There's an absolutely great (fun) restaurant, El Tintero Campero, about 3-4 km outside Cártama Estación - it's outside, under shade, with huge trestle tables and paper tablecloths. The waiters run around the place with plates full of different things (seafood, barbequed meats, salads etc) and you just stop them when you see something you like. They actually call out in Spanish and English what it is they are carrying ... but understanding either is practically impossible! Most families put the plates in the middle of the table and everyone can just help themselves. It's very reasonably priced. The only time to go is Sunday lunchtime ... particularly in the summer months. As you drive on the motorway to Cártama Estación, you can see the Venta (countryside restaurant) around junction 57 - big green screens covering up from the traffic. It doesn't look much from the road ... but we love it!

Almendra del Sur is a great place to buy some small presents of local produce to take home.  It is a co-operative (local farmers association) that produces honey, almonds and other local specialities. The shop is almost always completely devoid of human life – other than a till assistant if you are lucky.  All sorts of interesting items can be seen in here for making honey, processing almonds and olives etc.  Hidden down a side road off the main road through Cártama Estación, there has at last been a sign erected near the Cepsa petrol station pointing the way.