Extremadura Travel Guide

Introduction

Roughly the size of Switzerland, but with only 1.1 million inhabitants, Extremadura is one of the most rural regions of Spain. Its largest city, Badajoz, has a population just over 150,000.

Extremadura has long been one of the poorest regions in the country, with a GRP 25% under the national average and similar to those of Andalusia and Portugal.

The discovery of the American continent proved very fruitful for impoverished Extremadurans, and a disproportionate number of early conquistadors, explorers and governors hailed from that region. As a result, Extremaduran place names have spread throughout the former Spanish Empire. For instance, there are municipalities in five Latin American countries named after the home town of Francisco Pizarro, Trujillo, the largest of which is a city of 1 million inhabitants in Peru. Trujillo is also the name of a Venezuelan state, a Colombian and a Peruvian province, and the former name of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican republic. Another example is Mérida, whose Mexican homonym in Yucatan has outgrown the original town by a factor of nearly 20.

Famous people from Extremadura include (chronologically): the conquistadors Francisco de las Casas, Francisco Pizarro (conqueror of the Inca Empire), Pedro de Alvarado, and Hernán Cortés (conqueror of the Aztec Empire), the explorers Vasco Núñez de Balboa, Hernando de Soto, Francisco de Orellana, and Sebastián Vizcaíno, and the author Carolina Coronado.

Cuisine

Attractions

North

Cáceres ※

This UNESCO World Heritage city boasts one of Europe's three best-preserved medieval centres, featuring a remarkable blend of Roman, Islamic, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Its walls house the world's oldest known cave painting - a 67,000-year-old red hand stencil made by Neanderthals in the Maltravieso Cave. The city flourished after 1492 when local families, including conquistadors Cortez and Pizarro, brought wealth from the New World. Today's visitors can explore the illuminated ancient buildings, including the iconic Bujaco Tower and numerous palaces. The local cuisine is particularly noted for its Torta del Casar (a creamy sheep's milk cheese) and Cuchifrito (a crispy roasted pork dish). The city maintains its medieval character so faithfully that it serves as a natural film set, with its cobblestone streets flanked by ancient palaces and fortified houses remaining virtually unchanged for five centuries.

Santa Maria de Guadalupe ※

This UNESCO World Heritage site, built in the 14th century, began with a fascinating legend of a shepherd finding his dead cow miraculously coming back to life, leading to the discovery of a Virgin Mary statue. The monastery complex showcases an impressive blend of Gothic, Renaissance, Mudéjar and Baroque architectural styles. Its museums house remarkable treasures, including a 200,000-pearl cape for the Virgin, illuminated manuscripts from the 14th-19th centuries, and masterpieces by renowned artists like El Greco, Goya and Zurbarán. The site was historically significant as a medical centre, housing one of Spain's earliest medical schools (first mentioned in 1451) and a surgery school. Christopher Columbus visited three times, and Queen Isabella was a frequent guest with her own private residence in the monastery. The complex features four main sections including two distinctive cloisters - one Mudéjar and one Gothic - along with eight towers, of which the Santa Ana and Portería towers are particularly noteworthy.

Monfragüe National Park

Monfragüe, whose name derives from the Latin 'Mons Fragorum' meaning fragmented mountain, is home to one of the world's largest breeding populations of vultures and houses more than 280 species of vertebrates, including the rare Spanish imperial eagle and Iberian lynx. The park features three main hiking trails, ancient cave paintings dating back 9,000 years, and a 9th-century Arab castle with two surviving towers. The landscape encompasses Mediterranean forests with oak and cork trees, whilst the convergence of the Tajo and Tiétar rivers creates dramatic cliffs, including the 300-metre-high Salto del Gitano viewpoint, perfect for bird watching. Beyond natural attractions, the park offers excellent stargazing opportunities at its astronomical observatories, and visitors can sample local delicacies such as migas, Iberian ham, and venison stew. The site's human history stretches back to prehistoric times, with 107 shelters containing rock art, though only one, El Abrigo del Castillo, is accessible to the public through guided tours.

Trujillo

Trujillo, known as the 'Cradle of the Conquistadors', features a remarkable Plaza Mayor dominated by an equestrian statue of Francisco Pizarro, the conqueror of Peru. The town's granite-built historic centre showcases medieval architecture, including a 10th-century Moorish castle, the Gothic Church of Santa María, and numerous Renaissance palaces built with New World gold. Nature enthusiasts can spot storks nesting atop ancient buildings, whilst gastronomes can savour the region's renowned Ibérico ham from black pigs that roam the surrounding oak forests, along with unique local delicacies such as Torta del Casar sheep's milk cheese. The town's culinary heritage includes traditional dishes like 'cocido extremeño' stew and wild asparagus, whilst the annual International Cheese Fair in May showcases over 300 varieties from across Spain and beyond. A curious feature is La Alberca, a 14-metre-deep Moorish well that continues to supply water after centuries.

South

Mérida ※

Founded in 25 BCE as Emerita Augusta, Mérida was once the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania and houses one of Spain's largest archaeological ensembles, which earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1993. The city's remarkably preserved Roman ruins include a 6,000-seat theatre still used for performances today, a 792-metre-long Roman bridge that was once the longest in the empire, and the impressive Los Milagros aqueduct. The local cuisine reflects Mediterranean traditions, featuring cold dishes like gazpacho and ajoblanco, alongside tapas made from acorn-fed pork products and regional sheep cheeses, typically paired with Ribera del Guadiana wines. Beyond its Roman heritage, the city also preserves significant Moorish architecture, including the Alcazaba fortress built in the mid-9th century using materials from the original Roman city walls.

Badajoz

Situated near the Portuguese border, Badajoz features a remarkable 12th-century Moorish citadel called the Alcazaba, which now houses the Provincial Archaeological Museum containing around 20,000 artifacts. The city's Plaza Alta showcases striking red-and-white Moorish-inspired residences known as Casas Coloradas, and hosts an Arab-style market during the Almossassa festival in late September. The 13th-century Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, originally converted from a mosque, uniquely displays three windows in different architectural styles: Gothic, Renaissance and Plateresque. The city played a crucial role in several historical conflicts, including the Peninsular War, where the British forces under Wellington captured it from the French in 1812 after three attempts. The Puerta de Palmas, a picturesque city gate dating back to the 1500s, serves as one of the city's landmarks. The area is also known for its theatrical heritage, with classical plays performed during summer nights at the Roman theatre in nearby Mérida, a UNESCO World Heritage site.