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Fortress in Southern Spain

July 2, 2010

Tags: fortress, hotel, luxury, parador, sleep, spain

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Parador De Jaen Castillo De Santa Catalina (Hotel) http://www.paradores-spain.com/spain/pjaen.html

Carretera Castillo De Santa Catalina, S/N, 23002 Jaen, Spain

Settled atop a rocky outcrop in an unknown town is a 13th century Arab fortress that has been converted into a hotel by the Spanish government. If you are a fan of medieval history, this is well worth a detour to Jaen just to stay a night here. At €120 – €200 per night, it isn’t the cheapest hotel, but after all, it is a castle!

Arrival

We exited the train and loaded into a small taxi cab just before sunset. We told our driver we were going to the parador and we drove off. We drove through a part of Jaen and then snaked our way up the side of the outcropping. We finally arrived and saw what we expected: a fortress. High walls, very intimidating, and a great view of the city far below.

Inside

Once you walk in the front door, you realize that this is going to be a once in a lifetime experience. The inside is furnished nicely and very clean. There are several passageways leading out in different directions to the various wings and restaurant. Each of the hallways are decorated in a medieval theme and really make you feel like you are living in the middle ages.

Inside the Parador, © SmarterEurope.com

Rooms

The rooms are all decorated very nicely and exceptionally clean. The windows open to the outside and let in the fresh air. The bathrooms are modern and freshly remodeled. We felt like we were in a luxury hotel instead of an ancient fortress.

Room in the Parador, © SmarterEurope.com

Outside

There is a nice path that leads around the outer edge of the grounds of the Parador providing incredible views of the city below. There is even a nicely placed cross at the tip of the plateau that seems to add a spiritual component to the experience. I recommend taking this walk at night, when you can feel the cool air rushing up the side of the hill and see for miles as the night comes alive.

Restaurant

Inside the Parador is a very fancy looking restaurant in an interesting, all brick, room. Don’t be intimidated though. We were all wearing jeans and regular shirts and we were not shunned away. Actually our waiter was very nice to us and we enjoyed his company. We had some very interesting meals there including the popular “suckling pig”. The total bill was around 80 Euro for 4 people. Worth the price for the experience.