Chefcooking Paella From Our Andalusian Grandmother At A Family Farm

My husband and I were greeted warmly by Maria, introduced to her family, and instantly I knew this was going to be an enjoyable afternoon. After we started on the porch with a glass of delicious red sangria, we moved into the kitchen where we tasted traditional tapas, smelled, and watched the preparation for the paella. The specific rice, fish, spices, and other ingredients were presented in a way that was fascinating and enjoyable. Maria is an excellent teacher who is incredibly warm, professional, and engaging. I highly recommend you spend an afternoon with this family, learn some of the history behind this popular dish, and enjoy the food and wine at this countryside home.

I've always wanted to take a cooking class in a foreign country and this exceeded my expectations. Maria and Rafael welcomed us into their home and presented a history of Rafael's family farm and the history behind Paella and other foodstuffs from Spain. I quickly fell in love with the Iberian ham and the cheeses (was one Manchego?). I ended up ordering other meals with this wonderful ham during the week. The tapas also included figs and olives from the garden and crackers. while I love figs, I have never been wild about olives but I figured I should try everything and guess what, I loved these! Who knew. The mussels were delicious too. A little story ... Maria has you introduce yourself and I told her I lived in a rural area of Maryland and she said she had friends who lived in a rural area in MD also. As she walked over to pul a ball cap from her hat stand, she said her friends decided to raise goats and then started milking them and making cheeses from the milk. That sounded familiar but I never the ball cap to say Firefly Farms which is in my area. It's a small world. Sangria was served while we ate tapas. Maria made mussels and started on the Paella. Meanwhile, she kept telling stories about the area, about cooking, about her and Rafael. We took a brief break to explore their garden which produced multiple types of tomatoes, etc. It was small but filled with goodies. We returned to the class area and Maria showed us the rest of the steps to make Paella with my niece serving as assistant chef. We learned that you need to keep the pan moving (use your hips) with about a 1/12th turn of the pan every so many minutes at the end. She served the Paella with a delicious Spanish wine (Vineverde), followed by Columbian Coffee and small desserts from a local shop. Everything was great ... Maria and Rafael were great hosts. We decided to ask Maria about places to see in the area as we planned to go to Ronda and Gibraltar. Her eyes lit up when we mentioned Ronda and she told us to travel 15 more minutes to Silente de Bodegas which is a small town of white houses that seem to grow out of the rock sides of a small gorge in the area. We are so grateful to Maria for telling us about Silente as it was one of the highlights of our trip. We also felt the class was a great value given all we learned, the food we ate, etc. We highly recommend her class and will contact her again if make another trip there, in case she has other classes we can attend. What a day!

Maria and Rafael were just fabulous hosts! The seafood paella was delicious and we learned techniques that will enable us to make Paella Valenciana (with chicken) and vegetarian paella as well. We had tasty sangria with our appetizers (tapas) with olives, cheese and a selection of curated hams. The other guests were lovely and we spent a lovely afternoon in this Finca!

Lovely authentic experience with a knowledgeable and friendly hist in a nice space

A beautiful setting within a beautiful home and made extremely welcomed into the family as strangers that came alway feeling like friends ..it was a special day too start with being it was my birthday but they made it into an unforgettable day ..its truly a unique experience and one I highly recommend

What a wonderful experience! It felt less like a cooking class and more like being invited to a family gathering. Maria made everyone feel so welcome, creating a warm, relaxed, and homelike atmosphere from the moment we arrived. She is an exceptional cook and generously shared all the little tips and techniques that make a truly amazing paella. Watching her prepare it step by step was fascinating, and the final result was absolutely delicious. We learned so much while having a fantastic time. The farmhouse itself is beautiful, perched on the mountainside with stunning views and a refreshing breeze—such a perfect escape from the summer heat. If you're looking for an authentic Andalusian experience, this is an absolute must-do. We left with wonderful memories, new cooking skills, and the feeling that we'd spent the afternoon with friends. Highly recommended!

Very enjoyable afternoon with Maria and her family on her hilltop farm overlooking the local area and sea. It was very peaceful and I felt very much welcomed. She did a wonderful job explaining the history and culture surrounding paella while assembling the ingredients in her kitchen. She shared several appetizers with our small group as she went along and recruited a few of us to help in the paella preparation. When it was complete we shared the wonderful food together along with some family wine followed by coffee and dessert. It was a wonderful afternoon long experience. Her farm is not far from Estepona, but it was a bit tricky to get in and out of with an uber since the address didn’t register on the App. However, Maria gave excellent instructions along with photos which helped. If you have your own car it certainly won’t be a problem. I very much recommend the experience. Maria was awesome.

