This post is the continuation of a series documenting our travels across Andalusia in Southern Spain in the European Autumn. We were now nearing the end of our time in Andalusia and were on our last full day in the UNESCO world heritage tagged town of Úbeda.
We had spent our first day in Úbeda exploring the Renaissance styled architecture in the medieval old town while staying at one of the fancier places we have stayed in – the Hotel Palacio De Úbeda ( Unassuming Ubeda, a pretty little gem – Alluring Andalusia, Part 10 ). On our second day we wanted to see the sister town of Úbeda, Baeza which also has the World heritage tag for its Renaissance architecture. Both towns are a mere 8 km apart and thankfully well connected by bus, so after our sumptuous breakfast at our hotel we set off for the bus station to catch our bus to Baeza.
The bus tickets in Spain can be easily booked online and I had booked return tickets to Baeza which can be used on any bus that takes that route making it a stress free experience. We reached the Plaza de Andalusia which has the Clock Tower and stopped to take a few photos before resuming our walk to the bus station.
The Clock Tower of Úbeda -Torre del Reloj
Stopping for a quick photo at the Plaza del Andalusia
We then took a detour to see the Monumento la Constitucion on a round about outside the Old town. Before going back to the Main Street and stepping inside the Cultural Centre Hospital de Santiago which is very close to the bus station and free to enter.
The Monumento La Constitución
At a small garden next to the monument
The impressive tower of the Cultural Centre Hospital de Santiago
The courtyard of the cultural centre had typical Renaissance styled semicircular arches and thin columns with perfect symmetry – always good for photography. Sadly we didn’t have a chance to explore the centre further as it was time for our bus to Baeza.
In the courtyard of the Cultural Centre Hospital de Santiago in Úbeda
We reached the bus station and boarded our bus to Baeza and got seats pretty easily. Soon the bus left the train station and a short bus ride later we were in the Baeza Bus Station.
On the local bus to Baeza
As in Úbeda the old town / Centro was a 1 km walk away and we started walking in that direction which was well marked with signs at regular intervals. Soon we were in the Old town of Baeza which was pedestrian only. As in Úbeda there was no crowd here and we walked through the main pedestrian street Calle San Pablo till we came to a bronze statue of a man sitting and reading on a bench. It was a monument to the famous Spanish Poet Antonio Machado who spent a decade here in Baeza.
The Calle San Pablo in Baeza
The monument to Antonio Machado in Baeza
Me sitting next to Machado reading about Machado !
We continued down the peaceful main street till we came to a monument to the Holy Week ( The week before Easter ) or Semana Santa which is celebrated with great pomp here in Baeza. Recently added to the Main Street the monument is perfect for photos.
The pedestrian Calle San Pablo in Baeza
El Monumento a la Semana Santa de Baeza
A selfie with the beautiful Calle San Pablo
The better half joins the family about to join the Holy Week procession
We then walked through the under restoration Plaza de la Constitucion and walked towards the most famous square in Baeza – the Plaza de Los Leones / Plaza de Populo. It has a fountain with lions (leones) in the centre hence the name. The square also has the 16th century gate to the city the Puerta Jaen and a triumphal arch right next to it! So it is a square full of 16th century Renaissance architecture.
The Plaza de Los Leones with the fountain in the centre and the gate and arch in the background
At the Plaza de Los Leones Baeza
The square from under the gate
The tourism office is also right next to the gate and we grabbed a free map of the historic centre to help in not getting lost in our short time here.
The Tourism office of Baeza is right next to the Jaen Gate
We then started walking the cobble stoned thin lanes of the historic centre which were all very photogenic. Christmas lights had already started going up and it gave the streets a unique feel too bad we were too early to see the streets actually lit up.
Pretty lanes of the historic centre of Baeza
We then came to the small University of Baeza which has a classroom where Machado taught Grammar in his time in Baeza. The classroom has been preserved in that state and is free to visit so we stepped into the University courtyard and visited the famous poets classroom (I’m hoping that my writing gets better just by visiting these famous poet / writer’s exhibits!)
