The area with the most castles in Europe is in Spain and you can buy a house for less than €90,000

Did you know that Jaén is the area with the most castles in all of Europe and, at the same time, one of the cheapest provinces in Spain to buy a home?

At Fotocasa, we analyze the residential market in Jaén to explain what daily life is like and how much it costs to move there. In this guide, we review its best medieval fortresses, its official property prices, and its connectivity.

How much does it cost to move next to a castle in Spain?

The monumental heart of Europe: what is it like to live surrounded by castles in Jaén?

Living in Jaén, in Andalusia, means living alongside the highest concentration of fortresses in Europe, made up of 237 cataloged military structures. This record includes 97 castles and 126 defensive watchtowers, the result of centuries as the border between the Christian kingdoms and Al-Andalus.

Residing in the municipalities of Jaén allows you to see everyday landmarks such as the Santa Catalina Castle watching over the capital, or the La Mota Fortress in Alcalá la Real. Furthermore, the province is home to the Burgalimar Fortress in Baños de la Encina, one of the best-preserved 10th-century Umayyad castles in Europe.

This architectural heritage is structured around the renowned “Route of the Castles and Battles”.

Yet Jaén has much more to offer beyond its castles: the province blends this heritage with olive oil production featuring more than 66 million olive trees and 304,175 hectares of protected natural areas.

What are the most charming villages with castles to live in Jaén?

Alcalá la Real stands out for its monumental La Mota Fortress, and Baños de la Encina for the Burgalimar Castle. For living close to natural landscapes, Cazorla, guarded by the La Yedra Castle, and La Iruela, with its bastion set on the mountain crags, are outstanding choices.

Real estate market overview: how much does it cost to buy a house in Jaén?

Housing prices in Jaén are notably cheaper than in other areas of Spain. Buying a home in the province of Jaén costs an average of €1,117 per square meter, according to Fotocasa data for July 2026. This means that a standard 80-square-meter property has an average price of €89,320.

The cost per square meter in Jaén is 64.6% below the national average. In some municipalities such as Andújar, Mancha Real, Torredonjimeno, Mengíbar, or Bailén, the average price per square meter is below €1,000, which means it is possible to find 80 m2 houses for less than €73,000.

How much does it cost to buy a house in Spain? [2026]

Infrastructure, connectivity, and climate: what is daily life like in Jaén?

Daily life in Jaén stands out for short commutes, low traffic density, and a road network structured by the A-4 and A-316 highways. This road infrastructure connects with the Granada airport in less than 60 minutes by road.

Jaén also has a bus network, with standard ticket prices at just €1, offering quick bus transfers to key hubs.

Regarding the climate, Jaén stands out for its more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year within a continental Mediterranean climate, featuring dry summers and winters with moderate temperatures in the valleys.

Is Jaén a good place for remote work? Current status of rural broadband deployment in Jaén

The deployment of fiber optics in regional capitals and historic municipalities has consolidated Jaén as an ideal destination for remote work. Villages with castles like Alcalá la Real or Baños de la Encina allow remote working with high-speed connections.

Healthcare and education: distribution of regional health centers and reference hospitals

The public network has local clinics and health centers in the main regions. In the capital, specialized hospital infrastructures stand out, such as the Neurotraumatology Hospital and the future Health City (Ciudad Sanitaria) project.

Is it easy to find employment in the province of Jaén?

The autonomous community of Andalusia records one of the lowest employment rates in Spain according to INE data. Jaén’s job market depends mainly on the agro-industrial olive oil sector, services, and public administration.

10 non-tourist villages to buy a house for less than €100,000 in Spain

Comparative analysis: living in Jaén vs. other historical areas of Spain

Jaén’s real estate market offers a significant cost advantage over other inland Spanish provinces with a strong heritage presence.

Source: Fotocasa Real Estate Index (July 2026).

As the table above shows, purchasing an 80 m² property in Jaén is €17,982 cheaper than in Toledo and €60,030 cheaper than in Segovia. This difference consolidates the province of Jaén as an affordable heritage residential market.

Steps to buy and move to the land of castles

To buy a house in the province of Jaén and move successfully, you need to define the use of the property, choose the region according to your essential services, review heritage constraints, adapt the climate control, and apply for regional tax bonuses.

Following this order will allow you to avoid extra costs and adapt the purchase to the particularities of this province:

1. Define the use of your home: determine from the start whether you will use the property as your primary residence or as a second home.
2. Choose the right region for your routine: evaluate whether your daily life requires immediate proximity to schools, health centers, and regional hospitals, or if you prefer to prioritize total disconnection and the landscape in mountain enclaves like Cazorla or Sierra Mágina.
3. Review urban and heritage regulations in detail: being the area with the highest density of fortresses in Europe, it is very common for traditional homes in historic centers or rural environments to have special protection statuses from the Junta de Andalucía. Knowing this will prevent unexpected limitations when processing renovations, touching facades, or restoring old elements.
4. Plan thermal insulation and climate control: Jaén experiences very hot, dry summers alongside cold winters in mountain areas. A good budget to insulate enclosures and install efficient cooling and heating systems (such as aerothermal or biomass) is key to guaranteeing comfort and not skyrocketing monthly energy costs.
5. Verify tax deductions and regional bonuses: a large part of the province’s towns with castles are small municipalities. In Andalusia, there are reduced rates for the Property Transfer Tax (ITP) and specific bonuses aimed at young people or those acquiring a primary residence in rural areas or those at risk of depopulation.

Jaén represents an ideal alternative for buyers and remote workers looking to optimize their savings capacity without giving up essential services or exceptional cultural heritage.

The combination of 237 castles and historical fortresses and an average price of €89,320 per home makes Jaén a very attractive option within the national real estate map.

And you, would you consider moving to a historic village with castles if the housing price doesn’t exceed €90,000?

Leave us your opinion in the comments.