Úbeda Tour Part One

As the writer of this guide, my problem when reaching the section on what to see around Úbeda is that there's just far too much to cram into one single article. I've thus divided it up into three main areas of interest in the town and therefore three separate yet interlinked pieces. This isn't a planned route as such, more a three-part summary of the outstanding places to visit. I'd also ask experts to forgive me for not detailing every single mansion and church in Úbeda. So many are worth visiting that you could spend a month here and still not view the lot. I've decided to focus on what can be seen in a day trip or weekend.

In this first article, let's look at the area around the Plaza 1° de Mayo, Plaza Vázquez de Molina and the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, all of which are within a five-minute walk of each other.

The Plaza 1° de Mayo is a large square, bigger than most in Úbeda's old town, and the stand-out features here include the Iglesia de San Pablo (13th-16th Century, Gothic and Renaissance), the Old Town Hall (17th Century, Renaissance) and the Palacio de Torrente (16th Century, Plateresque), just round the corner in Calle Montiel, which is now used as an old people's home. Meanwhile, another worthwhile building is the Casa Mudéjar in Calle Cervantes, also just off the square. This excellent example of 15th Century Mudéjar architecture also houses the local Archaeological Museum.

A couple of hundred yards away is the Plaza Vázquez de Molina, even bigger than the Plaza 1° de Mayo, and perhaps the most famous and photographed part of Úbeda. Wherever you look there are stunning buildings, but let's focus on some of the most impressive ones: in this square the Palacio del Dean Ortega (16th Century, Renaissance) houses the Parador, a wonderful place to stay if your budget reaches that far. If not, you can still just wander in to have a coffee in its central patio area, typical of Renaissance architecture in this part of Spain. Next door, meanwhile,  is the Sacra Capilla Funeraria de el Salvador (16th Century).

Bit of a mouthful, that one! It's a privately-owned Renaissance funeral shire, the most impressive example of its kind in Spain and perhaps the most emblematic building in Úbeda.

Crossing the square towards the Palacio de Juan Vázquez de Molina (16th Century, Renaissance), presently used as the Town Hall, you'll also encounter the Colegiata de Santa María de los Reales Alcázares. As the building developed over six centuries (13th- 19th Century), so a whole host of styles are involved-from Gothic to Baroque, via Mudéjar and Renaissance.

On the other side of the Town Hall is the eponymous Plaza del Ayutamiento, which gives a different view of the afore-mentioned building. From this square you can either take Calle Corazón de Jesús towards the part of town that our second section will describe or head up the pedestrian Calle Real towards where third article is based.