– Travel Insurance
– Transportation by bus with air-conditioning, video, reclining seats etc.
– 1 night in 4-star hotel based on half board (breakfast and dinner)
– English speaking tour guide
– Visits with local guides

Day 1.

We depart from our agency and travel to Ubeda.  After a short coffee break we start our walk through the Old Town of Ubeda and discover a monumental city full of history.  Worth mentioning are:  the square Plaza de Vazquez de Molina, considered to be one of the most beautiful squares in Spain with the collegiate Church of Santa Maria, the Palace Vazquez de Molina (nowadays the Town Hall) and the chapel of El Salvador.  In the afternoon we continue towards Baeza to visit this beautiful city, paying particular attention to:  the squares Plaza del Populo andPlaza de Santa Maria and Church Cathedral, the Palace of Jabalquinto and the Old University.    At the end of our journey we arrive at our hotel in Baeza.  Dinner and overnight stay in Baeza

Day 2.

After breakfast we start a unique trip through endless lands full of olive trees.  We stop at Puente del Obispo (Bishop’s Bridge) to visit the‘Culture of the Olive tree’ Museum. Then we continue to Jaen where we have leisure time to visit the Cathedral of Jaen.  Next we drive towards the impressive Castle of Santa Catalina, an Arabian fortress that dominates the city.  We stop here and have some leisure time to enjoy the beautiful views from the different viewpoints.  In the afternoon we return to our point of departure. End of our service.

The cities of Ubeda and Baeza are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They’ve retained the magic of 500 years ago and are therefore uniquely representative of the Spanish Renaissance.

Surrounded by lands full of olive trees and situated by the river Guadalquivir, these two cities have kept their historic character.  Ubeda represents private architecture and civil power, whilst Baeza represents public architecture and religious power. The two most famous historical figures areFrancisco de los Cobos (Charles V’s secretary) and Andres de Vandelvira (his architect who designed great monuments in both cities).  Ubeda and Baeza are distinctive for their urban design and important buildings.

Visiting Ubeda takes us on a journey into its important past, which has left behind indelible footprints of the splendour of yesteryear. Ubeda flourished during the Renaissance and its streets and squares were filled with Palaces, Monasteries, Walls and Mansions.  In Ubeda we find the Square of Vazquez de Molina, considered to be one of the most beautiful in Europe.  It’s an open space where the most important monuments of the Renaissance are located:  the burial chapel of the ‘Salvador del Mundo’, undoubtedly one of the architectural jewels of the Spanish Renaissance and probably the most important private religious work of the sixteenth century, the Church of Santa Maria de los Reales Alcazares and the Palace of Juan Vazquez de Molina.

From Baeza we can admire one of the most unique landscapes of Andalusia, a sea of olive trees.  Perched on a cliff, this magnificent city has a monumental skyline which is crowned by the tower of the Cathedral. Santa Maria Square is the monumental heart of this noble city, with theCathedral dedicated to ‘la Natividad de Nuestra Señora’, the Romanesque church ‘Santa Cruz’, Town Hall, Fountain of Santa Maria and theSeminar of San Felipe Neri with its picturesque façade, currently the seat of the International University of Andalusia.  The Palace House ofRubin de Ceballos is located behind the Cathedral. Following San Felipe Neri street we find the Palace of Jabalquinto (a good example of flamboyant gothic style), the old university which still has the classroom (‘aula’) where Antonio Machado used to teach and the noble auditoriumthat has retained its university character.

Traditionally Jaen was a border town and a place to transit through.  For centuries in its history Jewish, Muslim and Christian people lived together in a peaceful co-existence of cultures.  Jaen’s history goes back to Prehistoric times and the origin of agriculture.  Jaen’s culture and economy is centred on the olive tree, the greatest resource of this region, which has enabled Jaen to become the World Capital of Olive Oil (which the locals sometimes refer to as liquid gold).

Jaen’s Cathedral is one of the most important Renaissance-style cathedrals and is the largest monument in Jean. It was designed by the architectAndres de Vandelvira and was constructed on the same site where the great mosque stood.  It’s been an inspiration to the religious architects ofLatin America and aspires to obtain a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing.

The Castle of Santa Catalina (St. Catherine’s Castle) is one of the most important legacies of the Spanish-Arabian culture in the region.  This stronghold at the border of two kingdoms sits on a hilltop with the best view overlooking the city.  Inside the castle there is a centre which explains the history of this mighty fortress.

* Pepe Tours reserves the right to alter and modify the itinerary and the order of the excursions for organizational reasons.. Depending on hotel availability or in case of last-minute bookings, Pepe Tours may replace the scheduled hotels by others of the same category (see list of scheduled hotels in this link).