Olive Groves & Andalusian Flavours

Hacienda del Mar Meliá Collection, Estepona Spain

Sunset illuminates vineyard rows, green grapevines, rolling hills, and cloudy sky.

Connect with the destination during your stay at Hacienda del Mar Meliá Collection, Estepona, Spain

A private day cooking in Andalusia

A private finca sets the scene, hosted by the grandmothers who keep these recipes alive. The day brings a tasting through different olive oils, a hands-on lesson in three traditional tapas, and a shared meal to finish, a glass of local wine in hand, all at a properly relaxed pace with the olive trees for shade.

Extra virgin olive oil in glass bottle with fresh green and black olives.

Ripening green olives on an olive tree branch with dark leaves.

Healthy fresh vegetables, black beans, celery, tomatoes, peppers for cooking.

Golden sunset over vineyard, with white wine glass on rustic wooden table.

The day unfolds at a private finca set among ancient olive trees. Guests are welcomed with an aperitif beneath the branches, then guided through a tasting of different olive oils, learning how each is made and what gives it its flavour. From there it is into the kitchen, where the grandmothers demonstrate how to prepare three traditional tapas exactly as they always have, using whatever is in season. Local wines are poured throughout, and the day ends as it should: everyone around one table, sharing the food cooked together in a relaxed and genuinely welcoming setting.

Duration: Approximately 3 hours.
Number of people: Private experience, adapted to each booking.
Please note: Bookings are required 48 hours in advance.
What's included: Guided olive oil tasting, Andalusian cooking workshop, local wines and a shared meal.

Rows of olive trees with silvery-green leaves in a sunny green field.

What sets this day apart is the people. This is not a demonstration kitchen with a hired chef; it is the home cooking of Andalusian grandmothers who open up their finca and their recipes and treat guests as family rather than customers. That warmth is the heart of the experience, and it is what participants remember most. It is also a day that teaches something genuine. The olive oil tasting gives a real feel for one of the region's most important products, and the three tapas recipes are simple enough to recreate at home, so a little of the day travels back too.

It is hands-on without ever feeling like a lesson. More than anything, it is a day to slow right down. Long lunches, good wine, the shade of the olive trees and easy conversation set the rhythm, far from the busier coast. It suits food lovers, couples and small groups who want something authentic and unrushed, and who would rather connect with the real culture and landscape of southern Spain than watch it pass by from a distance.