Things to Do in Jaen

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Welcome to Jaén Walker!!!

This time, we embark on a new adventure in the Capital of the Holy Kingdom of Jaén.

Jaén is undoubtedly Spain's great unknown, but it is undeniably a place full of charm, with great heritage and rich in history. It is precisely because of its history that Jaén has long been known as the Holy Kingdom of Jaén. In this tour, we will try to uncover why.

We will start our free tour at the Plaza de Santa María right in front of the Catedral de la Asunción where the architect Andrés de Vandelvira made this temple an absolute Renaissance architectural reference in the world, serving as a model for the construction of other Christian temples elsewhere.

Next, we will visit the Palacio del Condestable Iranzo, of exquisite Mudejar taste where its former owner, the Constable Miguel Lucas de Iranzo, turned it into a court where he entertained his most distinguished guests with various events such as concerts and plays. We will talk about the different intrigues and conspiracies plotted against him that led to a fatal outcome.

Once we are back on the street, we will head to the Arco de San Lorenzo, a surviving vestige of the old Church of San Lorenzo where the body of Fernando IV "The Summoned" was laid out, and we will recount the story that led the young monarch to die in the capital as a result of a particular curse.

A few meters from the Arco de San Lorenzo, we will stop right in front of the Santiago Air Raid Shelter and recount how this fratricidal conflict would affect the Capital of the Holy Kingdom.   
 
Next, we will take a walk to reach the Palacio del Señor de Villardompardo, currently home to two museums: The International Museum of Naïve Art and the Museum of Arts and Popular Customs. But the most important treasure it holds are the Arab Baths of "El Niño," one of the five Arab baths that existed in medieval Jaén and considered today the largest in all of Spain with a total of 450 m2.

A few meters from the Arab Baths, we will find the Convent of Santo Domingo, founded in 1382 on the site of an old Moorish palace and where the Tribunal of the Holy Office of Jaén was founded, one of the oldest in all of Spain.

After this short walk, we will arrive at the Fuente del Lagarto, nestled in the heart of the Barrio de la Magdalena, where we will tell the story of the famous Lagarto de la Magdalena and how it has terrified the locals since time immemorial. We will discover its ancient dwelling in the Raudal de la Magdalena and talk about how its days of terror came to an end.

We will end our visit in front of the Iglesia de la Magdalena, where once an old aljama mosque occupied its site, there we can delight in the view of a beautiful Patio del Sahn, where Muslims practiced their ritual bath before entering the temple.

Jaén is thus a city full of heritage and history that overwhelms us once we venture to walk through the streets of its historic center.

Are you ready to discover it with us?!?!

We are waiting for you!!!


Vivatia Tours

IMPORTANT: For the tour to take place, it is necessary for 5 walkers to attend. If the minimum is not reached, it may be canceled at most, with 1 hour notice before the start.

Welcome to the Jaén Night Free Tour: The Lizard Route!!!

It is a real pleasure to welcome you to the capital of the so-called Holy Kingdom of Jaén , which spearheaded the safeguarding and protection of the Christian kingdoms after the Reconquista carried out by King Ferdinand III "The Saint" back in 1246.

We will start our tour in the Plaza de San Ildefonso , an old square outside the walls where we will talk about the oldest Christian religious temple in Jaén, the Basilica of San Ildefonso , founded in 1248. Right in this same square we will find a small slab where we can see the figure of the fearsome Magdalena Lizard , a powerful reptile that since time immemorial terrorized the people of Jaén and we will begin a path that will lead us to the place where its lair was: El Barrio de la Magdalena.
 
A few meters away we will arrive at the Cathedral of the Assumption , unique in the world as it is the only cathedral on the entire planet with balconies, and also a Cathedral-Reliquary that houses one of the most important relics of Christianity, the Holy Face . We will also talk about some of the most disturbing mysteries of this paradigmatic temple, among them, that of the popular Mona of the Cathedral , which represents today one of the most puzzling enigmas of said temple.