The Old University building of Baeza
The Classroom where Antonio Machado taught French Grammar in his 10 years in Baeza
After walking through an exhibit displaying Machado’s life and times in Baeza we stepped out and walked to the Church of Santa Cruz right next to it. It is the only Romanesque styled church left in a historic centre filled with Renaissance styled buildings and feels unique because of its simplistic design. Especially when you compare it’s simple facade with the Palacio de Jabalquinto right opposite it.
The simple altar of the Church of Santa Cruz in Baeza
The simple exterior of the Church of Santa Cruz
The extravagant facade of the Palacio de Jabalquinto right opposite the church shows the difference styles
We then made our way to the Baeza Cathedral which like most big churches in the region is built at the site of a big mosque during the Moorish rule (Which in turn was built on the site of a previous church!). The Church seems to dominate the Historic centre and it’s tower can be seen from anywhere in the centre.
On the steps of the Baeza Cathedral
The square just outside the Cathedral known as the Plaza of St Mary with a fountain of the same name had a big group posing for photos there when we passed through, so we didn’t stop there and would return to it later.
The Plaza of Santa Maria in Baeza from the base of the Cathedral
We bought our tickets to the Cathedral and stepped inside with our included audioguide and started our visit. The Cathedral is a fine example of Renaissance architecture with rounded arches, huge domes and thick pillars topped with decorative features. These churches are always big on symmetry which is why I enjoy photography in these beautiful pieces of art.
The Renaissance styled Baeza Cathedral
The typical Andalusian Baroque styled altar at the Baeza Cathedral
Happy us at the Baeza Cathedral
Rounded arches, tall domes, massive pillars are the hallmark of Renaissance architecture
The beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the Baeza Cathedral
A smaller more stark looking Chandelier at the entrance of the cathedral
The processional monstrance carried through the town during the Corpus Christi feast
We then noticed that the bell tower of the Cathedral could be climbed and old readers of the blog know that we enjoy our tower climbs. So up the tower we went and it wasn’t as narrow as most church towers which was a relief to my size 11 feet which have difficulty in fitting on the tiny stairs at the top of most towers!
The views from the bell tower over Baeza and the surrounding country side were amazing (eve as expected and there was no one else there! We had our own private bird’s eye view of Baeza.
Views from the top of the bell tower of the Baeza Cathedral
The huge bells on top of the Baeza Cathedral bell tower
We enjoyed our time on top of the bell tower for a few minutes taking in the view before it was time to go down again.
Happy us at various levels of the bell tower of the Baeza Cathedral
The Baeza Cathedral like the Basilica de San Juan de Dios in Granada offers a VR experience which takes the viewer closer to various parts of the church architecture virtually. We took turns putting on the headset and enjoyed the experience of flying through the church interiors virtually.
Enjoying the VR experience at the Baeza Cathedral
We then finally did our church routine of sitting in the pews for a few minutes before saying goodbye to the Baeza Cathedral.
The intricate wrought iron gate at the Baeza Cathedral
We stepped outside and returned to the Plaza de Santa Maria which was now empty and clicked a few photos at the beautiful fountain.
The Fuente la Santa Maria in Baeza
The better half poses at the beautiful Fountain of St Mary
With the fountain of St Mary from both sides
We then went behind the cathedral which has very photogenic ancient arched narrow pathways called the Paseo de Las Murallas. We walked around the Cathedral clicking photos under the stone arches before exiting at a wide square which was the Archdeacon’s Square.
Narrow arched passages around the Baeza Cathedral are very photogenic
The Archdeacon’s Square behind the Cathedral
With that we finished our visit to all the major sights in Baeza that we wanted to visit and we started walking back towards the bus station via the same way we had come in. The Calle de San Pablo was much busier now when we were on our way out.
The Calle de San Pablo on our way out of the Historic Centre of Baeza
I asked the better half if we should have lunch here in Baeza itself since it was lunch time and the next bus was about an hour later. We stopped at the Restaurante Navarrete close to the bus station which turned out to be a great little place. We ordered our drinks which came with the complimentary tapas of chicken skewers with potato chips.
