Jaén: Spain’s Olive Oil Capital

Jaén was literally a randomly found gem of my trip to Spain. I went to Jaén for one reason – I needed a place to stop for a few days on my way from Valencia to Córdoba. I chose Jaén because the pictures showed a nice castle there. Until then, all I knew about Jaén was that it was one of the provinces in Andalusia (and that the castle was there).

Maybe it was the zero expectations and maybe it was the true charm of the city, but probably both, that I instantly fell in love with Jaén. It’s not a very touristy place. Which is surprising, because it’s a really pretty town and besides the castle that towers over the town and has a beautiful view, it also has one of Spain’s most beautiful cathedrals.

Where to stay in Jaén

Jaén is a pleasantly compact city and you can get around everything you need on foot. It’s best to stay right in the historic centre around the cathedral, where you’re close to the Arab baths, tapas bars and a stroll through the narrow streets of the old town. If you want an extra experience, Santa Catalina Castle towers over the city, home to the famous Parador with views of olive groves to the horizon. It’s not exactly a cheap affair, but at least it’s worth the hike for a drink on the terrace.

Tickets and experiences in Jaén

Jaén isn’t a city where you’d run into queues like in Granada or Seville. Still, it’s worth booking a few things ahead, mainly the guided tours tend to have limited capacity.

• Olive oil: mill tour and tasting – Jaén is the olive oil capital of the world, this is one of those experiences that don’t make sense anywhere else.
• Jaén Cathedral: entry ticket – the Renaissance cathedral is one of the most beautiful in Andalusia. Buying the ticket ahead saves you waiting at the box office.

Jaén – the capital of olive oil

Jaén is no insignificant village, the province of Jaén is important for its production of extra virgin olive oil. Significant, most significant. Jaén accounts for about 60% of Spanish and 20% of world production. The town is literally surrounded by olive groves. There are over 60 million olive trees in the region.

You can see it in the city. Olive motifs are frequent and top-quality olive oil is on the table in every restaurant.

Things to see in Jaén

Jaén, for me, is about enjoying staying and walking in a traditional Spanish town without the presence of other tourists. It feels authentic and peaceful. To put it in perspective. Imagine a town where you can enjoy a drink or dinner in a restaurant in the main square in complete peace and know that it’s not a tourist trap, because they don’t count on tourists in this town anyway. I really only met a few tourists here and they were mostly Spanish. The square in front of the cathedral here was empty in the middle of the day, no one was in my way while I was taking pictures. I was in April though, so I reckon the season might be a bit different.

Catedral de la Asunción de Jaen

The cathedral in Jaén is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Plus, thanks to the minimal tourist traffic, there is a large and completely empty square in front of it, which gives it a completely different atmosphere. I enjoyed just sitting across the square from the cathedral and looking at it.

The cathedral is part of the Unesco-listed Renaissance monuments of Úbeda and Baeza.

The first building on this site was built in the 13th century, after the conquest of the city by the Moors. The foundations of the present cathedral were laid in the 16th century, during the Gothic period. It was rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries and Renaissance and Baroque elements appeared mainly in the interior.

In the main altar of the cathedral is the alleged Santo Rostro (face of Christ). There is also a historic organ.

Castillo de Santa Catalina

The castle towers over Jaén on the top of a hill and, in addition to the historic castle, offers breathtaking views of Jaén and the surrounding area. The castle was built in the 13th century after the Moorish conquest as a defensive fortress. It has a typical military fortress layout, with many bastions and defensive towers.

The normal admission to the castle is 3.50 euros, but there are also night tours with a view of the illuminated city, which are more expensive. (Castle website)

The Parador de Jaén, a luxury hotel, is also located in the castle grounds and offers unique accommodation in a historic setting. It also has a restaurant with a café.

From the town centre, the castle can be reached on foot, about 3 kilometres uphill. On Fridays, weekends and holidays, the L-30 bus also runs here, starting at Plaza Libertad, with a stop in the centre just behind the back of the cathedral. It runs roughly every 90 minutes and costs 1.15 euros.

Arabian Spa – Baños Árabes

The Arab Baths at the Palacio de Villardompardo are considered one of the largest (450 m²) and best in Spain. They were built in the 11th century and form the basement of a Renaissance palace that was built in the 16th century.

The spa is preserved and open to the public (but only for viewing, not for bathing). There are typical features of Arab baths such as arched ceilings, star-shaped skylights and bathing rooms with different water temperatures.

In addition to these large spas, there are other, much smaller ones in the town. I visited Baños del naranjo.

Mercado San Francisco

Also in Jaén, of course, is the traditional Spanish market, with a wide range of fresh produce, not excluding piles of olives. It’s right in the centre of town.

Caserías in Jaén

Caserías are traditional country houses (or farms) typical of agricultural areas. Often they are traditional olive farms or country houses linked to olive growing and olive oil production.

These houses have elements of typical Andalusian architecture such as white plastered walls, small window openings and often traditional tiled or wooden beamed ceilings.

In Jaén, there is also an initiative to defend and preserve the traditional ‘caserías’, which are a characteristic element of local architecture and culture. The Association of Caserías de Jaén is working to raise awareness. I visited the Casería de Jesús with a group of Spaniards.

Olive oil tasting

In Jaén itself, there are plenty of opportunities to taste olive oil. At least in restaurants, you can always get it with bread. There are also plenty of olive oil shops where you can taste it. There are several opportunities to taste olive oil around Jaén, through guided tastings and on the spot where the olives are harvested or the oil is produced.

• The Museo de la Cultura del Olivo is near Jaén and gives visitors an insight into the history and production of olive oil in the Jaén region. You can taste different types of olive oil and learn more about the production process.
• Aceite de oliva y Oleoturismo – a tour directly to the oil farm and fields, about half an hour by car from Jaén.

Where to see in the Jaén area

There are plenty of olive farms to visit around Jaén. In addition, there are popular excursions to:

• Úbeda and Baeza – two neighbouring historic towns listed by Unesco.
• Sierra de Cazorla – a nature park with beautiful landscapes, hiking trails and wildlife viewing opportunities.

What to taste in Jaén

As well as olive oil, there are plenty of good regional Andalusian and Spanish dishes, such as flamenquín (ham wrapped in pork tenderloin, all fried) and pipirrana, an Andalusian salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers with olive oil.

Jaén is gastronomically very classy, with several places mentioned in the Michelin Guide. But most importantly, wherever I went, I ate well.

Where is Jaén

Jaén is in the eastern part of Andalusia, the closest known cities are Córdoba and Granada. From Granada it is about an hour by bus, from Córdoba about 2 hours by train.

How to get to Jaén

Jaén has no airport of its own. The nearest big ones are in Madrid and Málaga. From Madrid it is about 4 hours to Jaén. From Málaga a bit over 3 hours.

More tours and experiences in Jaén