Sierra Nevada and Andalusian villages

Sierra Nevada and road towards Jaén

While we wait for the bar to open at 8:00 for breakfast, let's go back out to admire the wonderful morning view From Mirador San Nicolás, where the crowd of yesterday evening has magically disappeared and one can finally enjoy its atmosphere. Back at the hotel, we were treated to a café con leche and a couple of Pio IX, local sweets topped with a glaze similar to the papal cap. After some trouble setting up the GPS, we finally managed to find our way and set off for Sierra Nevada, along a beautiful and wide road that took us to the Pradollano ski resort There isn't much snow: the slopes are only covered with snow in the northern gullies, thanks to snow cannons. The light rain yesterday in Granada brought a thin layer of millimeters here, which quickly melted with the appearance of the sun, which is shining everywhere except for some piles on the highest peaks. Along the route that will take us to 2,400 meters – where the temperature is just above zero – we discover that at 1,000 meters it is already everything was blooming, virtue of latitude. Let's take a walk beyond the road, reaching a moderate peak to take a few photos. There is a lot of car traffic and the parking lots along the roads near the ski lifts are full for hundreds of meters. In reality, there aren't many people on the slopes – it’s mostly families who want to go out for a day trip. So much so that when we descend again towards Granada, there are still several cars and buses heading up for a day trip. Along the route to Pradollano, we encounter various sellers of skis and snowboards, all brightly colored.

Along the road heading north towards Jaén, the environment is still winter-like: the first shoots are emerging, but the broad leaves are still dormant. The hills offer a relaxing view of endless olive groves. The andalusian olive trees They are shorter than ours, the "tozzi", and they branch out from the ground into three or four trunks – or even different trees that grow diagonally until they form a single group when they reach the leaves. The reason is probably due to the slope of the terrain, which would not allow for uniform growth in all directions.

We notice a constant feature in the physical profiles of many Spaniards that is quite surprising: the robust build, which in some cases borders on being noticeably overweight, especially among women. Believing that they too adhered to the Mediterranean diet, we expected leaner physiques – likely due to the prevalence of unhealthy food in this Latin American country.

Jaén, Baeza and Úbeda

In Jaén, we can see from the outside the Plaza de Toros and the Cathedral only from the bottom, as Mass is in progress; let's take a walk through the historic center, which is interesting but wouldn't be worth the trip or a significant detour on its own. We can also find a local inn frequented by locals, which also serves as a meeting and socialization point for seniors enjoying a peaceful Sunday afternoon. Here we have a couple of portions – a middle ground between a classic tapa and a full meal, but more than enough to satisfy us – with stuffed artichokes filled with seafood and a pork blood sausage, bacon, onions and other flavors. We then leave the capital of this province to visit two atypical towns: Baeza and Úbeda, crossing the Guadalquivir for the first time – still small in this section but already very calm in its flow. We arrive at Baeza about ten kilometers apart: both cities share the characteristic of being typically Christian and having no Arab past in their origins – a very rare occurrence in the region. It is clear that they developed during the Renaissance period and feature buildings with mixed styles, including religious structures of great importance, where stone structures are dominant, with excellent lighting at night. Apart from tourism, the only source of income for the area seems to be olive cultivation in all its variations. We encounter several olive mills along the road that advertise and offer fresh oil and olives. Another common feature is the clear division between their historical centers and residential areas, which have little to say to visitors. It's remarkable how the two cities collaborate in advertising, as they would likely attract far fewer visitors if they were not so close to each other – a good example of how unity makes strength.

Evening in Úbeda: steak, cycling and Renaissance-style courtyard.

While in Baeza, we take a long walk starting from the promenade-viewpoint with views of the hills stretching south – and among the narrow streets that cause neck pain while admiring how high it stands above us – we choose Úbeda as our overnight accommodation. We visited the small town. extensively, with numerous attractions amidst cheerful groups who came here for a day trip.

We have dinner at a quiet restaurant in the center, where I try an enormous breaded steak filled with ham and cheese, recommended as typical of the area. At this point, we will need another nice walk – officially to see the monuments, more prosaically to allow my stomach to digest the delicious and abundant meal. In the meantime, the noise from the bars, where the beer was flowing freely, has subsided, and a silence falls over Úbeda that seems to transport me back centuries. The weather becomes quite cool, and we hurry home to our "Luxury" apartments The Casas del Cónsul is a luxurious residence with a splendid Renaissance style and excellent interiors; however, the rooms could benefit from some maintenance. We also chose it for its classic central two-story courtyard, which gives it a typical Andalusian atmosphere. A sporty touch is represented by the cycling race international Jaén, Interior, 2022, which will see its arrival right here tomorrow: shortly after our arrival, we can see three large trucks arriving, who, with some difficulty and thanks to the skill of their drivers, manage to maneuver to place the barriers and set up the finish line, complete with sponsor panels, stage and everything else.