Top 5 Úbeda Car Tours: Explore Andalusian Charm
Okay so, planning a trip to southern Spain? Like your trip wouldn’t be complete unless you had some remarkable sights to take in? Well southern Spain is really the heart of it all; you could do so much worse, truthfully. Now then, allow me to say this: Andalusia has this gem, right, a place that usually surprises visitors with its charm, culture, and a huge history that many might never consider until now. Pretty much this place is Úbeda, a place filled with all kinds of renaissance building designs, a wide landscape, and food. Well, Úbeda calls you. This little travel guide will take you with all you should anticipate from car tours. Tours of these sorts of magnitude.
1. The Renaissance Route: A Drive into History
Alright then, prepare yourself for the main car route. The beginning part will bring you face-to-face with sights related to the 16th century. So the center of this route is the Vázquez de Molina Square. A plaza of greatness, clearly shown in its building designs and how close they stand to each other. Like, literally a collection of the finest buildings with designs from that point in time.
It’s almost as if your first stop, the Vázquez de Molina Palace, designed, very intricately mind you, by Andrés de Vandelvira. Seemingly now a town hall with old building designs but you will want to capture everything you can from the balconies. Actually, going onto this next step is the Iglesia de El Salvador, right next to the Palace. Just a short stroll and boom you get another building. So it’s like going to two museums right next to each other.
Now what you are going to want to do is prepare yourself for more traveling, maybe 10 minutes. Very long I understand but it is necessary because architecture waits for nobody. What’s more is the next area on the car route, the Hospital de Santiago. As a matter of fact, Vandelvira-designed this beauty too! Now it acts like a conference center, with some parts serving to entertain a person wanting to appreciate buildings from long ago. Basically you got three Vandelvira spots for the price of one.
You see this Hospital is also nicknamed the “El Escorial of Andalusia”, due to the gigantic structure in its area. Actually, this is worth driving and strolling! Of course you can also bring your partner if they wish to be alongside you. Yet this place is like walking through the history of building designs, the intricacies of architecture, so on so on.
2. Olive Oil Countryside: A Taste of Andalusia
Yet now get yourself in gear as your engine drives past Úbeda and through its country. See the lands stretched with olive trees! I mean you get that sight as the road clears on and on with only them to keep you company. In fact you ought to take the A-6052 to get around the countryside.
It’s pretty much that this road shows you fields and fields of olive trees, farms and such that give you the feeling that Úbeda’s true culture comes from how it takes its environment. Then again it’s not a proper tour unless you halt around at any of those olive oil places, places with the intent of showcasing to buyers premium olive oil to get around with. Apparently tours exist where those businesses educate the tourist about how to know more about olive oils. So it’s sort of like you’re buying education alongside some oils.
I feel it is pretty significant to note that most places like these provide food alongside it so it almost might be an additional experience for your day’s planning! Clearly you can anticipate a time well spent when you get close to any of these spots. Seemingly now the route is filled with the flavor of this southern town of Spain.
3. Sabiote and Torreperogil: Medieval Marvels
Basically now change your drive with a path a bit further out. Really do go on a path around some close towns nearby, alright? A few Medieval castles will be very keen with this section of driving for many of the older building-design goers.
Now as I said earlier there are other locations apart from Úbeda. Like the first, being Sabiote, around only 15 minutes by car away. Very close for tourism so a drive doesn’t bother at all! Also get an impressive castle there too! The Sabiote Castle is also something from the 13th century too, an ancient fortress of much historic importance!
Yet what is impressive for sure is that the people worked it and preserved its original state! So the outside gives a big impression of what castles could have been! Then get your foot onto the gas again because we have Torreperogil. I think the highlight is the watchtower itself, a landmark that stands tall compared to Sabiote’s fortress! Arguably both are like relatives who can argue which structure has more influence back then!
Alright so I would like to get to the point a little, and explain why this route might be one of a time worth partaking with your schedule. So not only do you get an old part of history of not only Úbeda, but now towns not that far apart at all!
4. Baeza: Sister City Exploration
Seemingly if you want to take the long drive just to explore you’d probably be ready to find more historical places near you. Alright then it may not be that far away, about 10 kilometers! Baeza is your friend!
Just like its sister, Úbeda, this city also got building designs around it for people just to tour and have a field day. By the way! These two are UNESCO spots! Now then the cathedral and the Jabalquinto Palace gives that renaissance architectural design that makes it a relative of the architecture we had been going around!
In some respects this town does not hold itself away from tourism, but instead it puts itself around so many of the other famous spots. Now then if you can visit it I do recommend the Plaza del Pópulo. It kind of shows how all these things can be brought to one spot where things can get more eventful when visiting!
Anyway I would take into account this road trip can serve as something you can partake whenever since most of these sights are almost right there and have had the honor of being recognized. Usually, it is pretty rare nowadays that two locations close to each other will both receive recognition, not just in that one place. Arguably that is one reason why people end up wanting a rental car at all.
5. Cazorla Natural Park: Nature’s Retreat
Actually now put yourself in line to encounter another thing about Andalusia. More or less go through an area filled with mountains. The Cazorla Natural Park is something you may or may not have planned.
Still that shouldn’t be something to shun away! Usually what is unique here is its forest of pines, canyons, the beautiful landscape of Andalusia. So almost like those films or photos. Literally a whole location to explore, the drive has plenty of sights! Usually along with the forest and canyon, get streams of bodies to gaze at, places to bird watch.
Then again, it’s almost better you do your research so that planning and tourism can proceed at a smooth state. The road, the A-319, lets you through these mountainous roads with halts whenever necessary for those moments.
Now I should say now that a full stop isn’t needed because sometimes those roads allow sights never usually encountered so driving still keeps up the same quality as you make it to another one of the greatest landmarks southern Spain has!