Tourism and Local Promotion Councillor Teresa Alonso presented on Wednesday “a programme of almost forty tourism experiences inviting people to discover Lucena from June to August, whether visiting from elsewhere or living here and wishing to explore the city’s history, heritage or gastronomy”.
In collaboration with the Lucena Protected Designation of Origin, olive oil tastings return to the city’s tourism programme in a different format: evening tastings of oils covered by this quality seal at distinctive city venues. They will take place on 22 June (Palacio de los Condes de Santa Ana), 21 July (Casa de los Mora) and 3 August (the platform of the former railway station, on the greenway).
Teresa Alonso and the designation’s Secretary-General, Patricia Caraballo, described these tastings as part of a new strategy for promoting olive oil tourism in Lucena, a field in which “the City Council and the PDO want to work together to promote a product that already contributes to Lucena’s identity and economy and perfectly complements our tourism offer”.
Another summer tourism highlight is “Siéntate al fresco”, featuring theatrical scenes in courtyards, at barred windows and on balconies. Participants follow a route through the municipality’s monumental courtyards, with short theatrical performances by actors from the Duque de Rivas Theatre School. The activity takes place on 22 July and 19 August.
The Judeo-Arabic and Sephardic language workshop completes the programme’s new experiences. Led by José Martínez, a professor in the University of Granada’s Department of Semitic Studies, its six sessions (27 and 28 June; 4, 5, 11 and 12 July) begin with tuition at the library, followed by guided interpretive visits to major monuments such as the early Christian Basilica of Coracho and the Jewish Necropolis.
As with the year-round tourism programme, most activities are free and involve staff from the Tu Historia Foundation of Medium-Sized Cities. Full event information and bookings are available at www.turlucena.com or the tourism offices at the Palacio de los Condes de Santa Ana and Castillo del Moral.
Full programme of tourism experiences for summer 2022
June
➢ The Battle of Lucena on a Chessboard (11 June)
➢ Lucena’s Paths by Moonlight (11 June): night walk through La Sierrezuela.
➢ Death in Sepharad (12 June): guided visit to the Jewish Necropolis.
➢ Castillo del Moral Escape Room (17 June)
➢ The Dawn of Christianity (18 June): hosted visit to the early Christian Basilica of Coracho.
➢ Lucena PDO Olive Oil Tasting (22 June): tasting in the Baroque courtyard of the Palacio de los Condes de Santa Ana.
➢ Castillo del Moral Escape Room (24 June)
➢ Monumental Lucena (25 June): city route departing from Castillo del Moral.
➢ Death in Sepharad (26 June): guided visit to the Jewish Necropolis.
➢ Judeo-Arabic and Sephardic Languages Workshop (27 June): “Alphabet I”.
➢ Judeo-Arabic and Sephardic Languages Workshop (28 June): “Alphabet II” and guided visit to Casa de los Mora.
July
➢ A Quantum Visit to the Palacio de los Condes de Santa Ana (1 July)
➢ Death in Sepharad (3 July): guided visit to the Jewish Necropolis.
➢ Judeo-Arabic and Sephardic Languages Workshop (4 July): “Biblical Hebrew” and guided visit to the Palacio de los Condes de Santa Ana.
➢ Judeo-Arabic and Sephardic Languages Workshop (5 July): “Jewish Stories from Lucena through Historical Texts” and guided visit to Castillo del Moral.
➢ Castillo del Moral Escape Room (8 July)
➢ Pilgrimage and Visit to the Sanctuary of Araceli (9 July): horse-riding route organised by Los Cabales Equestrian Society.
➢ Judeo-Arabic and Sephardic Languages Workshop (11 July): “Ladino, the Judeo-Spanish Language” and guided visit to the early Christian basilica.
➢ Judeo-Arabic and Sephardic Languages Workshop (12 July): “Poetry and Ladino”, guided visit to the Necropolis and closing session.
➢ The Battle of Lucena on a Chessboard (14 July)
➢ First Cross Trail (16 July): hiking.
➢ Death in Sepharad (17 July): guided visit to the Jewish Necropolis.
➢ Lucena PDO Olive Oil Tasting (21 July): tasting in the courtyard of Casa de los Mora.
➢ Siéntate al fresco (22 July): courtyard visits and short theatrical performances.
➢ Death in Sepharad (24 July): guided visit to the Jewish Necropolis.
➢ Death in Sepharad (31 July): guided visit to the Jewish Necropolis.
August
➢ Lucena PDO Olive Oil Tasting (3 August): tasting on the platform of the former railway station (greenway).
➢ A Quantum Visit to the Palacio de los Condes de Santa Ana (4 August)
➢ Death in Sepharad (7 August): guided visit to the Jewish Necropolis.
➢ Castillo del Moral Escape Room (12 August)
➢ Moonlight Trail (13 August)
➢ Death in Sepharad (14 August): guided visit to the Jewish Necropolis.
➢ Castillo del Moral Escape Room (15 August)
➢ Siéntate al fresco (19 August): courtyard visits and short theatrical performances.
➢ Death in Sepharad (21 August): guided visit to the Jewish Necropolis.
➢ The Battle of Lucena on a Chessboard (26 August)
