Cities of Extremadura

What to see

What to try PGI Extremadura Lamb DO Torta del Casar Cheese Patatera Sausage Roscas de Alfajor (Homemade Extremadura pastry)

DO: Designation of Origin is a classification system for quality food and wine products. PGI: Protected Geographical Indication corresponds to a specific geographical location where quality livestock is raised.

UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.

This city has the best preserved artistic and monumental heritage of Spain and the third best of the Old Continent, according to the Council of Europe. It was an important hub with stately character during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with the legacy of America’s wealth visible in many buildings. A walk through its streets leads to the admiration of squares, arches, towers, palaces, churches, and convents – all of which are in such number and quality that visitors will need several days to fully grasp the city’s heritage.

What to see www.turismoextremadura.com

Cáceres likewise stands out due to its cultural agenda, with initiatives such as the WOMAD Festival, the Classical Theater Festival, and exhibitions at the Helga de Alvear Visual Arts Center. Finally, don’t miss the Holy Week, a Festival of International Touristic Interest.

Cáceres

What to try

SPAIN

PGI Veal from Extremadura Browned cod and other dishes of Portuguese influence Sautéed Breadcrumbs Técula Mécula cake Conventual pastries

CASTILE AND LEON

PGI: Protected Geographical Indication corresponds to a specific geographical location where quality livestock is raised.

Salamanca 245 km

Plasencia

Cáceres

A-66

A-5

Trujillo EXTREMADURA

Lisbon

A-5

228 km

Badajoz

Mérida

Toledo CASTILE-LA MANCHA

Zafra A-66

135 km

Seville

Córdoba ANDALUSIA

S P A I N Old Town of Cáceres

It is a delight to taste the tapas (traditional Spanish snacks) of Badajoz and discover the shopping district. Leisure programming is full of options you can take part in like Carnival, declared a Festival of National Touristic Interest, the Almossassa Festival, and Los Palomos LGBT Festival.

Badajoz

Madrid

PORTUGAL

Founded by the Moors on the shores of the Guadiana River, Badajoz’s proximity to the border with Portugal has marked its character throughout history. Noteworthy are the Alcazaba, or fortress, from the twelfth century, the largest which remains in Spain, recently restored, and the Espantaperros Tower, one of the symbols of the city which is located next to the Puerta de Palmas Door, as well as the Plaza Alta (High Square) and La Soledad Hermitage.

Alcazaba

What to see

What to see

With its Plaza Grande and Plaza Chica (Large and Small Squares), both of which are porticoed, Zafra has been, for centuries, an influential center of craftsmanship, commerce, and livestock – something that has not been lost in our days, as evidenced by the Feria Internacional Ganadera y Tradicional de San Miguel (International Livestock Fair and Traditional Saint Michael Fair), celebrated since 1453.

What to try DO Dehesa de Extremadura Free-Range, Acorn-Fed, Iberian Ham DO Ribera del Guadiana Wine

DO: Designation of Origin is a classification system for quality food and wine products.

Noteworthy in this town which is rich in heritage is the Zafra Castle (Palacio de los Duques de Feria), which has been converted into a Stateoperated “Parador” hotel and has a spectacular façade and nine crenelated towers, as well as the Santa Clara Convent-Museum and the Candelaria Collegiate Church. De la Luna al Fuego (From the Moon to the Fire) Festival recreates the Spanish Golden Age, an age of splendor in the history of Zafra.

What to try PGI Veal from Extremadura DO La Serena Cheese DO Monterrubio Olive Oil DO: Designation of Origin is a classification system for quality food and wine products. PGI: Protected Geographical Indication corresponds to a specific geographical location where quality livestock is raised.

Zafra

Plaza Grande

What to see UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.

Several of the monuments built by the Romans in Emerita Augusta, now Mérida, are still in use after 2,000 years. The most representative example is the theater, which hosts the Classical International Theater Festival each summer, one of the great cultural events of Spain.

It is convenient to explore the city and get to know the icons of the ancient capital of Lusitania, such as the aforementioned Theater, the Amphitheater, the Bridge, the Temple of Diana, Los Milagros Aqueduct, or the Circus. To get an idea of what Hispania was like in the times of the Roman Empire, it is recommendable to visit the National Museum of Roman Art, the only one in Spain, and to participate in the Emerita Lvdica Festival.

What to try DO Ibores Cheese

DO Villuercas-Ibores Honey

DO Ribera del Guadiana Wine

DO: Designation of Origin is a classification system for quality food and wine products.

Mérida Roman Theater

This is one of the most visited destinations of Extremadura because of its heritage.

Romans, Visigoths, Muslims, Jews, and Christians have defined their identity here for centuries. The Plaza Mayor and the historic center have magnificent palatial architecture, having been built with the fortunes from America. The stately homes and Trujillo’s heraldry are places to be visited, as are the Castle and the Santa María la Mayor Church.

The city is birthplace to important figures from the Age of Discovery: Pizarro, explorer of Peru, and Orellana, discoverer of the Amazon River. The National Cheese Fair takes place in Trujillo’s Plaza Mayor in May.

Trujillo Plaza Mayor

What to see

What to try DO Gata-Hurdes Olive Oil DO Jerte Cherries DO La Vera Smoked Paprika

DO: Designation of Origin is a classification system for quality food and wine products.

Because of its monumental character and its proximity to Jerte and Ambroz Valleys and La Vera Region, Plasencia is one of the most attractive tourist destinations of Extremadura. It has walls which enclose the center and its Plaza Mayor, a rectangular and porticoed center of Plasencia’s social life where the great “Martes Mayor” Festival is celebrated (“Great Tuesday” – the first Tuesday of August).

The Old and New Cathedral, the churches, the convents, the palaces, the city wall, and the Jewish quarters all make up a beautiful historical ensemble. Its bars and restaurants, where you can taste the delicacies of Extremadura in the form of tapas (Spanish snacks) or more elaborate dishes, fill the streets and squares with life.

Plasencia Cathedral