Our drinks and complimentary chicken skewers at the restaurante Navarrete in Baeza
The complimentary tapas in Baeza
We ordered the mixed croquettes with potato wedges for myself while the better half got a Baeza styled patatas braves which had a lot of mushrooms ( Which she surprisingly liked!). The food was great and the ambience laid back, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch which was the best way to spend time waiting for a bus!
Mixed Croquettes with potato wedges
Baeza styled Patatas with Mushrooms and lots of Olive oil
Enjoying our lunch at Restaurante Navarrete in Baeza
Us with satisfied tummies outside the Restaurante Navarrete in Baeza
We then proceeded to the bus station where we caught the next bus back to Úbeda. We walked back to our hotel and enjoyed a late afternoon siesta not waking up till it was dark outside!
Back at the Hotel Palacio de Úbeda
We enjoyed our rest after our morning day trip and stepped out after dark again enjoying the peaceful streets and squares of Old town Úbeda. I have described them in my previous post so just posting the photos here.
In the lobby of the Hotel Palacio de Ubeda
The lobby of the Hotel Palacio de Ubeda
Enjoying a peaceful evening walk through Úbeda
We then returned to our Hotel for a dinner at the attached restaurant Guadiana Taberna. We ordered our drinks and got croquettes as complimentary tapas. We then ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara for the better half and I had a blue fin tuna tataki served with a lot of guacamole! The food was good as expected and we were right at the hotel itself!
Croquettes as tapas!
Spaghetti Carbonara for the better half ( without the bacon!)
Enjoying our meal at the Guadiana Taberna
The better half clicks a photo of me with the delicious Blue fin tuna tataki
We then retired for a peaceful nights sleep waking up refreshed early the next morning to enjoy one last sunrise in Úbeda. We went to the viewpoint Mirador del Salvador where we had been the previous day and enjoyed watching the sky turn into a riot of colours.
Enjoying our last sunrise in Úbeda
I then put on the 300mm which had been feeling neglected for a few days and found willing models in a mantis and few sparrows in the trees enjoying the sunrise with us at the Mirador. I also took photos of the sculptures on the Sacra Capilla del Salvador and around the Plaza Vasquez de Molina before we returned to our hotel.
A Mantis enjoys the sunrise at the Mirador del Salvador
A sparrow at dawn in Ubeda
The 300 mm captures the facade of the Sacra Capilla del Salvador
The lion statues on the Plaza Vasquez de Molina
A pigeon sits on the Virgins head at Ubeda
We then returned to our hotel for our last breakfast there before we checked out of our humongous room at the Palacio de Úbeda. We would take a bus from the bus station back to Cordoba from where I had booked a luxury Iryo train to the last stop on our vacation, the Spanish capital of Madrid.
Enjoying our breakfast at the Palacio de Ubeda – It was the best!
Saying goodbye to our room at Palacio de Ubeda
Adios Úbeda & Palacio de Ubeda
We reached well in time at Cordoba bus station which was right opposite to the train station that we had used a lot on this trip. We waited for our train platform to be announced before we passed through the necessary security check and soon we were on our way to Madrid !
On the Iryo train to Madrid
I had booked meals on the train as it was perfect for lunch. I had ordered Chicken with Foie Gras for myself and pasta with cheese sauce for the better half. The food was surprisingly tasty and filling ( Much better than Lufthansa meals!) and we enjoyed a nice lunch on a luxury train, a new experience for us!
Food with a view on the Iryo train to Madrid
Pasta with Cheese Sauce for the better half
Chicken breast with Foie Gras and mashed potatoes for me
With the Iryo trains at Madrid Atocha station
We had only a short 2 night stay in Madrid this time as it was the most convenient airport for a flight back home.Andalusia had proved to be a great region for an autumn vacation and each place we went to had been beautiful and different in its own way.
Whether we would enjoy our short stay in the Spanish Capital is topic for another post, some other time, some other day.
Till then,
Adios!
yogictravel 