Jaen

Jaen is a city and province in Andalusia. The province produces the most olive oil in the world, more than the entire country of Italy.

Saint Catherine's Castle overlooks the city. It is now a parador, a group of luxury hotels in historic buildings.

All the rooms have great views.

The castle was originally built by the Almoravids, and improved by the Nasrids of Granada.

In 1246 King Ferdinand III of Castile captured Jaen and rebuilt the castle.

Jaen has been inhabited since before the Romans. The Romans seized the city from the Carthaginians during the Second Punic War.

We ate Christmas Eve dinner at the parador.

Always start with tapas.

Quite the dining room.

The tapestry next to our table

More tapas!

And dessert

Napoleonic forces were stationed in the castle during the Peninsular War.

Next to the castle is a path leading to a panorama of the city.

You can't have a scenic outlook in Spain without a cross on it.

 

Jaen is also famous for its 16th century cathedral.

I can see why Charles de Gaulle finished his memoirs here!