The Parador in Ubeda

A couple of hundred yards away is the Plaza Vázquez de Molina, even bigger than the Plaza 1º de Mayo, and perhaps the most famous and photographed part of Úbeda. Wherever you look there are stunning buildings, such as the Palacio del Dean Ortega (16^th Century, Renaissance), which houses the Parador, a wonderful place to stay if your budget reaches that far. If not, you can still just wander in to have a coffee in its central patio area, typical of Renaissance architecture in this part of Spain.

The Parador in Úbeda

San Pablo church in Úbeda

The Plaza 1º de Mayo is a large square, bigger than most in Úbeda’s old town, and the stand-out features here include the Iglesia de San Pablo (13^th-16^th Century, Gothic and Renaissance), the Old Town Hall (17^th Century, Renaissance) and the Palacio de Torrente (16^th Century, Plateresque), just round the corner in Calle Montiel, which is now used as an old people’s home. 

Here's a photo of San Pablo Church in Úbeda:

San Pablo church in Úbeda

El Parque Natural Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas

Out in the nearby countryside Úbeda and Baeza also offer the chance to visit an area of outstanding natural beauty – El Parque Natural Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas. Great views, decent walking, exceptional Mediterranean flora and fauna all abound amidst picture-book towns and villages such as Cazorla, Hornos and Segura de la Sierra.