Tropical fruit tours in Axarquía: enjoy a delicious (and healthy) day trip to paradise!

Did you know that you can visit a lush tropical fruit farm just a hop, skip and a jump away from the white sand beaches of Axarquía?

The climate of Spain’s Costa Tropical not only means that it is a great place to visit all year round, but also makes it unique in Europe as the only place in the whole continent where tropical fruits can be cultivated.

Allow yourself to be swept off your feet by the vibrant colours, fragrant smells and delicious tastes of the tropics, all within a short drive of Vélez-Málaga!

Which fruits will I try on a tropical fruit tour? 

It’s entirely possible that you’ve already tasted some of the delicious products grown on the tropical fruit farms of Andalusia.

The region exports around 57,000 tons of avocados and 16,000 tons of mangos every year, mainly to countries like the UK, France and Germany.

However, nothing compares to trying the fruit when it’s freshly-picked: perfectly ripe and bursting with flavour!

As well as their delicious taste, the fruits that you’ll enjoy on a tropical fruit tour also provide a number of health and nutritional benefits.

Mangos

Delicious, juicy mangos supply a full alphabet of vitamins A, B and C, and are also rich in calcium, iron and tryptophan, which helps to produce the “happiness hormone” serotonin.

They’re high in fibre, but low in calories and carbohydrates, and can help to reduce cholesterol.

Aestheticians swear by the healing properties of mango for the skin: vitamin A is one of the best natural remedies for acne, while vitamin C promotes collagen formation and the enzyme mangiferin has proven health benefits for the skin.

And if simply eating this scrumptious fruit isn’t enough for you, you can rub the skin of a ripe mango on your face to give your skin a rejuvenating boost!

Avocados

Avocados have become extremely fashionable over the last few years, and it’s easy to see why: their creamy, buttery texture is delicious in everything from dips to desserts, and just half of one of these nutritionally-dense fruits counts as one of your five-a-day.

These fruits are also high in monounsaturated fats, which research suggests can help to protect against heart disease and lower blood pressure.

They are also an excellent source of potassium, folate and fibre, all of which benefit the heart and cardiovascular system.

The oils contained within avocados have also been credited with reducing cholesterol.

Medlar

Originally cultivated in the Middle East, exotic medlar is the perfect immune system booster!

It’s rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, all of which help to improve the body’s natural defenses.

Medlar is also a great source of iron, which has numerous health benefits. Iron helps to improve production of haemoglobin, improving oxygen circulation, and also strengthens the muscles and the brain.

The fruit is still widely used today in traditional medicine, particularly in the treatment of diarrhoea and constipation, thanks to its natural purgative properties.

Sweet potato

Versatile sweet potatoes come in colourful shades of orange, purple and white, and are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

They’re also a very good source of soluble and insoluble fibre, both of which are vital for gut health, promoting the growth of good bacteria and improving the health of the intestinal lining.

Orange sweet potatoes get their bright colour from high levels of beta-carotene, which is converted by the body into the vitamin

A that is used to form light-detecting receptors in the eyes.

Just one portion of sweet potato provides seven times the amount of beta-carotene that you need each day to keep your eyes strong and healthy.

Kumquat

Little kumquats aren’t much bigger than a grape, but this bite-size fruit is bursting with tart citrus flavour, and packs a serious nutritional punch.

These small fruits provide more fibre per serving than almost any other fruit, and are also a source of vitamin B, vitamin E and even omega-3.

The antioxidants contained within kumquats can help protect against cancer and heart disease, and also lower cholesterol levels.

The fruit’s anti-inflammatory properties mean that it is used in traditional medicine to treat colds, coughs, and other respiratory inflammations.

Join us for a tropical fruit tour in Axarquía!

On our delicious tropical fruit tour, you’ll be transported to another world of bright colours, sweet smells and mouthwatering flavours.

It’s no wonder that our guests frequently name our tropical fruit day trip as one of the best things to do in Axarquía!

Our private vehicle will pick you up in the morning and take you to a subtropical fruit farm on Axarquía’s Costa Tropical.

Here, you’ll have the unique opportunity to learn all about the fruits from the real experts: the farmers who grow them!

You’ll discover how the different tropical fruits are cultivated, as well as their health benefits, plus some trips and tricks for cramming as much delicious fruit as possible into your diet.

After whetting your appetite with a tour around the farm, you’ll enjoy a delicious tasting platter of the farm’s very own tropical fruits, finished off with a fruit sorbet, all in a spectacular spot with views over the sparkling blue Mediterranean.

The platter contains an array of eleven different kinds of colourful tropical fruits, some of which you might have tried before and others which might be brand new.

Next, you’ll head back into town to visit the region’s biggest tropical fruit farmer cooperative.

Since almost half of Andalusia’s tropical fruit farms are smaller than five hectares, cooperatives like this one are crucial to the survival of small local farmers.

You’ll learn about how Andalusia’s fruit cooperatives support small local farms by providing cutting-edge agricultural technology, and then round off your tropical fruit tour with yet another platter of seasonal tropical fruit.

Our tropical fruit tour will sweep you off your feet and transport you to a whole new world of lush vegetation, delicious flavours and bright colours.

Without a doubt, this is a tour that’s sure to leave a sweet taste in your mouth!