Finca Las Marias was one of the highlights of our trip. Amazing tapas, incredible local cheeses, and quite possibly the best jamón we’ve had in Spain. But what made it truly special was learning the history of paella and watching it being made right in front of us — such a neat experience rooted in tradition and passion. Spending time on the farm made it feel completely authentic and unlike anything else we’ve done. We arrived as strangers and left as friends. A truly unique, one-of-a-kind experience.

Maria and Rafael's hospitality was so appreciated. Really enjoyed learning how to make delicious paella in their beautiful home! We had a wonderful experience!

The experience with Maria and Rafael was the closest thing you can get to a truly family dining experience that was as local and authentic as you can get. Maria was engaging and informative in detailing the history of both hers and Rafael’s farm as well as meticulously walking us through the detailed process of preparing paella. The end product was delicious and we cannot wait to receive the recipe from Maria. We spent the whole afternoon with Maria and Rafael in their home, became a part of their family for that time, and left knowing that we had made new friends in Estepona. While the food was excellent and it was a unique experience learning the process of cooking paella, the most memorable part of the day was the time spent after dinner conversing and getting to know each other. Maria and Rafael are a lovely couple and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them and sharing our life experiences with them. The afternoon ended with pictures and hugs from both Maria and Rafael and not with the feeling that our excursion while vacationing in Estepona had come to an end, but rather that we were at the beginning of what we hope will be a long term friendship with our hosts. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for an authentic local experience in Estepona.

We visited Farm Maria as a birthday treat for 2 of our party of 8 friends. After a friendly welcome, including sangria and tapas, from Maria and Rafa, we spent a fun and interesting afternoon watching Maria create an amazing chicken & beef paella dish (our choice) which we all enjoyed with a choice of local wines. Maria is knowledgeable, professional and clearly passionate about paella and we all had a fabulous time…..despite the debate about the inclusion of peas! Thank you, Maria and Rafa! 😊

This was one of the best things we did while in Spain. Maria and her husband Rafael were very welcoming and were great hosts throughout the day. We started with Sangria, Iberico ham, and cheese for a starter all while Maria, our host, started the hot appetizer which was mushrooms in garlic sauce, it was delicious! Maria then started the preparation for the seafood Paella, I appreciated the fact that she showed us every ingredient and each step in making the paella. She took her time allowing time for those who took notes and for us to ask questions and take pictures. She also provided the history of the paellas origin, she had us taste the broth before and after final seasoning and the end result was delicious! everyone enjoyed it and everyone got to have seconds as well as wine produced by Rafaels family with the meal and coffee and pastries afterwards. No one left there hungry, and my husband and I for one left there feeling like we made a new friend in Maria and Rafael. I highly recommend it.

This was one of the best tours we've been on in a long time. Maria and Raphael were wonderful and friendly hosts. The cooking instruction and food was exceptional but what made the tour was the personal conversations and stories shared by all. Enjoying the best paella we've ever had and good wine, sitting around the outdoor family table with the other guests (and Maria's 2 lovely dogs), made for the perfect day. Maria's even drove us to a taxi stand herself when the Uber got lost! Best hostess ever. Highly recommend!

Just the a wonderful experience! Maria, Rafael & Anita were the most welcoming hosts. We learned so much and felt like family. Food was amazing!

We were very well received by the las Marias family and the food was great! A very nice experience and met super nice people. Definitely highly recommended.

We were welcomed and felt at home immediately. I love Paella and make it regularly and I not only enjoyed the experience but learned so much too. Maria and Rafael know no limits to their generosity, they with Anita are the best people you can find. You are in their home and you are made to feel like guests not customers We have vacationed on this coast for years and this is by far the best and memorable activity we’ve taken part in Try it …. You’ll have no regrets Thank you and love to you all Maria x

Agree with the other comments! This was a really great time with my family. Food was amazing and we all learned how to improve our paella cooking skills. Maria made it fun and entertaining. Highly recommend.

We had a wonderful afternoon. Maria Jose demonstrated the cooking of a traditional seafood paella. We enjoyed appetisers and sangria, met new friends and were treated to a potted history of the farm and paella. Would highly recommend.

Wow , amazing experience. Beautiful settings. We was met by Maria , her team and friendliest dog. So much local information and traditions given, delicious food. Recommend 100%.

This is an excellent experience and exactly how I like to spend my time traveling. Maria, Raphael, and Anita were excellent hosts, and their small farm is charming. It's Raphael's grandmother's home that they renovated. Maria gave a nice history of paella as we sat in their kitchen preparing the ingredients and sampling mussels, cheese, and a few other things. We then moved outside to the porch to cook the paella. The paella was excellent. Maria and Raphael are lovely people, and we had great conversation throughout. Highly recommend. It will be a highlight of your holiday.

