combines easily with a visit to the caves, which are beautiful.

1) Although Las Casas del Rey de Baeza is a very pleasant hotel, conveniently placed, its evening meals are not as good and varied as those at nearby restaurants that it recommends.

2) It is easy to get from Seville to Cordoba and back by train, for the day (45 mins each way), if one desires to do so.

3) We would certainly go again to the Posada San Marcos in Alajar.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers added a 4 night stay at Las Casas Del Rey Baeza, in Seville, before the Treasures of Aracena walking holiday.

This is an absolutely brilliant holiday! The hosts are wonderful as is the little white town. The routes are delightful and varied. Every day was a mini-adventure. The size of the hotel was a particular delight; able to mix at breakfast and for evening meals with fellow travellers. Well done.

Very difficult to pick out anything as it was a perfect 10 days. I was pleased to note that drivers in Spain proved to be very courteous and the sat-nav was a bonus. Chatting to Lucy and Angel was fantastic and we felt we learnt a lot more about the area and about Spain. I would recommend a visit to the Coto Donana. The driver we had from the base in El Rocio was excellent and very knowledgeable. We were lucky that we saw very many birds and mammals. I will add that we are not twitchers and just like visiting the countryside and learning more.

Please see earlier comments. This was one of our best Inntravel holidays ever, and was made special by the hospitality of Lucy and Angel, including responding so willingly to my gluten-free diet. Our two main recommendations are:

(1) To encourage others to go on this holiday!

(2) That you should offer an option of using public transport/taxis rather than a hire car. There is a reasonable bus service from Seville to Aracena, and a more limited service from Aracena to Alajar (but Lucy and Angel said that they could help out if need be). There are plenty of walks from Alajar and taxis could be used to access some of the other villages. In our case the car remained outside the hotel for 4 out of the 6 days. 

We were very lucky to be on this holiday at the time of the Fiesta. We were all moved to tears by the passion and community spirit of an event that was evidently genuine. It was not for the tourists, of whom there were only a handful, but for the residents of Alajar and the neighbouring villages. Fortunately, Lucy told us where to be and when, in order to get the whole experience of an unforgettable two days. 

This was a holiday period for local residents and a couple of the bars and restauants listed were closed for this. However there were still enough alternatives for us.

The village has only two central squares. The main square is the busier and noisier with several bars. For sitting out we preferred 'plaza vieja' about 50m away and the bar La Plazita, a pizza bar (although does other food too). This is mush smaller and cosier.

The hosts Lucy and Angel were really very nice, helpful and informative. The breakfasts were good. The evening meals were excellent and their reputations well deserved.

The countryside around Aracena and Alajar is delightful, quite hilly and wooded, and with scope for interesting walks at all levels of activity, though it was excessively and unusually hot during our visit, which limited the walks somewhat. La Posada de San Marcos is a fine base, and Lucy and Angel couldn't have been more friendly and helpful with suggestions and advice which enabled us to obtain the fullest benefit from our stay with them.

The hotel in Seville was very well situated and interesting but expensive!

We booked the Real Alcazar on line before we left home, an excellent idea picked up from a comment on the Inntravel website. It might be worth putting that in the information pack. The queue for people without a pre booking wound around the block, we just walked in.

We loved the Posada, it felt like home, with the best ever mattresses and superb coffee at breakfast.

Angel and Lucy were perfect hosts, full of helpful advice, nothing was too much trouble.

[INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our Treasures of Aracena Discovery Walking holiday with a Seville city add-on.]

Highlights: Angel's guided walk on the first day, visit to the ham factory and the ham and sherry tasting organised by Angel, the amazing variety of flowers and trees, the visit to the caves in Aracena, walking round Alajar village.

Personal highlights - the walks.  These were well selected and reflected the recommended walking ability - all good for any vertigo sufferers out there.

Useful tip - if you're arriving from Faro airport, remember the time difference between Portugal and Spain (we didn't, and were very nearly late for our first evening meal at the Posada).

I was overwhelmed with how beautiful and unspoiled this area of Spain is, especially for lovers of the great outdoors and I would not hesitate in recommending La Poseda San Marcos. Lucy and Angel are very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful and make the Posada seem like a home from home. Although I was a little nervous about walking as a woman alone, once I got started I enjoyed it immensely and would not hesitate recommending other single walkers - male or female - to do the same. I did every walk Inntravel described but Lucy and Angel were happy to provide plenty more options and suggestions.