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Spain >> CACERES Province

CACERES Province

Province of Caceres

Cáceres is one of the two Provinces of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura. It is located in the east of the Iberian Peninsula, bordering the provinces of Salamanca, Ávila, Toledo, Badajoz, and, in the east, Portugal.

In this province there are cities of such beauty and importance as Trujillo, Alcántara, Plasencia and the city itself, Cáceres, whose historical centre has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNSECO, as well as the famous Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe, in Guadalupe, 126 kilometres from the city of Cáceres.

Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor de Cáceres

Monasteries and Cathedrals, Roman Bridges, mediaeval castles and cities, prehistoric dolmens, cave paintings, nature areas, active tourism and much maore awaits in this marvellous province. A timetravelling trip into the past, mediaeval epochs can be taken here, to times of minstrels and knights, princesses, castles and battlements. Come visit Caceres!

Heritage

The province of Caceres has exceptional artistic and monumental heritage. The most striking is the Roman epoch, which left some of the most well-preserved architectural collections in all of Spain, such as the impressive Roman Bridge of Alcántara, which is without doubt the most beautiful of its genre; the Roman ruins of Cáparra in Guijo de Granadilla; or the thermal springs resorts of Baños de Montemayor y Alange.

It is also the Romans who constructed the road of Vía de la Plata (nowadays from Cadiz to Oviedo). This route, which during the middle ages was used as a pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela, takes us to interesting locations in Extremadura such as Zafra, Mérida, Cáceres o Plasencia.

After the cave paintings, the stand-out element of the area is the cave of Maltravieso located in the abysses of Cáceres. It was a sanctuary, represented by the numerous negative paintings, some of them with amputated fingers, signs of a ritual. Regarding the megalithic, there are numerous dolmens in Valencina de Alcántara, in the lowlands of Guadancil, and in Guadalperal (close to Navalperal de la Mata).

The Muslim heritage in the Province of Cáceres did not leave behingd a great collection of monuments, but did leave an urban plan with a strong Arab taste. The fortifications are some of the monuments which have survived the passage of time. In Cáceres the House of the Weathervanes and the Muslim walls, with octagonal towers, hefty and prismatic; in Trujillo the combination of monuments of the castle-citadel is striking.

The Gothic represents another of the great artistic eras of Caceres.. Many of its cities have preserved monuments such as castles, cathedrals and monasteries forming a unique collection. The warring and conflicts between Muslim and Christian over many centuries favoured the construction of citadels and forts of Moorish origin, which were occupied and reconstructed by their new Christian owners after the Reconquest.

Amongst the most striking are those of Trujillo, Granadilla, Coria and Belvís de Monroy. However, anyone who visits the province cannot forget the castles such as those of Arguijuelas de Arriba y Abajo, Galisteo, Jarandilla, Mayoralgo, Monroy, Montánchez and many others.

Monasterio Real de Santa María de Guadalupe

Regarding the Mudéjar, the most important piece is the Monastery of Guadalupe, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is located approximately 126 kilometres from the city of Caceres. It is an extraordinary collection of towers, capitals, walls and a gigantic dome which rises as a genuine symbol of the spiritual fort.

Festivals and gastronomy

In the villages and cities of Extremadura many individual festivals are held allowing us to understand the character of its people. The Escobazos in the region of La Vera, Cáceres, and the Encamisá in the village of Torrejoncillo, in Higher Extremadura, are a good excuse to enjoy special demonstrations and breathe the air of Extremadura. It is also necessary to mention festivals such as Easter Week, Carnaval, various pilgrimages and other individual festivals such as those of San Antón, Jarramplas, Las Carantoñas, Las Candelas and El Peropalo amongst others.

There is a wide range of gastronomy and the most impressive are vegetable stew of thistle and starflower, gratine of leek, partridges stuffed with La Serena cheese, Extremaduran cooking and breadcrumbs with vegetables. The Iberico ham is the most well known and appreciated delicacy. Its stand out products are the Iberico hams, destined for export. It is also necessary to mention the beef, lamb, the artesan cheeses of Casar, La Serena and Los Ibores, Jerte cherries and the wines of Tierra de Barros.

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Cáceres, World Heritage Site

In the heart of Extremadura an unforgettable destination awaits you - Cáceres. This city, declared a World Heritage Site, hides incalculable value inside its treasured walls, with small squares, palaces, churches and stately homes which are genuine works of art and reflect the most splendorous past of Spain. Go deep into its streets and walls, full of history and amaze yourself with the beauty resonating from one of the prettiest collections of monuments in Europe.

We suggest taking a trip back in time to mediaeval epochs, to times of minstrels and knights, princesses, castles and battlements. Caceres is waiting. Do not hesitate to visit this incomparable sity in Extremadura which shows, with pride, its unsurpassable historic and artistic legacy. Its walled centre has numerous buildings, the majority constructed between the 14th and 18th centuries and around every corner impressive and unique jewels await.

Walk along the narrow, cobbled streets full of arches, look at walls which have seen glorious epochs and which time has forever placed between Renaissance patios, convents and temples, towers, small palaces and mansions of old noble families. Forget the watch and allow yourself to get sidetracked, submerge yourself in this urban layout crowned by the ochre roofs of the buildings which breathe past and mystery.

NATURE AND ACTIVE TOURISM

In the province of Caceres there are various alternating ecosystems of great natural value, amongst which the Meditarranean forests, the rock formations and the meadows are the most striking. Alternatively rivers and reservoirs water the river areas of the Nature Park of Monfragüe. This park has the largest colony of Eurasian Black Vultures (more than 200 pairs) and the largest collection in the world of the Spanish Imperial Eagle (more than 10 pairs) and it is one of the few habitats where the Iberian lynx survives.

Other nature areas of interest , and no less important, are the famous Nature Reserve of Garganta de los Infiernos in the valle del Jerte and the natural monuments of the Barruecos (Malpartida de Cáceres) and Cueva de Castañar de Ibor (which it is not possible to visit).

The extensive meadows, the rock formations, the large plains and the numerous valleys of Meditarranean vegetation are, even today, large spaces which are not modernised at all, a genuine paradise for nature and active tourism in all its forms – hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, aerial sports or rock climbing, golf, hunting, fishing or archery, and many more.

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