17 Friday Apr 2026
Posted in andalucia, bitesize sevilla, restaurants, sevilla, substack
New on Bitesize Sevilla 
… A final (?) visit to Restaurante Arrieros. Have a look and if you like it you can give it a “like”. And if you really like it please consider becoming a subscriber (free or paid). Thanks!
15 Wednesday Apr 2026
Posted in andalucia, bitesize sevilla, getaways, travel
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Peter, Luismi, Adela, Bill
Woke up on Day 2 with nothing else planned other than a much anticipated re-visit to the most wonderful Restaurante Arrieros, which is about to close after 25 years. I had previously thought I would visit the Castle and the much-touted Caves of Wonder in the morning but it turns out I can’t actually walk (well, hobble) in Aracena. So after meh hotel breakfast we just hung out at the hotel (to be fair it’s lovely) until it was time to call our taxi to get to Linares de la Sierra. We were picked up by Pepa (turns out she and her husband Pepe are THE taxistas in Aracena) and after a brief detour up to the Castle to take some shots of the VIEW (see postcard post) we were off to Linares de la Sierra. I’m guessing that Pepa is an ex-Formula 1 driver because OMG. First of all, the very narrow road from Aracena to Linares is nothing but curves and while Pepe took each one deftly she also took them with no messing around speed-wise, all the while chatting non-stop. Can I tell you – I loved her – though I did have to put on my imaginary brakes from time to time.
For this very special lunch we were being joined by my friend Bill Bolloten, a wine writer who lives in Jabugo. He made his way to Linares on motorbike. And then all the fun just happened. There are two fab tasting menus available but, as we were three people, we decided on choosing several plates to share, which gave us a chance to try a few more dishes (plus none of us do dessert).
This is a collage of various dishes tried at Arrieros at various times. But you get the gist. It’s always amazing, always worth your while. And hey, you still have two months left to experience this yourself. It’s not just the food, not just the village, not only the gorgeous house where the restaurant resides… it’s all of it.
After lunch we were driven back to the hotel in Aracena by Luismi, a much more relaxed experience than we’d had with Pepa (though I wouldn’t have missed either for the world).
Read more on Bitesize Sevilla… Restaurante Arrieros
14 Tuesday Apr 2026
Posted in andalucia, bitesize sevilla, getaways, travel, trips
We left Sevilla around 9.30 on Monday and arrived at Cinco Jotas in Jabugo shortly after 11.00, after dropping our bags at the hotel in Aracena. María Castro was there to greet us and took us on quite the VIP tour. Unlike the last couple of times I visited we were allowed into the drying and ageing areas (had to suit up first!) which was not only super interesting, it was just what I needed for my upcoming articles. After our tour María and Marco gave us a wonderful tasting of the fabulous 5J black label jamón and also some of their charcuterie, paired with sherry wines from the exquisite Osborne La Honda / Coquinera selection.
We had been invited for lunch at Finca Buenvino and I was really looking forward to seeing everyone again. Of course María knows the Chestertons (everyone in and around Aracena knows everyone else) so she dropped us off and stayed for a quick visit. And then we sat down with the family – Sam & Jeannie and sons Sam & Jago – for a wonderful home-cooked meal, with plenty of wine and lots of chat. I was enjoying myself so much I totally forgot to take any food photos, also it didn’t seem the thing to do there. Suffice to say Jeannie and her son Sam (who is taking over the reigns at Buenvino) put on an impressive spread. All too soon it was time to get back to Aracena and finally check into our hotel, so Jeannie gave us a lift over.
Turned out that we (well, me) ended up being a “prisoner” in the hotel as, after attempting to go out for an evening drink that first day at a “nearby” bar (7 mins away according to google maps, more like 30 mins for me up and down very steep cobbled streets) I knew that was it. I’d have to leave the joys of Aracena for after my knee op. Which also meant having to eat the hotel breakfast for two days… ufff.
Anyhow, for now just leaving short snippets of the Aracena Getaway here. More coming up on Bitesize Sevilla. Stay tuned.
13 Monday Apr 2026
Posted in andalucia, bitesize sevilla, getaways, travel, trips
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It really is beautiful here 💙
10 Friday Apr 2026
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Excited and nervous. Last time I visited these little piggies in Jabugo was back in 2017, which was also the last time I went to Restaurante Arrieros in nearby Linares de la Sierra. And next week I’m going to do both again, along with quite a few other cool pig-related things. It all started when I ran into Adela & Luismi at Manolo Cateca in January and they told me they were retiring in July and so would be closing Arrieros. I made a mental note that I would have to visit again before then. Then I wrote my All About The Pig article for Bitesize Sevilla and thought a follow-up piece focusing on just jamón would be a good idea, and that I could combine a trip to the Sierra de Aracena to also do some research for the final part of the Bitesize Day Trips series. And THEN I was commissioned by Pellicle Magazine to write a piece on jamón cutters (!!). So aside from visiting Arrieros one last time I also had three articles to research, which (to me anyhow) totally justified taking a trip.
Gonna say it’s been complicated, especially trying to organise transportation (basically impossible to do this trip without a car). But with the help of friends and contacts it finally came together. I’ll be based in Aracena for two nights and during the three days I am there will be visiting my friends at Finca Buenvino, jamón producers in Jabugo and Corteconcepción, restaurants in Linares and Fuenteheridos, along with the Jamón Museum and Gruta de las Maravillas (Cave of Wonders) in Aracena. Stay tuned!
casa azahar 