Blog | Spanish farmhouse near Seville | B&B Aracena | Self-catering cottages Andalucia

The blog of Finca Buenvino Bed & Breakfast near Aracena, Seville, Andalucia, Spain in the Sierra de Aracena National Park. Set amongst a chestnut and cork-oak forest we operate as a family B&B and self-catering holiday cottages. We run cookery courses, photography courses, creative writing retreats and fitness retreats. Hiking trails and stunning views.

September Plans and autumn Courses.

As we steam our way through August, it's 40ºC outside today, and Jeannie and I are hiding in the little cottage at the bottom of the valley, where on some nights we need to haul a blanket onto the bed because the temperature has dropped to 16ºC!

We are starting to look forward to September and the autumn months when we plan new cooking activities. Do have a look at the cookery courses page of our website and see if there is anything that appeals. We still have places on our 5 night foraging, olive oil and jamón Ibérico de bellota days.

We are lucky enough to have two of our sons living at home with us now. Jago, who is working in the PR department of 5 J's, Cinco Jotas, producers of probably the finest jamón ibérico de bellota in the country, and Charlie who has come to  run the kitchens at Finca Buenvino after 6 years of working for The Laughing Stock on the South Bank in London. He will actually be taking over administrative duties from me, Sam, as well as cooking. Jeannie will continue to be in the kitchens, but we both feel it is time to step back a little after over 35 years, and the boys will need to space to be creative and develop the business their own way.

I shall continue to write the occasional blog .....hopefully more assiduously and less occasionally than before! I shall also be keeping an eye on the bookings.

 

Martin Randall Travel walking group.

It's rather late to be catching up with the year, but now that autumn is here, there is a chance to sit down and struggle with the internet, which in these remote parts is very slow at times, and drives me to distraction!


Gaby McPhedran and Adam Hopkins brought a group of walkers and seekers of Spanish knowledge to the finca for lunch on Easter day. They had been visiting the processions of Holy Week in Carmona, a more intimate affair than that in Seville, and they were on their way to the Extremadura, to stay in Zafra for a couple of nights.


Finca Buenvino is almost midway between the two, and proved a perfect place to explore villages, walk the trails, attend Easter Mass, or visit the caves of Aracena.










We gave them tapas; Our home-cured jamón, fried quails' eggs, pimientos del padrón, blanched almonds fried in olive oil, and olives, then everyone sat down to a lunch of grilled goat's cheese, with salads from our greenhouse, and roast Sierra de Aracena lamb, followed by lavender panna cotta and fruit coulis.