Ubeda vs Carmona day trip

I have not been to Carmona but just researched it and it certainly looks attractive and tempting. I have been to both Úbeda and neighboring Baeza and very much enjoyed them both and often recommend them as lesser known gems to visit. You say you want to do either as a daytrip from Córdoba. Will you have a car? Both are doable by car, although not particularly close. If not, I can tell you that Úbeda may be just too far to do as a daytrip. Úbeda does not have a train station. You would have to take the train from Córdoba to Estación Linares - Baeza and from there a taxi. There is not much there at that train stop. We had arranged a taxi pickup through our hotel in Baeza ahead of our arrival. I think you would be in for a very very long day if you were to return to Córdoba on same day by train. Úbeda itself, has a very compact historical center and is easily walkable. I would save Úbeda and nearby Baeza for a future visit with more time and a night or two in the area. I don't see a train station at Carmona either on the map. If it were me and I had a car to do this daytrip I would choose Carmona over Úbeda simply because it is closer to Córdoba, or look for another destination directly on the rail line.

I stayed in Ubeda, bussing in from Madrid to avoid the awkwardness/cost of the trip from the Linares-Baeza train station to Ubeda. Then I moved on to Cordoba, again by bus. So I'd say to check the bus schedule, though I suspect Pat is right about the comparative ease of Carmona. A quick check online suggests there's only infrequent bus service between Cordoba and Ubeda. That wasn't an issue for me because I wasn't day-tripping.

I went to Carmona by bus from Seville. It is an attractive town, and I've recommended a day trip there.

The advantage Ubeda has is that its Renaissance architecture looks very different from what you'll see farther south in Andalucia, whereas Carmona is superficially a bit like an overgrown white village. Ubeda also has a major ceramics industry, so if you're a shopper, that would be a significant point in its favor. You'd need to be mindful of the day of the week and the time of day, though, in order to catch places open.

Thanks for the feedback! To clarify, I will have a car for the journey. Also, I’m going on a Sunday which couldn’t be helped. I know Ubeda has some attractions open that day along with restaurants.

You how how it is, too much to see, too big a country, and not enough time!

Yep. I still haven't made it to the Balearic Islands or quite a few cities I want to see.