Jaén: Travel Notes
Land of olive groves and proud olive pickers, or so says the song. But Jaen is much more. Here is a practical guide to ensure you don’t miss out on any of its secrets.
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Essential: walking up from the Cathedral to the fortress of the Castle of Santa Catalina to take a look at the view
The weather:
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One of the best ways to get to know the city is with a walk from the cathedral to the fortress of Santa Catalina Castle (C/ Maestra, 18, 953219116) via the old quarter. The starting point: Pósito Square (from the year 1900). Around the square are many typical bars with terraces from where you can sit and watch the world go by. The Bar El Pósito (Plaza del Pósito, open from 12,00 to 24,00, ) is a fabulous meeting point to enjoy wines, beer, coffee and drinks, as well as music (jazz 24/7), photos and paintings all over the walls. The bar Bodegón (Plaza del Pósito, open from 13,00 to 17,00) is a cellar where you can enjoy and purchase fresh produce.
Beside Pósito, you will find the San Francisco wholesale food market (C/ Joaquín Tenorio, s/n, 953234232) where you can buy fresh produce (black pudding, chorizo, game, wild meat, beans…). Once you get to Santa María Square, you’ve reached the Cathedral (Plaza de Santa María, s/n, 953234233, catedraldejaen.org). Canditate for a world heritage site, it houses the famous Santa Rostra relic and it is surrounded by several Renaissance palaces: the Obispado Palace, the Vélez Palace and the Provincial Council. Head up to the hills you to visit the Jewish and Mary Magdalene districts, both of Arab origin.
In the Jewish Quarter, dating from the year 612, walk up to Calle Maestra, off which are several labyrinth-style alleys, just like a souk (open-air marketplace). Just a step away, you will see a series of old taverns known as “Las Tascas”. This urban area has a lot of charm, aside from its wine! Your best bet is to wander in and out of El Gorrión (C/ Arco del Consuelo), the Manchega (C/ Bernardo López, 8, 953232192), the Manila (C/ Maestra, 4, 953232218), and La Barra (C/ de la Parra). You’ll have to tear yourself away to continue the uphill battle to the Mary Magdalene district. Calle Santa Úrsula takes you to a convent of the same name (famous for its confectionary. By following the calle Santo Domingo Bajo you’ll end up at Villadompardo Palace (Plaza Santa Luisa de Marillac, s/n, 953248000), in whose basement lies the largest and oldest Arab baths in Europe. They won the “Europa Nostra” gold medal for their excellent restoration.
When heading back from the Jewish Quarter you’ll have to ask for the Carrera de Jesús, the large avenue that will take you from the cathedral to the edge of the castle. After a 30 minute stroll surrounded by pine forest and with the Tomillo district at your back, you’ll reach the foot of the fortress, now part of the Parador Hotel (Castillo de Santa Catalina, s/n, 953230000, parador.es).
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Tertulia recommends
 Eat
Quick lunch
El Pecado, 20 €
C/ Conde
953231827
Early morning coffee
Colombia 50
Avda. de Madrid
Working lunch with colleagues
Entre tapas y vinos, 30 €
Paseo España, 16
953220316
Cheap and cheerful
Mesón Los Monteros, 20 €
C/ Salsipuedes, 2
953088358
Classic tapas
Marisquería El Pato Rojo, 30 €
C/ Bernabé Soriano, 12
953234099
Classic tapas
El Cuatro Esquinas, 10 €
C/ Teodoro Calvache
Local cuisine
El Pilar del Arrabalejo, 30 €
C/ Millán de Priego, 49
953240781
Need to impress
Restaurante Horno Salvador, 50 €
Carretera del Castillo de Santa Catalina, Km. 3,5
953230528
Seafood
El Bahía, 40 €
Plaza San Roque, 1
953251450
Everyone is talking about it
El Pósito, 20 €
Plaza del Pósito
Great coffee
Cafetería Berges
C/ Arquitecto Berges, 21
953252111
Something different
Panadería-Pastelería La Colmena
(desde las 5 a.m.)
