Book your hotel in BADAJOZ Province

Arrival:
Departure:

You are here:

Spain >> BADAJOZ Province

BADAJOZ Province

Introduction

Badajoz is one of the two provinces in the Extremadura autonomous community. It is found situated in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, bordered in the north by the Cáceres province, the east by the Cuidad Real and Córdoba provinces, the south by the Sevilla and Huelva provinces, and the west by Portugal. As you can see, Badajoz is a large province of Spain.

In this province you find some of the most important towns such as Badajoz, Zafra, Jerez de los Caballeros, and the famousMérida, declared Patrimony of the Humanityby UNESCO for possessing some of the best conserved architecture in all of Spain.

Roman theatres and temples, Templar castles, prehistoric dolmens, natural areas, active tourism and much more are waiting for you in this province. Also you can enjoy the tasty acorn ham, cheeses and vines.

Patrimony

Badajoz possess an exceptional artistic and monumental patrimony. Distinct, in the first place, by the Roman Period which made some of the best conserved architecture in all of Spain, such as the Mérida Theater, declared Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO.

The Cancho Ruano in Zalamea de la Serena is a well conserved archaeological site in Spain. Also the Romans have constructed the Vía de la Plata, a walk which during the Middle Ages was used as a pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. This path is still walked today talking pilgrims through interesting towns such as Zafra, Mérida, Cáceres (the historical part of town declared Patrimony of Humanity) or Plasencia.

The Muslim legacy in Badajoz province has left grand monuments but quiet an urban conception of the strong Arabian aftertaste. The fortifications are some of the monuments which have survived the passage of time. We emphasize the Almohad alcazaba of Mérida and Badajoz with its octagonal tower and the Gate of the Capital, a beautiful horseshoe archway.

The Gothic period represents more great artistic monuments in Badajoz. Many of the towns conserve their unique collection of great monuments such as castles, cathedrals and monasteries. The castle route in Badajoz includes approximately 40 fortifications. Such quantity of castles must have been an intense activity for the Órdenes Military for their territory, especially the Órdenes de Santiago, The Temple and Alcántara. The most spectacular may be the Alburuquerque Castle, Medellín, and the Alcázar in Zafra, now a Tourism parador.

The city of Badajoz has many impressive museums including: Museo Arqueológico Provincial (Provincial Archaeological Museum), which exhibits the archaeology of the province; Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts); el Museo Catedralíceo (Cathedral Museum); and the Arte Contemporáneo (Museum of Contemporary Art).

Other important museums in Badajoz province are: la Casa-Museo de Zurbarán in Fuente de Cantos; Museo Nacional de Arte Romano (National Museum of Roman Art) and Colección de Arte Visigodo (Collection of Visigoth Art) inMérida; and lastly Museo Etnográfico (Ethnographic Museum) and Colección Marqués de Monsalud (Collection of Marqués de Monsalud) in Azuaga.

NATURE AND ACTIVE TOURISM:

Especially important to this area of Spain is the Cornalvo Natural Park, located seven kilometres east of Mérida. Visitors come to enjoy the old Roman dam monument as well as to appreciate the extraordinary ecological value of its water. This area constitutes a critical habitat for the numerous species of residential and migratory aquatic birds for a breeding, resting, or feeding ground or a winter refuge. This humid area is unique to the predominately dry environment which surrounds it. The extensive meadows and riparian groves, which form attractive waterfalls and caves, are outstanding in this park.

Since Badajoz is the most extensive province in Spain, its diversity of natural space makes it one of the most qualified zones for active tourism.

The large amount of reservoir water makes Badajoz a suitable area for nautical sports such as canoeing, sailing, or fishing. The vast meadows, extensive plains, and many valleys of Mediterranean vegetation are, still today, authentic paradises. It is a destination for many fashions of natural tourism: backpacking, horseback riding, mountain biking, parasailing, mountain climbing, golf, hunting, fishing and archery.

Map of BADAJOZ Province

Selection

Province

City center

center map:

(38.87606, -6.97005)

zoom:

See large map of BADAJOZ Province >>>

- Rural houses in the province of Badajoz

- Hotels in the province of Badajoz

Merida, patrimony of humanity

Capital of the Autonomous Community of Extremeña, Mérida before was the capital of the Roman Lusitania province and an important religious focal point during the expansion of Christianity.

Mérida was founded in 25 A.D. with a double proposition. First was to accommodate the veterans of the V and X legions, graduates of the emperor after the Cantabrian wars. Secondly, was to guarantee the establishment of communication in two f the most important Roman routes: The Vía de la Plata that intersected in Mérida and Astorga, and the route that went from Toledo and Lisboa.

The walk through the Emérita Augusta begins in the Roman Theater (century I A.D.) with stands for a capacity of 6,000 spectators and a stage richly decorated with rows of columns and statues. This monument once held theatrical and musical performances. Next, walk over to the Amphitheatre (Century I A.C), which was a building designed for the celebration of games, in particular gladiator fights, and now preserves history with the its stands and grandstands.

In the center of the city rises theTemple de Diana and very close the Arco de Trajano, in which 15 meters of height give a grandeur magnification of this time period. Next to the Guadiana River, La Alcazaba has the footprints the Arabs left on the city. In the interior is a reconstructed well of Roman origin, surrounded by Visigoth pilasters. El Puente Romano (Roman Bridge) is one of the largest of its style, with 60 arches and more than 800 meters long. In the outskirts of the town enjoy the Acueducto de los Milagros which brought water from the river to the reservoir in Proserpina.

Food and festivals

Iberian jam and the and the different variety of pigs, cheese and wines are the most important products in the province of Badajoz. Of special importance is the slaughtered pig and its subsequent use, which at first is fresh meat for a family gathering, and afterwards the remains are usually made into chorizo, shank, sausage, loin, ham and many other types that flavour the typical dishes. Calderetas, made with stomach of a lamb roasted in onions, testicles, lamb meat roast, swine, and beef, complete an exceptional dish. There is a wonderful variation of cheeses in this province with exceptional flavour. A goat cheese called “quesaillas” has a special significance here as well as sheep cheese used in the Torta de La Serena of soft dough, creamy, a spread of extraordinary flavour.

Calderetas, hígado de cordero encebollado, criadillas, asaduras, cordero asado, cabrito, cochinillos y las clásicas preparaciones de la carne de vacuno, completan una oferta cárnica excepcional. Los quesos de la provincia son buenísimos y variados, pero sobre todos destacan uno de cabra, denominado “quesaillas” y otro de oveja, la Torta de La Serena, de pasta blanda, cremosa, untable y de un sabor extraordinario.

The villages, towns, and cities of the Badajoz province offer numerous festivals allowing you to appreciate the people’s culture. Some of these festivals include Semana Santa (Holy Week), Carnival, Romerias (different saint festivals), and different types of fairs. We should also included the Festival of Classical Theatre in Mérida (July – August) that has been celebrated for more than 70 years.

Source: Council of Badajoz, Spain.info