In the Jerte Valley in Extremadura – a region of Spain between Madrid and the Portuguese border – there’s one time of year where a million trees swell with tiny red fruit. These little cherries are only available from June to the end of July, but they’re some of the best in the world – so much so that they have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. They are Picota cherries, and if you see some for sale, be sure to snap them up.

Cherries have been grown in the Jerte Valley for centuries, but since the 1960s they’ve become a tourism attraction in their own right. Much like the sakura cherry blossom in Japan, Picota cherry trees blanket the valley in white petals, creating a stunning scene that attracts people from across Europe. The two-week festival sees the normally quiet and sleepy region turn into a celebration of nature, Spanish food and drink and, of course, cherries.

Only 13,000 people live in the Jerte Valley, and around 5,000 of them are involved with the Picota cherry industry, so it’s an incredibly important part of daily life in the region. But what makes them so special? The first thing you’ll notice is they’re sold without stalks as the cherries are left to ripen fully before being picked by hand, which means the stalks drop off during the harvest. The second thing you’ll notice is the unique shape of the fruit itself – unlike other cherries which are round, these ones come to a natural point, hence the name Picota (pico is Spanish for peak, or point). And when you taste the cherries, it’s impossible to ignore the incredibly intense, sweet flavour. This is thanks to how the cherries are grown; they are left to mature for twice as long as usual, basking in the Spanish sun which allows the fruit to develop its flavour and colour.