10 Essentials: what to see and do in Jaén city in 1, 2 or 3 days

I really wanted to know the city ​​of Jaén and some of the most beautiful places in its province, such as Ubeda, Baeza o Baths of the Encina.

To this end I have recently carried out a tourism trip to this area of Andalusia, and the truth is that I have been frankly surprised. and I recommend that you do not stop thinking about Jaén as a tourist destination.

It is a land that will not only surprise you, but will make you fall in love with it as much as I did.

The best things to do when visiting Jaén city

Already in relation to the city ​​of Jaén, I will tell you what its main attractions are to make a getaway to get to know it.

To begin with, this Andalusian city is more than an urban complex with an important heritage, which is located at the foot of the Santa Catalina Hill, where the castle that dominates the town, becoming an excellent viewpoint of the region.

Walk through the castle and natural spaces of Jaén city

Indeed, the city of Jaén is surrounded by wide natural spaces with the forests of the peri-urban parks of Santa Catalina and Monte de la Sierra, as well as extensive areas of olive groves, among which mountains of Jaén and Jabalcuz and very close to Guadalbullón River.

That natural environment, including Otiñar Valley, is ideal for practicing various activities, such as Hiking, cycling and even the escalation.

Get to know the historical heritage of Jaén city

As for its very interesting artistic historical heritage, you should know that it is one of the oldest cities in Europe, and that when visiting, you must start by highlighting its cathedral, a jewel of Spanish Renaissance and one of the most beautiful in Spain, and the Largest Arab Baths in Spain and best preserved in Europe.

In your visit of Jaén You will walk through steep streets with significant slopes, through which stories of love and mystery circulate in their haunted houses and palaces.

Gastronomy in Jaén, what to eat and where

La gastronomy It will also become another important argument to get to know this Andalusian city.

You probably already know that Jaén province is the world's largest producer of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is the highest quality, which is why it is called the World Oil Capital.

You can try this oil in many different ways, from on toast to dishes like gazpacho or the pipirrana.

Other typical gastronomic specialties to discover are the Jaén-style asparagus spinach, lima beans, choto, baked lamb, the rabbit, the pickled partridge, daggerboard loin, bean stew and Eggplants and Soup rice.

Also typical are flamenco, fried eggplants, the cod Encebollado, and as for the desserts, the rice pudding, Sweet porridge y convent sweets.

To enjoy this gastronomy, in addition to walking around the tavern area located next to the cathedral, you should know that in the San Ildefonso neighborhood you have two restaurants with 2 Michelin stars, Baga y Lady Juana.

Furthermore, the city of Jaén is considered “Foodie Mecca of Andalusia" according National Geographic, and is a candidate for UNESCO Creative City in the field of Gastronomy in 2023.

Local festivals and traditions in Jaén

Finally, it is worth highlighting its local traditions, the most notable being the celebrations of eastern and also the party of San Anton in January, with the fires that light up in the neighborhoods of Jaén, both declared Festivals of Tourist Interest, and the San Anton Night Urban Race.

Other festivals worth highlighting are Pilgrimage of Santa Catalina (November 25), Virgin of the Chapel (June 11), and the San Lucas Fair (18 October)

Curiosities of the history of the city of Jaén

But to deepen our knowledge of the city of Jaén, let's start by discovering some curiosities about its history,

One of the legends most well-known will take you to Magdalena neighborhood, where there was a lizard that they say attacked people who passed by.

This Legend of the Lizard It is considered one of the 10 treasures of the Intangible Heritage of Spain.

As a curiosity, I can tell you that a section of the the Camino de Santiago part of Jaén, specifically, the so-called Mozarabic Route, which comes from the Cathedral of the Assumption.

One of the most significant characters of Jaén was the poet Miguel Hernández, whose wife Josefina Manresa was originally from Quesada, and whose verses are part of the provincial anthem of Jaén, Andalusians of Jaén, which were composed in 1937 while he was participating in the Spanish Civil War on the Jaén front.

Portraits, verses and chronicles that the poet wrote are some of the things you can see in the Air-raid shelter which is in the Santiago Square, which was the bunker where the population took refuge during the bombings.

Best places to see and visit in Jaén tourism city

So that you can plan your visit, below I detail some of the more interesting places I could visit in the city of Jaén, and I am left with the desire to continue discovering more things. 

This information will also be useful to you Visiting hours of the monuments and museums of the city of Jaén.

Cathedral of the Assumption in Jaén

If there is a building that stands out and will surprise you in the city of Jaén, it is the Cathedral of the Assumption.

It is in the heart of the historic city center, In the Plaza de Santa María in the middle of a network of streets of Arab origin and is one of the most impressive cathedrals in Spain.

The building is built in the place where the old main mosque was located, when Jaén was Muslim territory.

