One's first impression of Jaén province is its miles upon miles of shimmering olive trees stretching from one horizon to the other. The health-giving properties of olive oil are well documented and visitors are well advised to by a bottle of "Virgin Extra" -once you've tried this on your salad, you'll never want anything else!
For golfers, Jaén province has little to offer save the five-hole La Garza included Spain's largest protected area. This is the 214,300-hectare Nature Park of Sierra de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas, declared a Biosphere Preserve and Special Protestion Zone for Birds by the European Union. Not surprisingly it is one of the most sought-after destinations for nature tourism. Other protected areas include the Sierra de Andujar mountains, the Sierra Mágina and Despeñaperros, whose deep gorges and abrupt mountain scenery are regarded by many, especially motorists driving south from Madrid, as the authentic northem boundary of Andalucía.
The city of Jaén dates back to paleolithic times. It stands on the flank of the Santa Catalina Hill, on top of which is a renovated fortress which today serves as a Parador, part of the state-owned hotel chain. Other places of interest are the cathedral, a Renaissance masterpiece by Vandelvira, the Baths of Ali under the Palace of Villardonpardo and the San Juan and Magdalena quarters.
Nearby are the medieval towns of Ubeda and Baeza, where visitors can feel they have stepped back literally centuries in time. While in Ubeda try to see the impressive archeological museum and palace, and in Baeza don't miss the Gothic Palacio de Jabalquinto and the Plaza del Pópulo. Like other inland provinces in Andalucía, Jaén can be tremendously hot in summertime but its mountains and forests make it a firm favourite among the enthusiasts of eco-tourism.