We started our 2025-26 season with a fascinating presentation by author Michael Barry, about the Spanish Armada and how involved Ireland was and the significance of the of the Irish coast and the role it played.
Photos pending
Then on Friday 10th October, 32 of us set off by coach, for a walking visit to the charming village of Nigüelas in the province of Granada in the Lecrin Valle.
As usual, we had breakfast en route, we then boarded the coach for the short trip. The coach was able to park at the entrance to the village, where our guide Cathy came to meet us. We went first, to an area which has been cleared in order for a visitors centre to be constructed, we heard about how many different types of olives there are and the process of olive picking. We then moved on to the Town Hall, the former Palace of the last heiress of the Zayas family, Doña Maria Antonia Zayas-Fernandez de Cordoba, who left her estate to to the Zayas Foundation. The building and gardens have been restored and are now open to the public and concerts are sometimes held in the gardens, especially during their 11 day long fiesta in September. We then moved on to the 16C church, which suffered damage during the Moorish rebellion and was restored. It is a very imposing building in a pretty square. Sadly, we couldn’t enter as the floor was being restored. We then moved on to the 13C Oil Mill, where we had a thorough explanation of the oil making process, visiting each of the original processing rooms and the 2 huge wooden presses. Finally we had a tasting of oil – the good, the bad and the just about acceptable ! We then had the opportunity to purchase local oils and other local craft ware – kitchen oil containers, ceramics, baskets made from esparto grass etc. We then left our guide and had a gentle walk back through the village to our coach and onwards for lunch !
The restaurant is just on the edge of the village, a surprisingly large venue with gardens, outside seating and private inside dining areas. The food was very good and the young staff all friendly and efficient.
All in all, an interesting and enjoyable trip !
Christina Sinclair
Co-ordinator
Nerja History Group
email:nerjahistorygroup@yahoo.com
www.nerjahistorygroup.com