8 Best Sights in Andalusia, Spain

Baeza's town hall was designed by cathedral master Andrés de Vandelvira. The facade is ornately decorated with a mix of religious and pagan imagery. Look between the balconies for the coats of arms of Felipe II, the city of Baeza, and the magistrate Juan de Borja. Ask at the tourist office about visits to the salón de plenos, a meeting hall with painted carved woodwork.

Located in the central paseo—where the Plaza del Pópulo (or Plaza de los Leones) and Plaza de la Constitución (or Plaza del Mercado Viejo) merge to form a cobblestone square—this graceful town house was built around 1530. The first Mass of the Reconquest was supposedly celebrated on its curved balcony; it now houses Baeza's tourist office.

Originally begun by Fernando III on the site of a former mosque, the cathedral was largely rebuilt by Andrés de Vandelvira, architect of Jaén's cathedral, between 1570 and 1593, though the west front has architectural influences from an earlier period. A fine 14th-century rose window crowns the 13th-century Puerta de la Luna (Moon Door). Don't miss the baroque silver monstrance (a vessel in which the consecrated Host is exposed for the adoration of the faithful), which is carried in Baeza's Corpus Christi processions—the piece is kept in a concealed niche behind a painting, but you can see it in all its splendor by putting a coin in a slot to reveal the hiding place. Next to the monstrance is the entrance to the clock tower, where a small donation and a narrow spiral staircase take you to one of the best views of Baeza. The remains of the original mosque are in the cathedral's Gothic cloisters.

This 16th-century convent is one of Vandelvira's religious architectural masterpieces. The building was damaged by the French army and partially destroyed by a light earthquake in the early 1800s, but you can see its restored remains.

In the center of the town square is an ancient Iberian-Roman statue thought to depict Imilce, wife of Hannibal; at the foot of her column is the Fuente de los Leones.

This rather plain church dates to the early 13th century. One of the first built here after the Reconquest, it's also one of the earliest Christian churches in all of Andalusia. It has two Romanesque portals and a curved stone altar. Volunteers oversee admissions to the church, so opening hours can be erratic—you're most likely to find it open in the morning (11–1), but check with the tourist office first.

Built between the 15th and 16th centuries as a palatial home by Juan Alfonso de Benavides, a cousin of Ferdinand the Catholic, this palace has a flamboyant Gothic facade and a charming marble colonnaded Renaissance patio. It is now part of the International University of Andalucía, and you can wander in and view the patio (only) for free.

The main square of the medieval city is surrounded by palaces as well as the cathedral. The highlight is the fountain, built in 1564 and resembling a triumphal arch.