Carmona, Andalucía: Of Olives and A Roman Fortress

Carmona, Andalucía

Visited on June 24, 2011. Located in Andalucía.

Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción, Carmona, Spain

Attraction Checklist:

Olive Farm
Roman Fortress with La Puerta de Sevilla (entrance)
Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción
Plaza de San Fernando

Olive oil production exhibit at the olive farm, Carmona, Spain

Ice cream with olive oil tasting, Carmona, Spain

In the morning, we went on the optional tour to Carmona, where along the way we visited an olive farm. At the olive farm, we went to an exhibit on olive harvesting and olive oil manufacturing. The local farmer explained how he used the tools to harvest the olives and what was considered ripe olives for picking.

Then, we were allowed to taste the olive oil in a scoop of chocolate ice cream sprinkled with a little salt; to my surprise, it tasted delicious! For cooking, the farmer recommended that we use light olive oil due to the less fat content present in it.

Roman fortress, Carmona, Spain

La Puerta de Sevilla (entrance of the fortress), Carmona, Spain

Afterwards, we proceeded to Carmona—a Roman town established during Julius Caesar’s time (100-44 B.C.) with remains of roads that led to Rome, ruins, and a stone Roman fortress.

Statue of the saint outside Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción, Carmona, Spain

The city itself is very relaxed as we entered the fortified city by the Puerta de Sevilla and walked with the local guide through the cobble stoned streets past several Moorish and Renaissance-style churches and buildings, including the Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción.

Finally, we made our way to the grandest sight of all—the Plaza de San Fernando, where one can get a 360 degree view of colorful Moorish-style buildings.