The castle of La Iruela will leave you speechless
Fasten your seat belts, because we take the road and the blanket and set off on a route that has everything: adventure, nature, culture, beauty and, above all, disconnection, blessed disconnect!
You will find yourself before the landscapes that bewitched Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente
CAZORLA
Our route starts at Cazorla, absolutely a little mountain village picturesque in which you will not be able to stop clicking. You will shoot at him Yedra Castle, towards white houses on which towering mountains rise, to the balconies arranged like in boxes towards the square. And there, you will not be able to avoid feel tiny before the awesome ruins of a church that was never built, that of Santa María.
Book the tour to see ** the colossal work, ** well ahead of its time, which allowed the Cerezuelo River to be buried. This passed exactly where the great man Francisco de los Cobos decided that he wanted to build a temple, but that, he did not stop him: on the contrary, he encouraged him to carry out untried techniques till the date. However, nature had other plans, and in 1694 flooded the whole area , leaving innumerable dead in the town and ending a large part of the works of the church, which contributed to the fact that it was never finished. Tower, however, it remained intact, and its visit is included in the price of admission. own some spectacular views !
Another worthwhile walk is the circle tour leading to the birth of cerezuelo river , which begins where the visit to the vaults ends and returns again to Plaza de Santa María. Of low difficulty and maximum beauty, each section of the route is very careful, with wooden bridges, railings and viewpoints that guide you through the green explosion of the area, and which ends opposite the Castillo de la Yedra, with a unrivaled panorama about the municipality. In addition, at the end, you will go down the intricate streets of the town, which are a delight for the senses.
The ruins of Santa María, imposing
We can spend the rest of the day get lost -there are several tourist signs that will guide our steps-, and surely we will run into the stately Corredera Square , with several "real" bread bakeries , with super coquettish little streets and full of flowers and with several shops selling Iberian oils, cheeses and pâtés from the region where it is worth refueling for the rest of the trip.
We especially like the one in front of the unforgettable Zabaleta Painter's Balcony and its monument to blues (it has been here for almost a quarter of a century celebrating the BluesCazorla , one of the most important festivals of this genre in the country). You have a lot to choose from - those butter cakes are a sin!- and their owner is sim-pa-ti-qui-si-mo. However, it is difficult to stand out for that quality around here: you will soon realize that it is a characteristic inherent to the spirit of Jaén, which will dazzle you almost more than the beautiful landscapes.
And for eat? In practically anywhere you are guaranteed good tire , especially if you are a carnivore, because the area is rich in hunting Try, for example, the Meson Don Chema , with a traditional air and colorful decoration, with homemade and traditional dishes from which they give warmth and want a nap.
Cazorla: perfect
SIERRA DE CAZORLA NATURAL PARK
It's time to leave for the mountain , and to enjoy the way. Because, although the objective is to reach the largest natural area in the country, the ** Natural Park of the Sierra de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas **, the charm of the area extends from the moment we get into the camper. There, from that position privileged and comfortable , we will enjoy charming little towns that follow one after another, with countless places to eat and rest.
The first we will pass will be the iruela with the majestic profile of your castle in the distance; Later, we will cross your district, Burunchel , a white village perched on the hillside; soon we will find the Pigeons lookout, where to stop to contemplate the views. Later, the endless olive fields , which seem to comb the mountain, will give way to a more wooded landscape , and we will meet at Cold Creek , another district of La Iruela with many accommodation and hotel options. We can stop at Martin supermarket , a "Green Store" with products from the area where we can stock up on more delicious delicacies for a picnic in the mountains: hams, sausages, honey, chocolate...
We continue along the A-319, which becomes more and more green and attractive -and in which, surely, we have already come across deer, goats, sheep and, if we travel at nightfall, even boars- until we reach our destination: the Vinegar Tower Visitor Center . There we can gather information about the most interesting hiking routes, of which one of our favorites -and also the most visited, so it is convenient to do it very early- is that of the ** Borosa River **.
A little silence will be enough to spot creatures as wonderful as the red fox
It will guide us along the riverbed through tracks, footbridges attached to the rock and bridges, and will show us the extraordinary geological wealth of the area, because in its mountains you can perfectly appreciate the giants folds generated by seismic movements during prehistory. Seven kilometers later we will arrive at the Power plant, Where is he Waterfall most spectacular of the way, and then, we have the possibility to return, if we are already tired, or continue through tunnels and climbs to appreciate the beautiful lagoons, surrounded by forests of black pine and inhabited by herons, mallard ducks, dippers...