With the conquest of the city in the 13th century by Ferdinand III “The Saint” of Castile, the construction of the Catholic temple dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin.

Later, and after important reforms, it became cathedral when the diocese moved from Baeza, and in 1931 it was declared artistic historical monument.

It is a gem of Renacimiento Spanish, with the architect's project Andres de Vandelvira, and has served as inspiration for many Latin American cathedrals.

What to see when visiting the Jaén Cathedral

The exterior of the cathedral is a work of the baroque Spanish from the 17th century, and it features two equal towers and a balustrade with nine large sculptures of apostles y Saints, but what will catch your attention the most are its balconies.

It is the only cathedral in Spain surrounded by balconies throughout its perimeter, a total of 62, of which 27 are exterior and 35 interior, all of which are connected by a central corridor that surrounds the temple.

The cathedral has three doors on the main façade, the door of forgivenessThat of the loyals and the Clergy.

Inside, the Capilla Mayor where it is kept, in a maximum security box and under seven keys, the canvas of the Holy Face, which according to tradition, was one of those who used Veronica to clean the bloody face of Christ while he ascended to Calvary, and in which his face was printed.

It should be noted that the relic of Holy face It is exposed every Friday for veneration by the faithful in the Tabernacle Church, which is located on the side of the cathedral.

El High altar It is framed by four central pillars, and behind it you will find the Main Chapel of the Cathedral.

El neoclassical choir It is located in the central part of the cathedral, and there you can see an impressive ashlar, in addition to being one of the largest in Spain with 148 seats.

La Chapter Room and Cathedral Sacristy They are connected by a closet that hides a secret passage, and are two of the most notable works of Vandelvira.

Also highlights the Cathedral Organ, whose tubes served during the Spanish Civil War to deceive the Condor Legion after the surprise bombing of the city of Jaén, as they pretended to be anti-aircraft batteries.

Inside the building there is also the Cathedral Museum under the floor of the Chapter Room and the Sacristy, which preserves works of sacred art. Be sure to look at the entrance arch to the museum.

If you want to take a nice photo, from the Castle Hill, you have stunning views of the cathedral and the city.

Schedules and ticket prices for Jaén Cathedral

Here you have the practical information with schedules and ticket prices to visit the Jaén Cathedral, which you will carry out with a audioguide.

Santa Catalina Castle in Jaén city

A place that you cannot miss on your visit to Jaén is the Castle of Santa Catalina, which since 1965 has housed the Parador Nacional de Turismo.

It is located on the Santa Catalina Hill at 800 m altitude, from which you can see the entire city of Jaén surrounded by olive groves.

Originally it was an Arab fortress also called the Alcázar Viejo, and it is from the Reconquest of the city for Ferdinand III the Saint when construction begins christian castle o Alcazar New.

His name is due to the gothic style chapel Built in the 15th century by Constable Miguel Lucas de Iranzo, which was dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, and is currently the patron saint of the city.

Legend has it that the saint appeared in dreams to Ferdinand III the Saint inducing him to conquer the city ruled by the Arabs.

November 25 is the city's co-patron's day, and there is a custom of walking up to the castle and roasting sardines there to celebrate the conquest of the city. The day of the other co-patron, the Virgin of the Chapel, is celebrated on June 11.

Throughout history it suffered innumerable damages, especially during the occupation of the troops of Napoleon, who renovated the fortress to establish their military base for two years, and when they abandoned it, they bombed it causing great damage.

What to see when visiting the Castle of Santa Catalina in Jaén

El Jaen castle It is formed by a walled enclosure almost triangular in shape with five towers, one of them pentagonal in shape called candle tower, with surveillance functions.

To the west is the tower of tribute 40 meters high, with a square floor plan and which you access from the Parade, which has a large surface area.

The best views are undoubtedly found from the viewpoint of the Cross, where is the Cross of the Castle of Santa Catalina, which replaced the previous wooden one ordered to be placed Ferdinand III upon entering the city in 1246.

It is not the original, but it replaces the previous one that was more modest.

Furthermore, in the fortress there is the interpretation Center where you can take a tour of the history of the castle and the city of Jaén.

El Parador Nacional de Turismo It is built next to Castle of Santa Catalina on the remains that occupied two of the three fortifications that formed the old fortress built on the hill.

The pity is that the construction works destroyed many archaeological remains and currently only the Alcazar New as a witness of an era.

There are many legends related to the Jaén Castle Parador, such as the one that states that some clients staying in rooms 22, 23 and 24 have heard noises, knocks on the door or the dragging of chains.

Here you have the information on schedules and ticket prices to visit Jaén Castle, whose duration is about two hours.

Villardompardo Palace in Jaén

This renaissance building of the 16th century it was built by Fernando Torres and Portugal, First Count of Villardompardo and Viceroy of Peru and is in the historic center of Jaén, in the Magdalena neighborhood.

