4 Best Sights in Andalusia, Spain

Sometimes jokingly called the Escorial of Andalusia (in allusion to Felipe II's monolithic palace and monastery outside Madrid), this huge angular building in the modern section of town is yet another of Vandelvira's masterpieces in Úbeda. The plain facade is adorned with ceramic medallions, and over the main entrance is a carving of Santiago Matamoros (St. James the Moorslayer) in his traditional horseback pose. Inside are an arcaded patio and a grand staircase. Now a cultural center, it holds many of the events at the Festival de Úbeda, celebrating music and dance in May and June ( festivaldeubeda.com).

From the Plaza de Santa Cruz, you can stroll through these gardens, home to a statue of Christopher Columbus. In summer there's welcome shade and refreshing fountains.

Next door to the Church of the Holy Cross are the remains of a 1st-century-BC Roman theater, one of the oldest and largest in Spain. The stage is unexcavated (it lies under nearby houses), but you can visit the entrance and large seating area as well as the visitor center.

The Spanish word for the Arab souk (zoco) recalls the onetime function of this courtyard near the synagogue. It's now the site of a daily crafts market, where you can see artisans at work and live music on weekends.