The Casa Señorial del Blanquillo in Úbeda will be transformed into the new headquarters of the Olive Grove and Oil Interpretation Center. This initiative has an investment of 665,000 euros from European funds Next Generation, as part of the Oleotur Jaén Tourism Sustainability Plan. Of this amount, 558,000 euros will be allocated to the building's rehabilitation and 107,000 euros to its equipment and furnishings.
Francisco Javier Lozano, Deputy of Promotion and Tourism for the Provincial Council of Jaén, highlighted that the project responds to the growth of the center, which already includes over 84 companies. The new infrastructure aims to expand services and activities to make the center 'a national and international benchmark in olive tourism'.
The future headquarters will feature innovative spaces such as an immersive tasting room with digital resources, an 'oleoteca' (oil library) for promoting the province's best extra virgin olive oils, and areas dedicated to dissemination and specialized training. Planned activities include tasting courses and training for mill managers and other professionals in the olive sector.
One of the project's most unique elements will be an immersive videomapping table in the tasting room, allowing visitors to discover the olive grove landscape, the olive cycle, and the international projection of Jaén's extra virgin olive oil through audiovisual content before participating in tastings.
The decorative proposal, developed by Interiorismo Trinidad, utilizes natural materials linked to the territory such as wood, artisanal ceramics, and iron, creating an atmosphere inspired by the values of the olive grove: sustainability, roots, and tradition. It notably features a contemporary reinterpretation of old mill tools integrated into the exhibition spaces as a tribute to olive culture.
The Councilor for Tourism of Úbeda, Elena Rodríguez, emphasized that the project will help revitalize the area around Calle Navarro and the San Millán neighborhood, contributing to the revitalization of the city's historic center.
