Ubeda and Baeza

Ubeda and Baeza sit nine kilometres apart on ridges above the Guadalquivir valley, and both were rebuilt in the sixteenth century by nobles enriched by the American trade and by the reconquest, employing the architect Andres de Vandelvira, whose work defines them. In Ubeda the Plaza Vazquez de Molina holds the Sacra Capilla del Salvador, the Palacio de las Cadenas and the church of Santa Maria in one ensemble; in Baeza the cathedral, the seminary and the Palacio de Jabalquinto surround a smaller and quieter centre. Both were inscribed by UNESCO in 2003 as an example of how Italian Renaissance ideas were adapted in Spain. Around them run olive groves that continue unbroken for tens of kilometres.

What you actually see

• Plaza Vazquez de Molina - Ubeda's Renaissance ensemble in one square.
• The Sacra Capilla del Salvador - a funerary chapel by Vandelvira.
• Baeza's cathedral and seminary - the quieter of the two centres.
• The olive sea - unbroken groves stretching across the valley.

When to go

Spring and autumn; the Jaen summer is extremely hot and the towns have little shade. Olive harvest runs from November to February, when the groves are busy and the new oil appears.

Honest expectations

Many monuments keep short and irregular hours with long midday closures, and some open only for guided visits. The two towns are similar in character, so a full day in each can feel repetitive. Public transport between them is limited.

Nearby

The Sierra de Cazorla lies east; Jaen and its cathedral are southwest.