Fantastic experience. Maria was welcoming and warm and included everyone in the cooking class. It was great to meet so many different nationalities at the class. Lovely meal afterwards with wine and sangria.

What a wonderful day. Cannot recommend it enough. Maria and Raphael were perfect hosts . From meeting and dining with a lovely mix of people in a beautiful setting , to listening to Maria talk through and demonstrate their traditional Paella recipe , then eating the best paella I’ve ever tasted . The whole day experience just made us smile.

We spent a lovely few hours and the family home of Maria & Rafa, they looked after us very well as they took us through Rafa's grandmothers Paella recipe, they were charming hosts and the food and drink just kept on coming. The only thing we couldn't control was the weather (which put paid to the plan for Al Fresco Paella). I would definitely recommend this if you want an authentic Spanish experience.

Maria and Rafael were the most gracious, genuine and generous hosts! Our original date was rained out and Maria contacted me in plenty of time to offer alternative dates for while we were there. Their farm and house are very quaint but beautiful. Maria is loquacious with her knowledge and has a deep routed understanding of the history of making paella and how poor farmers adapted to the usual ingredients. She preps a lot, well ahead to help her spend more time sharing her knowledge vs watching her do all the chopping and less interesting prep work. Their dogs are sweet and one of them is very interested in new guests; the other is more cautious. They take their time with everything; offering delicious appetizers; generous drinks of homemade sangria and serve wine or nonalcoholic drinks, as desired. The paella not only looks good but tastes authentic and is rich in flavor. The socarrat (crust on rice) is a perfect deep brown - the best I’ve seen. The desserts were these exquisite homemade pastries from local baker. Hands down a fabulous deal, all in all.

The food was delicious. María José, Anita, and Rafael were great hosts in their beautiful home. Having coffee and pastries in the rain was divine! The paella was perfection as well!! 12/10

Thank’s for a Wonderfull afternoon at your home. It was a experience to cook and learn from you. Next step is cook at home. We wish you a wonderful evening

What a wonderful experience! Maria and Rafael were wonderful, gracious hosts, that provided us with wonderful food and great company. It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon, and learn how to make some amazing Spanish food and paella.

Could not have had a better time, Maria was kind, thoughtful and knowledgeable. We all had a great time learning about the local cuisine and culture, as well as eating delicious food throughout! I couldn’t not recommend this experience more, Maria made it feel like she was having us over for dinner as one of her friends. A++++

Maria and her husband Rafa were absolutely amazing! They welcomed us into their home and shared an experience we will never forget. We didn’t feel rushed and by the end of our visit and truly felt like we had made new friends. Maria was Rafa shared all of their family secrets while preparing and cooking the paella. The best part was sharing the meal together, laughing and talking about our lives. Highly recommended!!!!

Delightful afternoon with very pleasant hosts and delicious food with a great family history to the farm and food!

If we could give these people six stars, we would! They were so genuine and their love for cooking completely made this the most enjoyable experience. My better half doesn’t cook, but he thinks that this may have been his favorite activity of the trip. It was certainly mine and my other friends, favorite activity. Their warmth and hospitality was to be treasured. The views were amazing and their dogs were especially cute and so well behaved!

From the moment we stepped into their home, we were welcomed like family. Maria and Raphael were wonderful hosts, sharing not only their talent of making fantastic paella but sharing their history and the history of the property - all very fascinating. They shared their recipes and even the special paprika used for the paella. A relaxing, entertaining, educational, and delicious time!

From the moment we pulled in, Raphael was there to meet us(we were very early). What a quaint little farm with a huge garden. She gave us a history of the land(Raphael's family home) and their history.They had Sangria made for us, which was amazing!! Watching instead of doing the cooking is the BEST. She answered all of our questions. We were able to see it prepared by a professional. We had dessert and coffee, and then we took home the leftovers(we had an air b&b and we're staying for 3 more nights). She sends you all of the recipes of everything we had. This is the class you want, if you want to be off the beaten path. On a simple little farm with horses next door and 2 of the most wonderful dogs. Don't hesitate, just book it. You won't be disappointed by their hospitality, location, setting and most of all, paella.

I loved connecting with our host and the others sharing the experience. The Paella and Sangris was so good!

We booked this to celebrate our anniversary and can whole heartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a great afternoon. María José and Raphael are incredibly kind and welcoming. The paella was amazing and they have the 2 cutest dogs. The farm is beautiful and with a gorgeous view of both the mountains and the ocean. They are both really down to earth and make you feel at home while showing how to prepare an amazing paella. Thank you from Rieke and Chris☺️

We had an amazing time getting to know our group and Maria and Rafa! We were from 3 different continents and being able to learn and share was a wonderful experience. We learned how to make Paella and ar excited to take it back and try it out ourselves! Maria and Rafa are such wonderful hosts - they opened their home and hearts to us and shared this unforgettable experience with us!

