Jaen’s Renaissance Cathedral
Do you own any good olive oil? Chances are that your tasty bottle of extra virgin hails from Spain given that the nation happens to be the number one producer of olive oil in the world — and by a long shot. Where’s it all made? Well, across the country really, but most of it comes from the southern region of Andalucia. Zoom in a little further and you’ll land yourself in the province of Jaen and its charming namesake city.
Just a short day trip from Granada, Jaen is considered the global epicenter of olive oil. So if you have any affection for the liquid gold at all, then this is where you’ll want to make your pilgrimage. Go there to try the aceite de olivo by partaking in an Andalucia olive oil tour and tasting, or simply just by dousing your toast with it at local cafes and tapas bars around town.
But don’t just come here for the olive oil: Jaen is a beautifully intriguing town with a lot more to see and do than just all things olive-oil-related. For starters, a castle, which was once an 8th-century Arab fortress, crowns the city. These days, Santa Catalina Castle is occupied by a Parador, a hotel belong to a Spanish network of similar establishments that typically reside in historic buildings. Whether you plan to stay there or not, it’s well worth stopping by to check out the castle’s interior.
With a population of over 100,000 people, Jaen is also home to an impressively grand Renaissance cathedral, whose construction began in the 1500s and stretched out over three centuries. Also noteworthy are the Arab baths, the largest preserved ones of their kind in all of Spain. Like museums? Jaen has a handful of those too.
Just a one-hour drive away from Granada, Jaen makes for an easy day trip, either by car or bus (among other totally doable day trips, including a Cordoba day trip from Granada and a Seville day trip from Granada). Staying in a city farther afield? Jaen is easily reachable from Madrid too, from where you can come by train.
-Contributed by Erin Ridley
Day Trip to Jaen: Spain’s Olive Oil Capital from Andalucia & Costa del Sol Things to Do