Jaén is a small city in the southern part of Spain, Andalusia. It is equally perfect for a one-day visit as well as a longer stay, especially if you prefer peaceful and friendly neighborhoods.
I lived half a year in Jaén as an Erasmus student, so I had the opportunity to explore the city thoroughly. I am far from knowing everything about Jaén but I would like to help out my fellow foreigners with some information about their customs and other good-to-knows.
Language
Be prepared because nobody speaks English here. I do not know any Spanish so I experienced lots of interesting conversations. Administration and figuring out customs can be hard sometimes, therefore I strongly recommend studying some Spanish before arriving here. Using Google Translate is an option but it is clearly not sustainable for too long. However do not worry too much, most of the people are very friendly and trying to help so their positive attitude helps a lot.
Weather
Jaén is very hot in summer, therefore it was quite a surprise for us that in winter the temperature is lower than we expected. At daytime it is usually not a problem but at night, sometimes the temperature is 0 Celsius degrees which is very unpleasant, considering that the houses in Jaén usually have no central heating, and neither does thermal insulation exist. Therefore I strongly recommend buying a heater if you stay here for winter.
For getting warm water you might need a gas cylinder which you have to order in this phone number: +34953280581. On this number you can reach the gas tank cylinder company who will deliver the gas tank for you.
Public transport
For public transportation you can only use buses. There is a tram line and there are stops as well, but the tram is recently out of order. You can apply for a bus card which will make travelling much easier. A ride without the card costs 1 euro but with the card it is around 15-35 cents depending on which type of card you have. The one I used costs 35 cents per ride and you can get them in one of the offices of Caja Rural, one of the biggest Spanish banks.
Shops
There is a Lidl in Jaén next to the University, which probably offers the best prices. There are lots of other shops too: in Mercadona you can choose from a wide supply of Spanish products just as in Dia or Masymas, which are also very popular chains in Spain.
The quality of fruit and vegetable shops is quite bad, you are recommended to buy those in the supermarkets. In the smaller shops the products are often rotten, therefore if you buy anything there, always double check it. Regardless, sometimes you can find very good prices there, you just have to be very careful.
It is subservient to have some cash on you every time since in the south part of Spain it is still used more commonly than in most of the countries in Europe.
Also very important that on Sundays almost everything is closed in Jaén. For this reason, it is advised to buy your groceries ahead, otherwise it is really hard to find a shop open on Sunday.
What to do in Jaén? – Activities
Jaén is not a big city but offers various activities and the locals celebrate something at least every two weeks’ time. I recommend you to follow the social platforms of Jaén city, so you can always look for an activity here.
The city has plenty of bars and restaurants filled with many people and a good atmosphere. I recommend you to try out Tinto de Verano, a typical Spanish drink which is a sweet and refreshing wine-based drink. If you order any kind of beverage (except coffee) they will provide next to your drink tapas as well, which is also a traditional Spanish thing, a fingerfood kind of small meal. This combination usually costs around 3 euros, definitely worth trying out.
The city centre is filled with bars and restaurants where you can try out the traditional Spanish tapas or choose from different kinds of hams and seafood. As for eating habits, brunch is also very popular in Spain (the “breakfast time” is much longer than in other European countries), thus you can try out their various sandwiches or their famous toast with olive oil and tomato. Jaén is quite famous for its olive oil production, so do not miss the opportunity to taste essential olive oil from Andalusia. Churros is another typical food in Spain. If you like the combination of salty and sweet, it is for you. Jaén has plenty of Churrerías (churros- selling shops), my favourite one is the Cafetería Churrería Colón.
Nature
Jaén is surrounded by mountains, which provides plenty of trails to those who like hiking. The Castillo de Santa Maria is also an excellent destination for hikers; you can reach it in an hour from the city centre. The road takes you through the forest and the landscape from the top is fascinating. It is my favourite place in Jaén, I definitely recommend visiting it at least once.
Sights
The Cathedral of Jaén is in the middle of the old town and worth visiting. You usually have to pay for going inside, but on Sundays attempting the mass is free. It is worth checking it out on Sunday if you want to save a few euros. You can still have a good time if you prefer staying outside : the building is very detailed and breathtaking, it deserves the compliments.
If you would like to visit a museum in Jaén, I recommend you visit the Baños Árabes Cultural centre. It is free to enter and consists of different kinds of exhibitions (from paintings through traditional flamenco clothes to antique tools and horse-drawn carriages) other than the Arabian baths, which makes the whole museum very colourful. I loved to spend time there. The museum also has a balcony from where you can have a nice view of the city and beautiful pictures.