It was built on the remains of some ancient Arab baths They were buried until they were discovered in 1913 and their recovery began in the 80s.

In the 18th century, it was a women's hospice and was also the headquarters of a bank, and is currently part of the heritage of the Provincial Council of Jaén.

El Villardompardo Palace I don't know how to visit a historic building since all its rooms today are dedicated to various cultural activities, although the rooms can be visited there. Arab baths, International Museum of Naive Art “Manuel Moral” and Museum of Popular Arts and Customs of Jaén.

You will start by seeing the central patio of the palace that leads to the rest of the rooms, where you can see its semicircular arches as well as a second level with balconies.

In the corners of the lower floor of the patio, really beautiful, on the column you will see four more arches, two of them forming an angle with the gallery and the other two attached to the wall.

On the upper floor of the central patio the scheme is similar to that of the lower one, although here the columns and arches are lower in height and the hallway closes with a wooden balustrade railing.

Here look at one of the corners where you will see a beautiful dome dating from the 17th century, and in which a praise to the Virgin and Sacramento.

The visit to this cultural center cannot end without going up to its cafeteria, where in addition to having a drink, from its enormous terrace you will enjoy some beautiful visits to the city of Jaén and its Santa Catalina Castle.

Arab Baths in Jaén city

In the basement of Villardompardo Palace are the Best preserved Arab baths in Europe, with an area of ​​450 square meters.

Their construction dates back to the 11th century and they were declared National Monument in 1931.

They were a center of social gathering at the time, as well as a place for personal hygiene, and now the washing ritual that Muslims followed in the Andalusian era.

The Arab baths They were organized into four rooms, first the lobby, which was made of marble with red and white arches, then the cold room, and then the warm and hot rooms.

Next to the hot room There were boilers that filtered the heat through a system of chimneys distributed between the walls, and hot air steam also circulated on the floor through small brick pillars.

The star-shaped holes in the ceiling through which the light entered are colorless today, but back then they were covered with small colored glass that gave the place a magical atmosphere.

Museum of Popular Arts and Customs in Jaén

This ethnological museum It is spread across different rooms of the Villardompardo Palace, and it shows the way of life, culture and traditions of the people of the province of Jaén before industrialization.

Crafts that in some cases have been lost throughout history, typical costumes, toys, furniture, farming tools and ceramic pieces are some of the objects that you can see in this museum that is as curious as it is instructive.

“Manuel Moral” International Museum of Naive Art in Jaén

El International Museum of Naive Art that you can visit in Jaén is unique in Spain.

It is located on the left wing of the Villardompardo Palace and was created by the artist from Jaen Manuel Mora, who donated all his work and collection to the Provincial Council of Jaen.

Its collection has more than 600 works by national and international artists, and is divided into two sections, one for national artists with ten rooms, and another for works by foreign artists.

Here you have the detailed information of Hours of the Arab Baths and museums of the Villardompardo Palace.

Basilica of San Ildefonso in Jaén

After Cathedral of the Assumption, Basilica of San Ildefonso is perhaps the most important church in Jaén, whose origins date back to the year 1248 when a chapel was created to serve the cathedral.

Later, the temple acquired more importance and went from sanctuary to minor basilica of the city's patron saint, and its current name is Minor Basilica of the Sacred Parish Church of San Ildefonso.

The first thing that will catch your attention on your visit, in addition to its location, is its exterior with three beautiful doors with different architectural styles.

La gothic facade It is the oldest and you will find it at the back of the church; the side is Renaissance and the main one is neoclassical and it is the last one to be built.

La image of San Ildefonso crowns the façade, in addition to two asymmetrical towers on the main façade.

The interior is Gothic style and in it he is buried Andres de Vandelvira, great Renaissance architect who was also the mentor of the cathedrals of Jaén and Baeza and who died in 1575

Admission is free and it is open almost all day, except at noon, when it closes its doors.

Church of San Bartolome in Jaén

La St. Bartholomew's Church It is a building of medieval origin, whose façade is baroque, and inside you can see a beautiful Mudejar coffered ceiling and a magnificent altarpiece on its High Altar from the 16th century, the work of Sebastian de Solis.

It is located in the old town of Jaén, near some of the stately buildings that still remain in the city, like the House of the Count of EagleKnown as House of Fear.

This small church is one of the oldest in the city since as a parish it dates back to the 14th century.

Inside, a carving of the Christ of the Expiration attributed to Joseph of Medina, belonging to the Brotherhood of Expiration, one of the most important of the eastern and who performs his season of penance on the afternoon of Holy Thursday.

During worship hours, admission is free.

Map: how to get to the city of Jaén

La city ​​of Jaén It is located in the interior of Andalusia, one hour north of the city of Grenada, two and a half hours northeast of Sevilla, just over three hours south of Madrid.