Events 

Cross-border Jornadas del Gurumelo

Since 2007, the village of Villanueva del Fresno celebrates the gurumelo, a wild mushroom that grows and is much sought after in the south west of the peninsula. It grows on the dehesa between holm oak and ash, under the rockrose bushes, especially the gum rockrose (Cistus ladanifer). The festival, which is held in March, includes trips to the countryside, tastings, talks on mushroom-picking and other activities.

  1. Explore
  2. Jornadas Transfronterizas del Gurumelo

The hidden treasure of Villanueva del Fresno


Location and Contact:

Plaza de España, 1
06110 Villanueva del Fresno , Badajoz (Extremadura)
  • Description

    Since 2007, the village of Villanueva del Fresno celebrates the gurumelo, a wild mushroom that grows and is much sought after in the south west of the peninsula. It grows on the dehesa between holm oak and ash, under the rockrose bushes, especially the gum rockrose (Cistus ladanifer). The festival, which is held in March, includes trips to the countryside, tastings, talks on mushroom-picking and other activities.

    An average of 10,000 visitors to Spain and Portugal come to this corner of Badajoz to savour the star product of the region at the Cross-Border Gurumelo Festival, also declared a Festival of Tourist Interest of Extremadura. The scientific name for this mushroom is Amanita ponderosa and it is ideal for drying or as an ingredient rice dishes, casseroles, scrambled egg, picadillos and stews.

     In Villanueva del Fresno, just a stone’s throw from the Portuguese border, you can find out all about the culinary possibilities of this mushroom and more than 2,000 kilos are sold during the festival. Over the days of the festival, many of the village's bars and restaurants prepare dishes to showcase the gurumelo, as do many on the other side of the border in the Alentejo region.

    In addition to tasting and live showcooking events, this truly cross-border festival includes activities for children and cultural events. One of the most interesting of these is the traditional excursion to the communal lands to harvest gurumelos when experts from the Villanueva del Fresno Council and mushroom-picking groups help find and identify the delicious Amanita ponderosa.

    PROGRAM 2024

  • Features
    Type:
  • Event
  • Tourist Interest in Extremadura
    • Event subject:
  • Gastronomy
  • Music
  • Popular traditions
  • Tourism
    • Start date:
    22/03/2024
    End date:
    24/03/2024

    Theme:

    • Events

    Target audience:

    • Families
    • Young people
    • Single people
    • Senior citizens
    • Children
    • Couples
    • Single people

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