This historic Spanish city, birthplace of artist Francisco de Goya, has centuries-old churches and winding streets filled with local cafes, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards.
Linares sits in Jaén province, Andalusia, home to 55,000 people. The town spreads across the southern slopes of Sierra Morena near the Guadalimar River. Mining shaped its streets and buildings over centuries, visible in stone structures and industrial relics. Walk through the excavated ruins of Castulo, an Iberian settlement from ancient times. Watch bullfighting events at the plaza where Manolete faced his final fight in 1947. Visit the Casa-Museo Andrés Segovia to see guitars and memorabilia from the legendary musician born here. Raphael, the internationally known singer, also took his first breath in these streets. Pine-covered hills and olive groves frame the town, with walking paths along the riverbanks.
Reaching Linares: Transport Options
Drive via the A-4 highway linking Madrid to Cádiz, passing 12km west of town, or take the A-32 cutting through the urban area. Trains stop at Linares-Baeza station, connecting directly to Madrid in 3.5 hours or Granada in 1.5 hours. Buses run daily to Jaén (45 minutes), Úbeda (1 hour), and Córdoba (2.5 hours). Granada-Jaen Airport handles domestic flights 143km southeast, while Málaga’s larger international airport lies 250km south. Taxis and local buses operate within town, though most central sites sit within walking distance.
Key Places to Explore
Start at Castulo, where Roman mosaics and Iberian artifacts fill an archaeological site 10km northeast. Stand in the bullring on Calle Cervantes, its sand still hosting annual corridas. Study Segovia’s handwritten scores and instruments at his childhood home turned museum on Calle Río. Examine mining tools and Roman coins at the Archaeological Museum on Calle del Arenal. Admire the 15th-century Santa María la Mayor church, its Gothic altarpiece glowing under stained light from rose windows.
Annual Celebrations
August’s Real Feria y Fiestas de San Agustín fills streets with flamenco dancers, brass bands, and food stalls selling garlic-rubbed meats. During February’s Fiestas Iberorromanas, locals reenact Roman battles at Castulo wearing replica armor. Chess masters compete each winter at the Teatro Cervantes during the International Chess Tournament, first held in 1978. Try perolo stew simmered with rabbit and saffron during festivals, or buy turcas pastries from bakeries like Pastelería Santa Clara.
Local Dishes to Taste
Order pipirrana minero at Restaurante El Candil – a chunky salad of salt cod, tomatoes, and green peppers drenched in local olive oil. Hunters’ stews feature venison and wild boar at rural ventas like Casa Paco near Castulo. Breakfast on molletes (soft rolls) with crushed tomato and cured ham from Panadería San José. For dessert, almond-stuffed turcas cookies or chachepol doughnuts rolled in cinnamon sugar satisfy sweet cravings. Most bars serve free tapas like marinated olives with every drink order.
Where to Sleep
Hotel Casablanca Boutique provides modern rooms with mountain views and a pool open May-September. Hotel Victoria’s on-site restaurant serves garlic shrimp and oxtail stew near the train station. Pensión Ruiz offers basic doubles with shared bathrooms for under €40 nightly. Consider staying in Úbeda (35km east) at Hotel Palacio de Úbeda, a restored 16th-century palace with vaulted ceilings.
Mining and Cultural History
Bronze Age tools at Castulo prove human activity here over 4,000 years ago. Romans mined silver here, later exploited by 19th-century British companies like The Linares Lead Mining Association. Bullfighting became central to identity after Felipe V attended a 1732 event here. The 1884 arrival of railways transformed Linares into Spain’s lead capital, funding mansions like Palacio de los Zambrana. Bombing during the Civil War damaged the San Francisco church, rebuilt with original Baroque carvings.
Notable Details
Segovia’s first guitar hangs in his museum, a 1912 instrument made by Manuel Ramírez. The chess tournament’s 1994 edition saw Garry Kasparov defeat Viswanathan Anand in 46 moves. Lead from Linares mines built bullets for both World Wars. Geological walks reveal quartz veins and abandoned mine shafts in Sierra Morena. Evening paseos along Calle Sagasta let you join locals strolling past Art Nouveau facades like Casa de la Tercia.
