Route through the Protected Designation of Origin area of Iberian ham in Los Pedroches

North of Córdoba, once you have crossed the mountains – going over the mythical Calatraveño mountain pass that Marqués de Santillana sung about in his Serranillas type flamenco songs-, a landscape of gentle hills and oak grove unfolds, a land cut out

Los Pedroches valley has a thick aroma of history that is still intact in its monuments, landscapes and mountain nature; in its delicious cuisine; its game; its leafy and romantic walks; and in its ageless traditions.

In Fuente Obejuna, every year in August, Lope de Vega’s famous play is staged (Fuenteovejuna) about the local people who united to make a front against tyranny.

Hinojosa del Duque and Villanueva de Córdoba have a long standing ham tradition and Pozoblanco, the capital of the district, is the great stock cooperative of Andalucía.

It is the most extensive area of dehesa pasture as well as the best conserved on the Iberian Peninsula covering 424 000 hectares. However besides its natural riches, the city of Córdoba is only a few kilometres away, with its emblematic monuments, like the Mosque and the Roman bridge that attract visitors from all over the world.
Do not miss visiting

Designation of Origin of the Iberian ham

The breeding and production area on the Route of the Iberian Ham is in the Autonomous Communities of Andalucía, Castilla y León and Extremadura. These areas are marked out by the Regulating Council of the Designation of Origin of the Iberian ham. Guijuelo, la Dehesa de Extremadura, Jamón de Huelva and Los Pedroches are the four areas with Designation of Origin at present.

Curing stages of Iberian ham

After the free range grazing, the pig is slaughtered in the traditional way or industrially to reduce stress so that the quality of the meat is not affected. At the time of slaughter the blood is used for making cold meats and preserves.

Ham festivals

There are professional trade fairs, gastronomic events, congresses and local festivals centred around Iberian ham in the areas all along Route that give ham a festive quality that attracts thousands of visitors.