Our family had an amazing afternoon with Maria and family. Great conversation with a delicious meal! We learned much about the local area and history of the farm as well as the art of preparing paella. This was truly an authentic paella experience. Olivia, Maddy, Frani and Greg - Florida USA

This was probably the best day of our two week holiday. We were warmly welcomed, had great fun and ate delicious food. Paella is pretty technical and Maria, Rafael and Sebastian were so knowledgeable and careful to explain. 100% go! Just a wonderful and authentic family experience. Thank you so much to you all x

The experience began well with our initial group of 8 people in total. After 30 minutes of arriving, another 5 adults joined which made the experience feel cramped. Due to the large group size, there was limited food and we left feeling hungry. It would have been nice to have more than 2 prawns during the seafood paella meal and be offered another course. The desserts were small and the host went around the table asking which small cake they would like leaving us with the few left. Again, it would have been nice to have lots of small desserts leaving us with a lot more choice. We only had 1 small dessert each so not much to try. The hosts ran out of water which may not have happened if the group size wasn't so large. The kitchen space felt cramped, therefore we did not get to see much cooking. We paid £195 for 2 adults and 2 children and it was definitely not worth that money. We would have spent less and had more in a posh restaurant. From the pictures and the listings there are some inaccuracies: There was not sangria on the table. We were only offered 2 small glasses. There was not Iberian sausage for starters (my little one would have loved it). There was not enough mussels, I had 3. There was no artisan pastries. On a positive note, the hosts were lovely and made us feel welcome.

A truly unforgettable and unique experience. Maria, Rafael and Sebastian are incredibly warm and welcoming hosts. We thoroughly enjoyed learning about the history of their farm and were treated to some delicious starters while our hosts expertly demonstrated the preparation and cooking of an outstanding paella. We dined on their beautiful patio whilst sipping on some gorgeous wine and sangria. A really authentic and wonderful local activity. Highly recommended.

What a wonderful day spent with Chef Maria and Rafa!! Fantastic food and friendship, learning about Paella, their farm and family roots to the area. This is a must stop for an authentic and amazing day!

If you’re going to be anywhere near Estepona and you want to have a lovely afternoon learning how to make paella, and enjoying good company, this is a wonderful and experience with great value. Maria opened her home and provided us with delicious tapas and sangria all the while demonstrating and explaining each step of the recipe. We then shared a meal savoring the wonderful paella and left with some to eat later. We also received the recipe so we can try to cook it ourselves when we return home.

It was really a wonderful experience, everything they teach you is magical. Perfect people with strong knowledge in what they do!!! Congratulations!!

Recommend to visit! Paella tastes better than in a restaurant. Friendly atmosphere. I learned a lot of interesting nuances about cooking. In addition to food, you can enjoy a walk through the bio farm.

This was an excellent experience. Authentic, genuine people with a passion for their farm and the local food. We enjoyed the wine, the food but most of all the people. Mary and Paddy

We had an amazing time today with Maria Jose and Raphael who were both so welcoming of us in to their home. They have the most beautiful farm house with stunning views, we loved every minute. We came with our 3 year old and our baby and this was no problem at all, Maria Jose even asked if our 3 year old needed anything different to eat. All of the food was delicious, cheese, meats, olives, mussels and sangria to start. Of course the paella for main course and a selection of cakes from a local bakery with Colombian coffee to finish. Our 3 year old had fun playing outside with the dogs most of the time. Very warm and generous people, I couldn’t find anything else like this experience in the area, I highly recommend for a taste of something traditional and authentic.

Las Marías Farms knows how to put on a party. We had an amazing day learning the Abuela’s recipe for paella. The appetizers, the mussels, and Sangria were a perfect compliment. The food was amazing and delicious. We were given a tour of the farm and learned about the history of the land. The land had been in the family for decades, Maria Jose and Rafael were kind and generous with their time and answered all our questions. If you’re looking for a fun outing and just an all-around fun day, plus delicious food this is the place to book.

Just coming back from the paella cooking class, we shared this with two Ladies from Canada who Where amazing . Maria Raphael where the perfect hosts. Food amazing, drink amazing. Would recommend without hesitation. They even got a birthday cake for our friends birthday. Thank you so much !!

Rafa & Maria Jose were great hosts & made us really welcome. The food was amazing & plentiful. We learned so much, both about the cooking & about the history of the farm