Download GPX file for this article
39.2-6.0Full screen dynamic map

From Wikivoyage
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Extremadura (Extremaduran: Estremaúra) is a region of Spain. Extremadura is characterized by the joviality of its people, so in any corner of the land of Extremadura there is a place of fun.

Cities[edit]

Map
Map of Extremadura

Caceres
  • 1 Badajoz — home to a Moorish castle, the powerfully armed fort of San Cristobal, and the Badajoz Cathedral, which resembles a fortress with massive walls
  • 2 Caceres — medieval town and museums
  • 3 Mérida — featuring a Roman theater and Museum of Roman Art
  • 4 Plasencia Plasencia on Wikipedia — has the remains of a 16th-century aqueduct
  • 5 Trujillo — medieval town and home of Francisco Pizarro, the conquistador of the Inca empire
  • 6 Zafra — it has a medieval quarter, which surrounds the fortress, and many winding streets and historical buildings to explore

Other destinations[edit]

  • 1 Monastery of Saint Mary of Guadalupe Monastery of Saint Mary of Guadalupe on Wikipedia in Guadalupe — a huge hill-top monastery/cathedral and great parador.
  • 2 Monfragüe National Park Monfragüe on Wikipedia This Park features cliffs, rivers, forests, eagles and rare vultures. The iconic Monfragüe Castle is perched atop a hill and offers a glimpse into the region's history.

Understand[edit]

Climate[edit]

The climate of Extremadura is characterized by its very hot and dry summers, with great droughts, and its mild winters due to the oceanic influence from its proximity to the Atlantic coast of Portugal.

Talk[edit]

The only official language is Spanish (whose local dialects are collectively called Castúo), but other languages and dialects are also spoken. The Fala, a Galician-Portuguese language, is a specially protected language and is spoken in the valley of Jálama. The Extremaduran language, the collective name for a group of vernacular dialects related to Leonese, is endangered. Local variants of Portuguese are native to Cedillo and Herrera de Alcántara. Portuguese has also been accounted to be spoken as well by some people (mainly those born before the 1940s) in Olivenza.

Get in[edit]

Get around[edit]

See[edit]

Rock art in Siega Verde
The Dolmen of Guadalperal during the drought of summer 2019
  • 2 Dolmen de Guadalperal. 24/7. Archaeological rock formation similar to Stonehenge but on a smaller scale. It's almost permanently submerged in a reservoir, with the tips peaking out. In periods of drought, the water reclines and the dolmen can be observed in its full glory. The dolmen was completely visible in 2019 for the first time in 50 years because of extreme drought in the region. Free. Dolmen of Guadalperal (Q20170929) on Wikidata Dolmen of Guadalperal on Wikipedia
  • Visit the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in Extremadura
    • 3 Monfragüe. Monfragüe National Park (Q1968939) on Wikidata Monfragüe on Wikipedia
    • 4 Tejo/Tajo Internacional Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Portugal/Spain). International Tagus Natural Park (Q107111810) on Wikidata
    • 5 La Siberia. La Siberia (Q2394705) on Wikidata La Siberia on Wikipedia

Do[edit]

  • 1 Cerro Masatrigo. A strangely symmetrical conical hill, 161m high, forming a peninsula of the La Serena dam basin. There are hiking and mountain biking trails. Cerro Masatrigo (Q23984079) on Wikidata

La Ruta de Isabel La Católica[edit]

If you plan on visiting the town of Guadalupe, in the Sierra de Guadalupe, you might consider hiking La Ruta de Isabel La Católica. This 17-km trail starts in the nearby village of Cañamero, which can be reached by bus. The well-marked trail winds its way past beautiful lakes and stunning hills before descending into Guadalupe. The hike takes about half a day.

Eat[edit]

Extremadura gastronomy is known mainly for its Iberian pork sausages, an animal that feeds on acorns in the pasture. No less important is the goat meat, the lamb with which the Extremaduran stew or game is prepared, with dishes such as partridges in the Alcantara way. There is also fish from rivers, such as the Jerte trout, tench or crayfish. But the Extremaduran dish par excellence is migas, prepared with the famous paprika from La Vera. Among the oils, the one from the Sierra de Gata stands out, and among the wines and cavas (sparkling wines), those from Almendralejo and Las Villuercas. The best cheeses are those from La Serena, Los Ibores and the unique Torta del Casar, the most expensive cheese in Spain. And for dessert there is nothing better than some cherries from the Jerte valley.

Practically every town or city has its grill, its wood oven, its barbecue, or its sausages.

Drink[edit]

In Extremadura there are excellent wines: quality wines are those that are protected by the DO Ribera del Guadiana. There are others, called pitarra (homemade wines), which can be somewhat rough.

The wines from the Ribera del Guadiana are produced in Tierra de Barros, Montánchez, Ribera Alta, Ribera Baja, Matanegra and Cañamero.

The most outstanding wines are: Bodega Las Granadas, with its red Torrejulia, Bodegas Martínez Paiva, its wine is Paiva, Bodegas Ruiz Torres, with Atelea, Compañía Vinícola de Extremadura, with Basangus, Viña Santa Marina, with its Santa Marina.

As for going out, in all towns there is a festive atmosphere.

Stay safe[edit]

Go next[edit]

This region travel guide to Extremadura is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!