Photos courtesy of Parador de Úbeda
Relics in the towns archaeology museum tell us that Úbeda's origins date back to the Paleolithic era and Roman times. Captured from the Moors in 1234, the town served as a stronghold in the Christian reconquest.
By the 16th century, this prosperous town was completely transformed. When the Habsburg emperor Charles V ascended the throne in 1516, Spain enjoyed its golden Renaissance age as Spanish architects and craftsmen accepted the Italian styles in their work. Úbeda reflects this trend. The Plaza Vázquez de Molina is the monumental center of the town. It is surrounded by buildings of this era, one of which is the parador.
The palace was built in the 16th century and altered in the 17th. It once belonged to the dean of the Sacred chapel of El Salvador.
Pamela’s Perspective
Most people who come to Andalucia either head straight to the grand cities of Granada, Córdoba, and Sevilla or to the world-famous beaches of the Costa del Sol. But there is another, less-well-known side of Andalucia. In the northern province of Jaén, you can explore the remarkably well-preserved Spanish Renaissance town of Úbeda. This charming town features narrow cobblestone streets and many aristocratic mansions and churches.
Try for a room that looks out onto the plaza. For the ultimate splurge, the Ducal room has the largest bed in the parador, the original palace flooring, cornice, and coffered ceiling.
Parador de Úbeda
A 16th-century palace
Contact
Plaza de Vázquez Molina, s/n
23400 Úbeda (Jaén)
Tel: ++34 953 75 03 45
Fax: ++34 953 75 12 59
Official parador website
Reserve with Booking.com
Fast facts
36 rooms
Double rooms: 95–230 euros
Single rooms: 80% of double
room rate.
Rates include tax. Breakfast extra.
Free Wi-Fi
Open: all year
Getting there
Úbeda is 42 km east of Bailén, which is located on National Road IV (the Madrid-Córdoba highway). Trains and buses connect Úbeda to Jaén, Linares, and Baeza. In town, signs marked “parador” lead the way through the narrow, twisting streets.
What to do
Nearby: walking tours of Úbeda and Baeza.
Though the Parador de Úbeda faces the plaza with a rather plain façade, step inside and find a charming courtyard filled with plants and blue tile work and enclosed by two levels of Moorish arches.
To one side of the courtyard are a sitting room and library. Another large room with stone arches and low beams is used for special festivals.
A large stairway leads up to the guest rooms, which feature high ceilings and spacious bathrooms. Good use is made of the palace architecture in a few of the guest rooms. You might find your bed partly under an arched alcove. Unlike the current trend of many paradors to go contemporary in style, guest rooms here are warm and charming with an occasional antique (or tasteful reproduction). Throughout, attention is given to detail, such as floors inlaid with small hand-painted tiles of animals and Andalucian scenes.
The dining room is a friendly place, with Andalucian cuisine presented by waitresses dressed in traditional costume. The three-course meals often include garlic soup, rabbit, and quail.
Something special
The town of Úbeda is a Spanish National Monument