A visit to Jaén last night with hub and two sons, meant an obligatory (rare) Carrefour visit followed by another attempt to find the 1888 bar open. It wasn´t. I´m now presuming now that it´s closed for good which would be very sad after so many years and more so ´cos I didn´t get there in time.
Back of Jaén Cathedral
After popping in a renovated characterless Mesón for a beer and tapas and getting a not very inspiring anchovy and cream cheese on a slice of bread, rather boring (although hub and I had to have two as the kids just looked at them,) to the castle we went.
Jaén Cathedral & City at Night
Up the Santa Catalina hill to see Jaén come alive with twinkling lights as darkness falls is pretty magical. It was rather breezy up there in strangely hot bursts, which didn´t help my photography session.
Jaén Parador from the Walkway
Santa Catalina has a 4* Parador, castle with Visitor Centre and a huge white monumental cross at one end of the hill, said to be on the site that Ferdinand lll his sword or a cross into the ground after re-taking the city from the Moors in 1246.
Jaén´s Monumental Cross Overseeing the City
Jaén´s Monumental Cross From the Walkway
Stunning views, day or night make this a special spot and an advisable start on a visit to the city. A stroll to the cross deserves a visit to the only bar, so with deep pockets to the Parador bar it was. I got outvoted and had to take an easy chair under the 20m high vaulted ceiling in the drawing room instead of one of the pretty patios with city light views.
Moorish Style Vaulted Ceiling
Pretty Parador Patio With City Light Views
Which sitting space would you have chosen?
