Just 18 Km from Rodalquilar is the very beautiful little Moorish town of Níjar. It’s a textbook Andalucian village, with whitewashed houses and a maze of little lanes, which does a great line in traditional arts and crafts. Spend a bit of time browsing the ceramics and woven jarapas blankets before stopping for lunch at one of the backstreet tapas bars.
Níjar has been described as one of the most picturesque towns in the whole of Spain. It therefore comes highly recommended as a place to see and should be on any self respecting visitor's itinerary. The visit is made all the more pleasant thanks to the many reasonably priced bars and restaurants offering delicious local dishes. A visit to Níjar guarantees the traveller a flavour of 'real' Andalusia without the need to overspend on the trip. The traditional arts and crafts include ceramics, pottery, carpet making and woven goods (baskets, hats, shoes, etc.) made from esparto grass. You will see the same arts and crafts in many different places around the natural park alongside painting, sculpture and photography. You will also find in several of the pueblos, craft market stalls selling hand-made (hecho de mano) jewellery, leather goods, clothing, incense holders in addition to local shops selling local produce such as olive oil, wine, almonds, tomatoes and so on.
Níjar has been described as one of the most picturesque towns in the whole of Spain. It therefore comes highly recommended as a place to see and should be on any self respecting visitor's itinerary. The visit is made all the more pleasant thanks to the many reasonably priced bars and restaurants offering delicious local dishes. A visit to Níjar guarantees the traveller a flavour of 'real' Andalusia without the need to overspend on the trip. The traditional arts and crafts include ceramics, pottery, carpet making and woven goods (baskets, hats, shoes, etc.) made from esparto grass. You will see the same arts and crafts in many different places around the natural park alongside painting, sculpture and photography. You will also find in several of the pueblos, craft market stalls selling hand-made (hecho de mano) jewellery, leather goods, clothing, incense holders in addition to local shops selling local produce such as olive oil, wine, almonds, tomatoes and so on.
Níjar pottery still carries the remarkable Arabic design and colours from centuries gone by. There are five ceramic workshops in the lower part of the town and such is the fame of this time honoured tradition that many artists and craftsmen have come from many parts of the world to live and work here. This influx of outside creative talent has had the effect of inspiring local potters to experiment with new designs and colours, which is bringing even more success and popularity to this flourishing industry. Not to be missed is 'La Tienda de los Milagros' Callejón de los Artesanos. This is the workshop of British ceramicist Matthew Weir and his Spanish wife Isabel Hernandez, who produces quality jarapa rugs. As well as ceramics, Matthew produces woodblock prints and works with stoneware and porcelain. The workshop is distinctive for its playful exterior murals and is located midway down the hill, before the jarringly modern craft centre.
Here in Andalucia there is still a strong tradition of using Esparto to weave various objects from baskets to shoes. The Esparto grass comes from the Graminea family and it grows wild in arid and stoney areas, particularly in the provinces of Almeria, Murcia, Alicante and La Mancha. The grass itself grows to about 70 cms in height and has been used since Roman times due to its exceptional hardwearing properties. There are many uses for Esparto crafts but its mostly used for baskets known as an 'Esporton' that is fairly large with two handles and is used for harvesting and transporting produce such as Olives. The ¡Espuerta¡ is a small mat used in the entrances of houses and you can also get a bigger version that is used like a blind at the windows to shade the interiors from the strong Andalusian sun. An Espartero is the name given to a person that works with esparto.
Here in Andalucia there is still a strong tradition of using Esparto to weave various objects from baskets to shoes. The Esparto grass comes from the Graminea family and it grows wild in arid and stoney areas, particularly in the provinces of Almeria, Murcia, Alicante and La Mancha. The grass itself grows to about 70 cms in height and has been used since Roman times due to its exceptional hardwearing properties. There are many uses for Esparto crafts but its mostly used for baskets known as an 'Esporton' that is fairly large with two handles and is used for harvesting and transporting produce such as Olives. The ¡Espuerta¡ is a small mat used in the entrances of houses and you can also get a bigger version that is used like a blind at the windows to shade the interiors from the strong Andalusian sun. An Espartero is the name given to a person that works with esparto.
'Jarapas' a kind of rugs, are truly unique because they are made up of totally recycled materials from the textiles industry. Each jarapa consists of at least 80% recycled cotton which makes them warm and soft yet hardwearing and practical as they can be machine washed. The range of designs and colours vary as modern ideas are introduced but the most traditional design and style remain, The jarapa can be purchased in a range of different sizes from a small bath mat to very large floor rugs. Jarapas also come in different thicknesses, the most luxurious of traditional designs being the ‘cuadrado’ which can be single or double sided, the latter being completely reversible with contrasting sides, place your bare feet on one of these and you will enjoy a warmth and sensation which only the Andalucian jarapa can offer.
There's a local flea market every 4th Sunday monthly around the village from 10h00 to 14h00 where you can find crafts, soap, art, food, antiques and vintage fashion.
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