Easter in Ubeda

Easter in Ubeda is an amazing time of the year for the town. Its streets are filled with processions and music at seemingly any hour of the day and night, while the locals make the most of the holiday time to enjoy some gorgeous tapas in between following the different images that they venerate so much. Everything culminates in the expression of their "Semana Santa".

I hope you enjoy your visit to Ubeda at Easter if you get the chance. It's a unique experience!

Real Monasterio de Santa Clara, Ubeda, Spain

The Real Monasterio de Santa Clara  in Ubeda (13^th-18^th Century, Gothic-Mudéjar, Renaissance and Baroque) is currently a convent, in spite of its name. A closed order live there, although they sell their homemade cakes through a hatch – buying them is a real experience, as is scoffing them!

Real Monasterio de Santa Clara, Ubeda, Spain

Palacio de la Rambla in Ubeda, Spain

As you explore Ubeda, a stroll up along Calle Jurado Gómez will lead you to the Plaza del Marqués and the Palacio de Marqués de la Rambia (16^th Century), which has now been converted into a posh hotel. It's a beautiful building, as can be seen in the photo below:

Palacio de la Rambla in Ubeda

Casa de las torres, Ubeda, Spain

Climbing back to the upper part of the Plaza de San Lorenzo, you’ll encounter the Casa de las Torres, an impressive mansion and the oldest one of its kind in Úbeda (16^th Century, Plateresque). The building has been restored and is now home to the local Art College and their lucky students. 

Casa de las torres, Ubeda, Spain

Plaza de San Lorenzo and Iglesia de San Lorenzo, Ubeda, Spain

It’s worth heading down to the Plaza de San Lorenzo in Ubeda, which is dominated by the beautiful ruins of the Iglesia de San Lorenzo (16^th Century, Renaissance) with its tower half overgrown with ivy overlooking the square. Just by the church is a little alleyway that heads out of the old town and straight to the countryside, as steep slope means further construction is difficult there. There are thus lovely views over rolling olive groves and hills in the distance, while along the town walls we can see the Puerta de Granada, another gateway to Úbeda. 

Iglesia de San Lorenzo, Ubeda, Spain

Ubeda tourist office in Ubeda, Spain

Leaving Plaza del Ayuntamiento via the Calle Corazón de Jesús, you’ll find the Iglesia de Santo Domingo (16^th Century, Gothic-Mudéjar and Renaissance) just round the corner from the Palacio Marqués del Contadero, where Ubeda Tourist Office is now housed. They’ll provide you with lots of info on Úbeda, Baeza and the surrounding area, so you should definitely pop in there and browse, even if it’s just to check out the frequent concerts, exhibitions and events that you might be able to attend during your stay.

Dinner in Ubeda and Baeza

Evening dinners (mainly 9-11 p.m.), however, are different. Some people do go out for a sit-down meal, but many will go to a bar rather than a restaurant and have some tapas over a beer or wine. The terminology for ordering the following is as follows: a caña is a small draught lager, a tubo a bigger one and a botellín a bottled lager. The most popular wines are from Rioja or Ribera del Duero, as most local consumers haven’t yet woken up to the gorgeous wines being produced in other parts of their own country.