THE BEST PALACES

bloody battle.

Changing the name to Osuna, it was during the 15th and 16th centuries that it really flourished when Count of Urena encouraged the construction of 13 churches, a convent, hospital and even university (still open with a splendid Mudejar ceiling).

It was clearly a wealthy place, with one street, in particular, decreed by UNESCO to house the most impressive collection of palaces in Spain. Calle San Pedro (but equally a handful of parallel and perpendicular streets) is full of veritable gems from the Baroque to the Renaissance periods and, including, at least one ho- tel, Palacio Marques de la Gomera, which must be visited for its charming courtyard and chapel.

We stayed at its sister hotel at the top of the town, the Hospederia del Monasterio, and got up early and had a fascinating walk up to the socalled Canteras area, a plateau full of ancient burial sites (below) and caves, from where much of the golden sandstone was hewn to build the town’s wonderful churches and palaces.

The views across the Campina stretched forever, while the atmospheric photos of the town catching the early-morning sunshine were worth the stroll alone. We got back and woke up the teenager to head for breakfast and then the highlight, the bullring, where the HBO cast and crew had spent 17 days filming a major gladiator-style dragon scene from season five. The night be-