Ubeda was stop three on our Andalusian road trip. You can find my trip reports for Malaga and Granada elsewhere on this site or by clicking on my username.
Ubeda (pronounced Ooh bee dar) is an example of what Renaissance urban planners regarded as the perfect town. The town’s heart is Plaza Vázquez de Molina, which is surrounded by civil and religious buildings built from 1530 to 1580, including the magnificent funeral chapel of El Salvador and the Vázquez de Molina Palace (today’s Town Hall).
With the many other churches, mansions, and palaces, Ubeda is the greatest ensemble of Renaissance architecture in Spain and one of the most important in Europe. It’s no surprise that it has a UNESCO World Heritage designation.
In February, Ubeda really did feel like a town shut down for winter. Many of the bars and restaurants were closed and the historic centre was quite deserted. However, the sun was still warm during the day and no crowds to contend with, made exploring the historic center a true delight.
Two days in Ubeda was the perfect amount of time to soak up its charms, take in the stunning architecture, and absorb the rich history that permeates every corner of this beautiful town. If you're planning a trip to Granada or Cordoba, do yourself a favor and make the short trip to Ubeda (it’s an easy 90 minute from Granada) – you won't be disap
In the sections below, I have only listed places that I have personally visited.
STAYING (prices are from February 2024)
Hotel Palacio de Úbeda 5GL (C. Juan Pasquau, 2,)
Set in a lovely 16th century palace, just a five-minute walk from Plaza Vázquez de Molina, Hotel Palacio de Úbeda was an ‘interesting” place to stay.
We arrived by rental car and driving the extremely narrow streets of Ubeda was quite fretful. Luckily, we found a spot right in front of the hotel and took advantage of the valet parking. The check in was very welcoming.
Our room was enormous, and the furniture and décor best described as chintzy and dated. There was a giant bath tub out in the open (which is always a bit weird) but happily there was also a separate shower. The loo featured a 'Japanese style' toilet with all sorts of heating and spraying functions. Overall, not the 5-star experience the hotel likes to describe.
There are two things, however, that do make this hotel special and worthy of consideration - the rooftop pool and the underground thermal spa.
As it was February, the rooftop pool was not open but it’s easy to imagine what a great and unique spot this would be.
The underground thermal spa is amazing. We booked the Palace Ritual for two people (paying €55.00 per person). This package included a 55-minute circuit of the spa and a 25-minute massage to follow. The circuit (which you can wander through as you please) involves several areas with baths, tubs, and showers of water at different temperatures all of which lead you to an unexpectedly large and quite beautiful roman style bath area. You will be stunned!!
We paid €170.00 per night