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Gastronomic Festival and Day of the Orange. Istán. April. Unique Festival

Diputación de Málaga
Istán. Muestra gastronómica y dia de la naranja. Abril. Fiesta Singular

Gastronomic Festival and Day of the Orange. Istán. April. Unique Festival

This festival has been declared to be of Tourist Interest by the Provincial Council of Málaga.

Please check with the local Town Hall or Municipal Tourism Office for the festival date before planning any sightseeing activities.

From the populous Marbella comes a winding path. Countless cyclists take this road determined to reach the rocky areas in Sierra Blanca and Sierra de las Nieves, from where it is sometimes possible to see birds of prey descending.

Jara and erguenes flowers cover the first orange trees terraces, and the hills stand tall while making a fantastic lookout over Ceuta, Melilla, and the Rock of Gibraltar. Nestled in the mountains, bathed by rivers and soaked by natural springs, Istán is all about flowing water. The town lies amidst green peaks and whitewashed streets overlooking the Mediterranean.

The Sierra de las Nieves villages are excellent places to eat. Some of the typical dishes include tomato soup, cornbread, goat meat with garlic sauce, alfajor rolls, fig bread, almond cakes, honey ring-shaped pastries and many other delicacies. Surprisingly, the Moorish heritage is still present in the most traditional cuisine, such as sopas hervías (“boiled soups” in Spanish), pucheros (a sort of stew), pipeo (a vegetarian broth), and rabbit with garlic sauce. On the other hand, the hunting tradition of the area also brings to local exquisite flavours with a reasonably wide variety of dishes.

Istán strives to pursue old culinary recipes to introduce them to youth as well as to all visitors willing to learn about its healthy traditional cuisine.

On this day, kitchens are set up for exquisite cooking such as fennel stew, fried pumpkin with cod and clams, migas (“breadcrumbs” in Spanish) and desserts including zahínas (a sort of porridge), fried porridge or rice pudding. All the food cooked that day is displayed on tables that have been decorated with oranges, lemons and wheat bread, among other products. Once the tables are set, everyone will be invited to taste the delicious dishes, along with some fresh orange juice.

Verdiales dancing and singing will, of course, be adding to the festive atmosphere.

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Discover more about the province of Malaga

Discover more about the province of Malaga