We'll stroll down Calle Maestra and stand in front of what was once the Palace of Constable Miguel Lucas de Iranzo. We'll talk about his personality, his boundless ambition, which transformed Jaén and turned it into his personal court, where he entertained the elite world with grand celebrations in his palace. This lifestyle would arouse great jealousy and the occasional enemy. We'll talk about these palace intrigues.

Later, we will arrive at the Arch of San Lorenzo, the remains of the old medieval church of San Lorenzo, which was built in the 13th century but eventually disappeared in the 19th century. It is one of the capital's emblematic places and also houses the fantastic story of the wake of King Ferdinand IV "The Summoned." We will recount the intriguing story that led to the king's death in Jaén as a result of a peculiar curse...

On the way to the Magdalena neighborhood, we will pass by the Civil War Air Raid Shelter and talk about one of the darkest episodes in Spanish history, which also affected the city with a terrible bombing that took hundreds of lives on a fateful April afternoon in 1937.

We'll stop in front of the "El Niño" Arab Baths , with their 450 square meters, making them the largest Arab baths in Spain. We'll talk about their use and also be moved by the story of Sultan Ali, whose assassination long fueled a legend that his ghost still haunts the warm room of these same baths.

We will end our Camino del Lagarto in the popular Barrio de la Magdalena , the neighborhood with the most history in the capital, where we will tell the story of the Magdalena Lizard and reveal the reason why our steps have taken us from San Ildefonso to La Magdalena.

What kind of connection exists between these iconic temples of the City of Jaén ?!

Join us on this mysterious yet magical tour through the historic streets of the Capital of the Holy Kingdom .



I'm waiting for you all in Jaén , see you soon!!!

Joshua

IMPORTANT: For the tour to run, a minimum of 5 walkers must be present. If the agreed minimum number is not met, the tour may be canceled up to one hour before the tour begins.

Have you come to Jaén looking to visit the most important places in the area?
On this tour, you'll learn why Jaén is the capital with the largest number of castles in Spain, or why it's known as the capital of the Holy Kingdom.

It's a city steeped in history and culture, located in southern Spain. Known for its ancient monuments and spectacular natural landscapes, Jaén is a must-see tourist destination for those seeking to discover Spain's beauty and cultural richness.

🏰Itinerary:

On this walking tour, we'll begin in Plaza de Santa María, exploring the jewel of Jaén: its cathedral. Here, we'll learn how Ferdinand III, the Saint, conquered the city in 1246 from the Arabs.

Further on we find ourselves at the palace of Don Miguel Lucas de Iranzo and you will be surprised why it was so important in Jaén during the 15th century.

Later we will go to the Arch of San Lorenzo , where you will learn what the arch with the legend of Ferdinand IV has to do with the place.

As we walk along, there will be time to talk about the importance of Jaén's cuisine and olive oil as we walk toward the air-raid shelter.

Of course, this route includes a look inside Jaén's 11th-century Arab baths. The best-preserved baths in Europe! Afterward, you'll be able to enjoy the best panoramic views of Jaén.

Finally, we will end our route in the Magdalena neighborhood and the origin of the Jaén lizard!

Do you dare to experience it in a different way? Immerse yourself in a Jaen of three cultures!

Finally, you can already discover all the essentials of Jaén and its hidden gems with the Cláritas Turismo Free Tour. The city known as the "World Capital of Olive Oil" has a lot to offer to all the tourists who visit it every year. Come to know the history and culture of this Andalusian city with the new guruwalk of Cláritas Turismo. - Pz. Constitución - Bernabé Soriano Street - Diputación Exteriors - Almenas Street - Cathedral Exteriors - Camarín de Jesús (exterior) - Plaza del Conde - Plaza de los Naranjos - Mudéjar Hall (interior) - Darymelia Theater (exterior) - Pz. San Bartolome