Free walking tours in Baños de la Encina and what to see

Must-sees

Baños de la Encina is in the foothills of the Sierra Morena, in northern Jaén, and its great jewel is the castle of Burgalimar. It's a 10th-century caliphal fortress, with a long walled enclosure of fourteen towers and a keep added in Christian times. It's among the best-preserved castles of its period in Europe, and from its walls you can see the whole valley. Below it spreads a historic centre of cobbled streets and grand houses.

In the village, the Gothic church of San Mateo with Renaissance finishing touches and the hermitage of Jesús del Llano stand out; the latter's lavishly decorated 18th-century Baroque camarín, a small chapel behind the altar, is one of the surprises of the trip. At the top there's a 17th-century windmill. Outside the centre, the Rumblar reservoir and the Bronze Age site of Peñalosa complete the visit, and the mining hamlet of El Centenillo lies in the north of the municipality.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no regular free walking tours in Baños de la Encina, but there are guided visits. You can tour the historic centre and the castle of Burgalimar, much easier to understand with a guide, and take another visit that includes the camarín of Jesús del Llano, which normally can't be seen otherwise. Groups are small and booking is advisable, especially at weekends.

How long to spend

Allow a full morning for the castle, the historic centre and the hermitage. If you want to visit the Rumblar reservoir or El Centenillo, allow the whole day. With two days you can combine it with Linares and the Cástulo site, about twenty minutes away, or even with Baeza and Úbeda.

Where to stay

Ideally, stay in the historic centre itself, near the castle, where there are rural houses and small places in restored traditional homes. At night the village is very quiet and the floodlit castle is worth the walk. Accommodation is limited, so if you can't find a room, Bailén and Linares, both very close, have more beds.