C/ Fuente del Alamillo, 16
953265536
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 Drink
Great for a chat
San Patrick
C/ Alhóndiga, 39
958258080
Great for a chat
San Louis
C/ San Francisco Javier
Everyone is talking about it
Outside
C/ La Rioja
Something different
El Aquelarre
C/ Nueva, 7
To be seen
El Deán
Plaza Deán Mazas
Gay
El Toro
C/ San Francisco Javier
To be seen
Mosses Music-Club
C/ Gracianas, 12
Nightclub
Discoteca Heaven
Paseo de la Estación, 54
Last round
Bariloche
Ctra. Madrid Km. 333
953284094
 Live music
Jazz
Chubby Cheek
C/ San Francisco Javier, 7
661041843, chubbycheek.es
Great live music
Sala Iroquai
Calle Adarves Bajos, 41
salairoquai.com
A little of everything
Auditorio de La Alamadea
Alameda de Calvo Sotelo
lagartofestival.org
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 Sleep
Historic
Hotel Xauen, 70 €
Plaza Deán Mazas, 3
953240789
Historic
Hostal La Española
C/ Bernardo López, 9
953230254
Luxury
Hotel Infanta Cristina, 100 €
Avda. de Madrid, s/n
953263040
Cheap and cheerful
Hotel Condestable Iranzo
Paseo de la Estación, 32
953222800, hotelcondestableiranzo.com
Hidden away
Hotel Palacio de Mengibar, 120 €
Plaza de la Constitución, 8
Mengíbar, Jaén
953374043, lacaseriadepiedra.com
They take dogs
Husa Europa, 75 €
Plaza de Belén, 1
953222704,husa.es
Parador
Hotel Parador de Jaén, 180 €
Castillo de Santa Catalina
Carretera Castillo de Santa Catalina
953230000, parador.es
Youth Hostel
Albergue juvenil y spa, 20 €
C/ Borja, s/n
953313540, inturjoven.com
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 Shop
Music
El Real Musical
Plaza de San Ildefonso, 6
953243292
For the home
Tres Morillas
C/ Tres Morillas, 20
953242773
Second hand
Mimo
C/ Capitán Oviedo, 13
mimolibros.com
Something for yourself
Selectra
Plaza de San Ildefonso
Street market
Mercado de San Francisco
C/ Joaquín Tenorio, s/n
953234232
International press
Metrópolis
C/ Cerón 17
953234793
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 Skyline
Castle of Santa Catalina
C/ Maestra, 18
953219116
Santa Iglesia Cathedral
Plaza de Santa María, s/n
953234233, catedraldejaen.org
Palace of Villardompardo
Plaza Santa Luisa de Marillac, s/n
953248000
City walls of Jaen
Surrounding the ancient city
La Judería (Jewish Quarter)
Small labyrinthine alleys and the ideal place to breath in the historic character of the city.
El Monumento a las Batallas
Plaza de las Batallas
A monument to the Greek goddess of victory to commemorate the military battles that have marked Jaen.
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 Sports and spas
Getting sweaty
Aquagym Jaén
C/ Sagrada Familia, 4-6
953252509
Relax
Wellness Balneario Urbano Plenarium
C/ Juanito Valderrama 2
953224847, plenarium.es
Be adventurous
Alma Gaia
Deportes de aventura y actividades programadas
C/ Maestro Cebrián, 5
953228282, almagaia.es
Sports center
Avenida de Granada, s/n
953239126
Team sports
Nuevo Estadio de la Victoria
Carretera de Granada, s/n
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 Museums and galleries
Contemporary
International Museum for Naïve Art
Plaza de Santa Luisa de Marillac
(Plazoleta del Pato)
953236292
Classical
Museo Catedralicio
Iglesia de la Catedral
Plaza de Santa María
953263511
Archaeological
Museo Provincial de Jaén
Arqueología y Bellas Artes
Paseo de la Estación, 27
95327450, 953250600
Customs and crafts
Museo de Artes y Costumbre populares
Plaza de Santa Luisa de Marillac
(Plazoleta del Pato)
953236292
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 Theatre and dance
Classical
Teatro Infanta Leonor
C/ Maestra, 18
953219116, teatrojaen.es
A little of everything
Teatro Darymelia
Festival de Otoño
C/ Colón, 6
953219180
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 Cinema
Original version
Cine Club Universidad Popular
Avda. Andalucía 47
953263111
Mainstream
Cine Cervantes
C/ Bernabé Soriano, 31
Mainstream
Cines Alkázar I y II
C/ Muñoz Garnica, 4
953234903
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 Transport
Car rental
Europcar y National Atesa
Plaza Jaén Por La Paz, s/n
953266011, europcar.es; atesa.es
Taxi
Radio Taxi
953222222
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 Green zones
Parque de la Victoria
A veritable oasis whose wide shadows offer respite from the chaos during the summer months.
Alameda Calvo Sotelo
A tree-lined avenue whose auditorium is a meeting point for the culturally minded.
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 Escapes
For a change of scene, the best option is to indulge in home-grown produce. They call it Oil Tourism and it consists of olive grove landscapes, gastronomy, culture and entertainment. First stop has to be Museum-School Hacienda La Laguna, just 30 kilometres from the city (Puente del obispo, Baeza, 953765142, museodelaculturadelolivo.com). Also a rural hotel, this is the best place to find out about the entire olive oil process. If you feel like being a little more adventurous, you can hire a bike and cycle The Olive Oil Trail . The route goes down the old railway line, known as the olive train, for 121 kilometres long and even takes you into the province of Córdoba.
Useful contacts
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Town Hall
Plaza Santa María, 1
953219100, aytojaen.es
Jaén University
Campus Las Lagunillas, s/n
953212121, ujaen.es
Hospital Princesa de España
Avenida de Madrid, s/n
953222650
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Emergency Medical Attention
061
Fire
Avenida Andalucía, s/n
953251595
Post office
Plaza de los Jardinillos, s/n
953247800
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Local police
092
Ecologists in Action
Avda. de Andalucía, 47
953256368
24-hour pharmacy
Paseo de la Estación, 52
953255426
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Getting there?
Bibliography
These books related to Jaén: Travel Notes may interest you.
Links
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2 comments
Great to see Jaen in focus, lots of good info - keep it up.
En lo referente a la recomendación del bar El Pósito, no estoy de acuerdo. El sitio es bonito, pero el servicio es malo y las copas no las elaboran bien. Los camareros son bastante antipáticos.