The Borosa River trail will make you fall in love
The complete route (round trip) has 22 kilometers , so it is normal that, once finished, we want Replenish forces . We will do it in the restaurant of the Hotel Mirasierra , in Coto de los Ríos, 23 minutes away by van. There, in an environment of mountain refuge, we will eat specialties from the Sierra, such as the succulent rin-ran (a kind of puree of peppers with cod) or the gachamiga (crumbs accompanied by dried and fried peppers, chorizo, black pudding and melon or other seasonal fruit), as well as exquisite preparations of game meats and river fish, like trout.
And to sleep? Simply look around you: the decoration of your particular hotel is pure delight. Choose the place you like the most, throw on some good blankets (the temperature drops a lot at night) and spend the night in the shelter of your Indie Camper ... and the stars. Or choose one of the many campsites that pave the way!
You can't leave without trying the rin-ran!
UBEDA
You choose how many days to stay in the Natural Park and how many of its possible trails to follow (remember that it has the longest on foot in Spain, that of Southern Woods ). However, when you've had enough of nature, grab the A-319 again, now in the direction of Úbeda. We chose to do it, as we have already mentioned, through Reserve of the Rivers , going through the Tranco Swamp and bordering e The Guadalquivir River , on a mountain road that throws up some amazing views about the park.
During the journey, it is possible to stop in the town of Villanueva of the Archbishop and take a walk through its main square, although it is even more beautiful Iznatoraf, a medieval village labyrinthine streets with true hanging Gardens on your walls and unforgettable panoramas over the park and the olive groves. You can also visit the Temple of the Assumption in Villacarrillo , although all this will be nothing more than starters for the main dish of the day: Ubeda.
The views you will see from your camper along the way
If you like Italy, you will love this city of arcades where you live silence and nobility of the towns, but in streets surrounded by renaissance constructions that have been kept in perfect condition. This splendor is due to the important geostrategic value that the place had since Middle Ages, because it was on the border between the kingdoms of Granada and Castile. However, it was already in century XVI when the settlement reached its zenith thanks to a long period of peace and the good performance of the economy, which made Úbeda become one of the most populated centers of the Spain of the time.
But back to the present: your destiny is the historic helmet, so park in the surroundings of the wall and continue on foot. you will meet a quite secluded center, and pedestrian practically in its entirety, which is a delight to walk on.
Úbeda, distinguished and stately
You will want cross the threshold of each building you see, and you will be fascinated to find then that true palaces they are used as pottery workshops - a craft from Ubet admired all over the world -, dance schools and even schools . Here, simply, everything has a majestic and stately air, so no one drops their rings for giving a Common use" to places that would make us spend an entire reel of photos. It's part of your Magic.
You will find the essentials along the way, but here is a brief guide: the Vazquez de Molina Square, with the Sacra Capilla del Salvador and the Collegiate Church of Santa María, as well as extraordinary Renaissance patios, such as the one in Hostel ; Square First of May, with the Church of San Pablo and the Conservatory - it is a dream to hear the piano notes that land on the street while walking; the real street , full of tapas bars -remember that, here, you can eat and very well just ordering beer after beer -, and the Andalusia Square , with the Clock Tower and the Church of the Trinity. In case all this beauty seems little to you -is that possible?-, here you have ten more reasons to visit the beautiful Úbeda .
You will want to enter all the patios, even the Hospital de Santiago
BAEZA
We arrive at the last stop on our journey, which is just 18 minutes by road from Ubeda. this other indoor paradise , also sculptural and aristocratic, deserves an entire article: we dedicate it to Baeza, a getaway to the silence and beauty of Jaén . And to sleep, we continue to recommend the pure air and the starry sky, two attributes that are easily accessed by leaving a little from either of these two cities, surrounded by fields -although you will also find service areas and motorhome campsites in the area-.
To embark on this route, we recommend renting a comfortable car suitable for a total roadtrip, such as the ** Motorhome ** of Indie Campers , a van converted into a motorhome with 9.4 habitable meters in which they fit two double beds , a table in which to share the delicatessen of the land of Jinense, which are many!, and a bathroom.
Now you know everything you need to carry out this unforgettable route at your own pace : all you have to do is make the preparations. Starts!
Baeza's spell will catch you