A few kilometers from the village of Crevillente in the Alicante region is a Moorish teahouse called Tetería mora de Crevillente Carmen del Campillo - or Casa Morisca Carmen del Campillo.
This is the most famous and special tea house in Alicante. Here you will see a beautiful and lush garden and a large collection of older Moorish artefacts.
In the 1970s, a young Moorish family left their work in Granada to start a new life as farmers. They bought the small farm Carmen del Campillo and at the same time started a small bar in Elche.
Harun - as the father of the family was called - had a dream to recreate a Moorish residence on the farm.
He began to collect old Moorish artefacts and created a garden of beautiful flowers, toes and plants.
He surrounded the home and the garden with a high wall that protected against access and intruders and created a feeling of being in a separate world.
Within the wall he made places where you could sit and relax in the shade.
The farm only had two hectares of land, but the family managed to live off the crops and the income from the bar in Elche. What they got left over, they used to build out the garden and house.
The place has therefore been built up over several decades with small extensions and additions as the economy and time have allowed - and without any special plan in advance.
Here you will find stairs and extensions, portals and nooks and corners that make this a unique place both outside and inside - a place where you can go on a journey of discovery.
At the start, he had no idea that this would become a place where he could make money. Therefore, only friends and acquaintances were allowed in.
When, after a few years, he opened up to others, it was to be able to finance the maintenance. He kept a private part where he and his family still live, but let the public see and experience the rest.
When you go through the main gate, you enter a beautiful garden where you can relax while waiting for your host. From there you go to the next gate, which leads into the restaurant and new gardens.
It costs 7 euros to enter. It includes a cup of tea, coffee, soft drink or other refreshment. If you want more, it costs 3 euros extra.
If you come outside the high season, you should be aware that it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. It is only open in the afternoon and evening - from 16 from October to May and from 18 from June to September.
It is important to be aware that this is not a place to eat or a restaurant, but a place where you can visit.
Therefore, you are not allowed to buy alcohol or food, only small Arabic cakes and sweets. Most people buy hot or cold tea, of which there is a large selection and for which the place is famous.
He has never run any advertising or actively sought customers. They have come on their own because visitors have told friends and family about it.
The place has nevertheless become known far beyond the borders of the Alicante region. People come here from all over Spain and also from other countries, to experience the atmosphere and enjoy the tea.
There are a number of places both outside and inside where you can enjoy your refreshment, whether you want a sheltered place for two or a slightly larger place for more.
This is not a place for loud parties. Here you can enjoy the silence and the special atmosphere created by all the green plants and the flowing water from many small fountains.
Here you can go on a journey of discovery on jungle-like paths and find small open spaces, labyrinths and portals.
You will also see cats, chickens, peacocks and other birds wandering around.
In the house you can also go on a journey of discovery. Here you will find plateaus, stairs, small rooms and corridors as well as antiquities that make this an Arab museum.
More excursions: www.turideer.com
Excursion of the week: Tetería mora de Crevillente Carmen del Campillo.
Suitable for: Everyone, including those who need a wheelchair.
Opening hours: June to September: from 18 in the afternoon. October to May: from 4 pm in the afternoon. There is no fixed closing time, it closes when there are no more visitors. Price: 7 Euro per person in entrance fee which also covers one unit of non-alcoholic drink. You can buy Arabic cookies and sweets, but not other food. Alcohol is also not sold.
Get there: The place is difficult to find, and it is therefore strongly recommended to use Google Maps. Enter Teteria Crevillente or Carmen del Campillo and you'll get straight to the car park. If you arrive relatively shortly after opening hours, there are plenty of parking spaces. If you arrive later in the evening, it may be difficult to find a parking space.