La Almazara, a journey into the bowels of liquid gold

“I have searched everywhere for the city of my dreams, and at last I have found it in Ronda”. We are not saying it, it was said by the Czech poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who when he set foot in and discovered this busy Andalusian city was completely shrunken and in love. It also happened with other key figures in the history and universal culture of the twentieth century as the American writer and journalist Ernest Hemingway; the actor and director Orson Welles or the Irish writer James Joyce, who found in this city inspiration, shelter and refuge.

We travel to Ronda, this magical town in Malaga, to enter the world’s first signature olive oil mill, designed by Philippe Starck, which lands in the middle of the landscape, as if falling out of space, with the aim of highlighting the culture, history and tradition of one of the flagship products of Spanish gastronomy: EVOO. An avant-garde project that celebrates the art and tradition of olive oil, reinvents the concept of oleotourism and enriches not only culturally but also economically the area, positioning Ronda as an essential destination in the panorama of design and specialized tourism at an international level. What are you waiting for to visit it?

The renowned French designer Philippe Starck, defines LA Almazara as an unusual, incredible and miraculous place where visitors can enjoy a powerful and radical experience that challenges and transforms. “An accumulation of mysteries where crystallized respect for olive oil is mixed with emotion,” he adds excitedly. Located in the middle of nature, a few kilometers from the city of Ronda and overlooking the impressive Sierra de Grazalema, it is a place that offers visitors a unique and immersive experience that celebrates the magic and poetry of olive oil, a key ingredient in Mediterranean gastronomy (and diet). A very interesting tour that starts with a visit to an exhibition room, like a museum, dedicated to the history, properties and curious facts about EVOO, which continues with the amazing view of the oil dam in operation (one is able to see and hear the falling of the olive) and ends in a large tasting area and a magical restaurant, which promises to open its doors in the coming months and become one of the key gastronomic stops for anyone visiting the area. The tables are made of wood, the chandeliers are lit, so are its impressive fireplaces, the light in the room is low, the music of Norah Jones plays, and its impressive exposed kitchen, waiting to welcome a renowned chef, will delight diners.

The interior gloom is broken by a rectangle of light that gives way to a terrace suspended by huge metal chains, an opening to the outside, the only one, which becomes the perfect setting to immortalize the iconic image of the landscapes of Ronda and Andalusia, with the impressive Sierra in the background. The tour, therefore, invites visitors to enter an estate of more than twenty-six hectares, with more than six thousand olive trees (from which LA Organic organic oil is obtained), which also hides various sculptural objects also created by Philippe Starck (“the surprises”, as they are known there) as the work called “The Great Mirror to look at the world from another angle”. One of the most applauded, a large mirror in front of which you will surely want to immortalize yourself (surrounded, of course, by olive trees).

Opting for a minimalist and absolutely timeless design, escaping from superfluous details such as coatings, the designer has worked with rigor and great clarity. A striking (and photogenic) red cube built with Corten steel and concrete, with an immense horn (a tribute to the world of bullfighting) and a gigantic eye that emits black smoke. “The eye to illustrate the vigilance of the great Andalusian surrealist artists, the smoke as a thought or a look,” they say from the project. The interior also houses surprises and clear tributes to the Andalusian imaginary and the art world, such as the monumental half olive embedded in the wall, the metal pipe that penetrates the building without leaving at any time, the huge figure without head or identity on which falls a continuous cascade of water or the imposing ceiling, a large format work, nine hundred square meters, painted by Starck’s daughter, Ara Starck, which represents the figure of a farmer, who speaks of nature, and spontaneity. An atmosphere of alchemy and magic around the production of olive oil, that is LA Almazara.

With the idea of completing and rounding off the getaway, the farm has El Cortijo LA Almazara, a rural accommodation that becomes the perfect option to get to know and live the whole experience, to disconnect, get lost in its many trails and reconnect with nature. It has five rooms, designed by Philippe Starck, which stand out for their modern and sophisticated style, each with a unique personality, but all with stunning views of the Serrania de Ronda. In addition, the complex has the ‘Green House’, which has a gastronomic proposal that reflects its surroundings. Lunches and dinners are prepared with fresh produce from the garden, combining the vegetables grown on the farm with the best organic extra virgin olive oils. Thus, each dish prepared with zero kilometer ingredients captures the essence of Andalusian gastronomy.

In addition, LA Almazara offers numerous activities to enjoy nature and local culture, as visitors can take guided tours of the olive groves and enjoy a traditional picnic, participate in the harvesting process (even bottling their own olive oil) or enjoy a classic oil tasting (they drink it there) or experience the activity “From the orchard to the table”, where they can pick fresh vegetables from their impressive organic orchard and enjoy a special menu. Mindfulness lovers can enjoy the forest baths, for sports addicts there are numerous mountain bike routes, buggy or quad rides, climbing, hiking and horseback riding. And, for those looking for a unique perspective of the area, a balloon flight offers unparalleled panoramic views of the landscape. This trip hides a thousand and one options, all of them, of course, around EVOO, the great protagonist!