ALMERIA - VÉLEZ BLANCO - MESÓN EL MOLINO

MESÓN EL MOLINO

The drive to this Restaurant will take you through Almeria's desert interior, the only official desert in Europe.

Upon entering the pretty village of Vélez Blanco, you can first visit the stunning Renaissance castle, which towers over the town. Built in the early 16th century, it is worth visiting both for the castle and the fantastic views overlooking the village and beyond.

The castle closes at 2 pm, which is perfect, as this is when lunch begins here.

Head for this excellent traditional Restaurant in the village.

This is below the castle, off the main road into the village. It is famous for its trout, which is freshly caught each morning and kept in the stone tanks you walk past as you enter the Restaurant garden.

You can then take your seat and try some of the traditional local cuisines such as:

Jamon Ibérico de bellota (fabulous ham from acorn-fed Ibérico pigs)

Las setas (mushrooms)

Las croquetas de ibérico (Ibérico ham croquetts)

Espaldilla de Cordero (shoulder of lamb)

Estofado de cabra (goat stew)

Jabali (wild boar)

Cochinillo (suckling pig)

Have an excellent old wine like Rioja Contino Reserva 2002 with these great meat dishes.

Finish with a postre of sugary doughnuts served with a glass of DON PX (a sherry-like pudding wine made from the Pedro Ximenez grape from Montilla-Morales, a wine region just north of Andalucia).

The Restaurant, decorated with wild boar and stag heads, is surprisingly vast inside. Even so, it gets hectic for Sunday lunch when the whole village turns up! If you ask nicely, you may get a tour of the cavernous wine cellar.