Local Culture

Huercal-Overa / Taberno area
Taberno is a traditional Spanish whitewashed town nestling in the hills at the foot of the Sierra de la Estancias (mountain range) with the Sierra Nevada in view cascading down to the coastline. It is overlooked by its church from which the narrow streets cascade down the hill side, passing a number of old cave houses and whitewashed terraces behind doors that open into this rich cultural rural community.

Life here moves at a slower pace. The goat herder with his flock is still seen wandering through the streets and across the local countryside riding his donkey, his dog keeping his world in check. Old ladies dressed in black are also evident going about there daily business, pruning olive trees and other fruit trees, just as they have for hundreds of years. Taberno boasts a small number of bars and restauarants traditionally frequented by the elders of the village, just watching the world go by. One restaurant doubles up as the towns community centre where it seems the whole village descends at 11-00pm until the early hours, most weekends.

However from 7-00pm the restaurants cater for those who enjoy good food, Spanish cuisine and tapas (the traditional snack). Fresh bread is baked on the premises and most grilled food, steaks and fish is cooked again the traditional way over a huge open fire.

The surrounding area is mostly farmland, unchanged for generations, small family farms(Corticas) who's Olive, Almond, Orange and lemon trees occupy the landscape as far as the eye can see. This clearly provides the main source of income as it has for hundreds of years, along with the traditional Goat herders and interspersed Pig farms. However change is moving in, which is evident by the new villas popping up in this dramatic landscape.

The Landscape is actually more than dramatic, rolling hills and mountain ranges the morning sunrise and evening sunsets provide a Kaleidoscope of colour and contrasting shadows and the night sky a galaxy of twinkling stars making up the Milky way overhead.

The village, as all Andalucian towns and villages, love their fiestas. Extended weekends marking agricultural and religous events are a feature for street parties and enjoyed by all with an intensity.