Úbeda's fascinating Casa Museo Andalusí comprises a 16th-century private home that was inhabited by conversos (Jews who converted to Christianity) and a huge, diverse collection of antiques assembled by owner Paco Castro. Informal guided tours of the house, led by his art historian daughter Eva Castro Martos, make it all come alive. The first hint that this is somewhere special is the original 16th-century heavy carved door. Ring the bell if it's closed, or schedule visits in advance via WhatsApp.
Above the central patio of this lovingly restored home are balconies and a painted Mudéjar-style ceiling and eaves. It's the ideal faded-grandeur setting for the family's collection of Renaissance doorways, 16th-century water jugs, antique bridal trunks, tapestries and artwork, gathered from all over Spain.
If Casa Museo Andalusí has whetted your appetite for more, ask about touring two other nearby mansions equally laden with aesthetic treasures – Casa Solar de los Granadas Venegas and Casa Sinagoga de Salomón; a visit to all three costs €12 and comes complete with fascinating historical commentary about Úbeda.
