Those who visit Jaén and its province for the first time are impressed by its cultural interest, its monuments and even by its landscape full of olive trees. Although it is not one of the most touristic cities in Andalusia, there are many things to do in Jaén.
Why visit Jaén city?
Within the province of Jaén you can Take a guided tour of World Heritage Cities What are they like? Úbeda and Baeza, it also has natural spaces such as the Sierra de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas to make a fantastic rural visit or get lost among its small villages to find impressive historical enclaves such as the Sabiote Castle.
Precisely, visiting Jaén capital also gathers a lot of tourist and cultural interest, there are certain places that we should not miss. Despite being a small city that can be visited in a whole day, it is a very attractive stop to include in any trip to Andalusia.
The old town is a very important part, since it was declared a historic-artistic site and today we can visit remains of the Muslim and Christian times of Jaén. The advantage of being a small city is that you can walk around the center and forget about going by car.
What to see and do in Jaén city?
The great tourist attraction of the city of Jaén is undoubtedly to know a little more and learn about extra virgin olive oil, an enclave where the largest olive crop in Andalusia is located. The best things to do in Jaén is to get lost in the countryside and get to know an authentic cooperative. Now, let’s find out which monuments to visit in the capital:
Cathedral of Jaén
One of the obligatory stops to make in Jaén is undoubtedly to visit its most important monument, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin. It is a Renaissance-style cathedral that stands on top of a Gothic temple.
The current architectural work is the work of Andrés de Vandelvira, considered one of the most important Spanish Renaissance architects and part of his work can also be found in Jaén towns such as Úbeda and Baeza.
Once inside the visit to the cathedral of Jaén, you will not only be impressed by its high galleries, but also the Main Chapel or the Holy Face with a neoclassical altarpiece. Another part of it that should be photographed is the huge choir composed of 148 seats and dedicated to the Holy Family.
Santa Catalina Castle
It is another of the great monuments to see in Jaén, a castle with vestiges of the Bronze Age, during the Iberian era of the city, and there are even Phoenician and Roman constructions.
Currently, what can be visited is the Alcázar Nuevo from Christian times that would have been built on a building from the Islamic period. Although the French during the Napoleonic occupation modified and restored part of the enclosure.
During the visit to the castle of Santa Catalina you can walk along the entire wall, visit the intact prison and dungeons, as well as the Albarrana Tower, where the Chapel of Santa Catalina is housed.
Villardompardo Palace
It is another of the options to see and do in Jaén, visit a majestic palace. In addition, inside is one of the legacy vestiges of the city’s Arab era. Arab baths that were used for several centuries, their origin was in the eleventh century, they are the best preserved baths in Spain. Although the Counts of Villardompardo used them as foundations and built the palace on top of them.
These baths were discovered in 1913, but it was not until 1984 that a restoration was carried out to excellently preserve this authentic historical and cultural wonder of Jaén.
Basilica of San Ildefonso
It is a minor basilica built in 1248 after expanding the walled area of the city. It is characterized by including various architectural styles such as neoclassical, Gothic and Renaissance on its façade, and the Gothic interior.
Inside the basilica are the remains of the architect and designer of great monuments in Jaén, Andrés de Vandelvira.
Jewish Quarter of Jaén
It is a star street and well located in the old part of the city, it has been declared an asset of cultural interest. Not only can we get lost in its steps, but there are also monuments such as the Monastery of Santa Clara, the Chapel of San Andrés, the Arab Baths and the Plaza de los Huérfanos.
We hope you find this article useful about what to see and do in Jaén and what are the most interesting monuments to visit. We guarantee a guided tour of the capital of Jaén that will be worth knowing in detail.