WEEKEND EXCURSIONS

A DAY OUT IN THE AMBROZ VALLEY

This itinerary allows us to discover one of the most typical valleys of the north of Extremadura. It lies between Las Hurdes and the Jerte Valley and borders on Puerto de Béjar in the province of Salamanca. The gradual variation in the landscape from Plasencia to Baños de Montemayor or Hervás can be clearly appreciated both in the vegetation as in the benign climatology. Magnificent examples of popular mountain architecture can be seen in nearly every village but the famous Jewish quarter of Hervás and certain parts of Aldeanueva del Camino deserve special mention.

AN ITINERARY FOR TOURISTS

Our departure point will be Plasencia, strategically situated at the start of the itinerary beside the Ambroz River. From here we drive to nearby Oliva de Plasencia, situated just at the start of the “Trasierra” mountains, to visit the Palace of the Condes de Oliva and the Parish Church of San Blas which possesses an interesting 18th century baroque altarpiece. A few kilometres away we discover the restored archaeological remains of the Arco de Cáparra (The Cáparra Arch) and some remnants of what was the Roman city of Cáparra, on the ancient Vía de la Plata (Silver Route).

                                                 The Cáparra Arch

We make our way back to the A-66 motorway and from there to Villar de Plasencia to visit some very interesting ecclesiastical buildings, the Church of la Asunción built in the 16th century with certain Gothic reminiscences and the Hermitages of San Bartolomé and Saint Antonio de Padua. A little further to the north of this beautiful mountainous area, set amidst oak groves on the top of some steep rocks is Cabezabellosa from where we can enjoy spectacular viewpoints and even practice paragliding. In the village itself we can visit the Church of San Lorenzo Martir, built in the 16th and 17th centuries and the baroque 17th and 18th century Hermitages of San Antonio, the Virgin of El Castillo and the Martyrs.

Back once more to the A-66, we drive now to Jarilla where in 1982 the 16th century Church of San Gregorio Magno was declared an Artistic Monument. To the right of the A-66 is Casas del Monte which still preserves some interesting remains of the ancient Roman Silver Route. In the village itself is the Church of Los Santos Mártires.

Close now to the foothills of the Central System is La Granja, situated on the banks of the River Ambroz and graced by the 16th century Parish Church of Santa María Magdalena and its baroque major altarpiece. On the other side of the road, on the edge of the Gabriel y Galán reservoir, is Granadilla, a town which is undergoing an interesting renovation carried out by school children from Extremadura and elsewhere in Spain. Founded by the Muslims in the 9th century the village has been declared a Historic and Artistic Site in which of particular interest are the town walls and the Gothic style Homage Tower (Torre del Homenaje).

In Zarza de Granadilla, one of the region’s principal towns, we can visit the Church of San Ramón and the Hermitage of Christ and just a few kilometres away we can enjoy an interesting visit to Guijo de Granadilla where there is an attractive, romantic museum dedicated to the well known writer, José María Gabriel y Galán. Not far from these towns is the locality of Abadía with its renaissance style Palace of the Duques de Alba, declared a Historic and Artistic Monument and known also as the Palace of Sotofermoso. Near at hand, lying at the foot of the “Trasierra” and possibly of Vettone origin, as suggested by the discovery of a “verraco” (a megalithic, granite monument) is Segura de Toro, with its 15th century Parish Church of Saint John which contains the remains of a castle built in the 13th century - its tower is used today as the parish bell tower.

We continue to climb up towards Gargantilla and we are now close to Aldeanueva del Camino and Hervás. In Gargantilla we can view attractive examples of popular mountain architecture and the 16th century Parish Church de Santiago Apóstol. The town’s typical Barrio Perché is very famous. Situated on the ancient Roman Vía de la Plata – to which it owes its name, Aldeanueva del Camino has the A-66 motorway running through it. Two parish churches stand out in the town, the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encina, built towards the end of the 16th century and that of San Servando, built in the early 17th century and extended in the 18th. The popular architecture found in this locality is amongst the most interesting in the entire region.

Situated in the heart of the southern part of the Central System in the valley of the River Baños, the thermal baths in Baños de Montemayor have been famous from the days of the Romans and are today amongst the most modern in all Europe. This town has two parishes, each one belonging to a different diocese, the Church of Santa Catalina and the Parish Church of Santa María which has been declared a Historic and Artistic Monument. A little further up the A-66 motorway, we then take the road that leads to La Garganta, a village situated at an altitude of more than 1,000 metres on the southern slopes of the Candelaria mountain range. Along the road from Baños, the landscape we drive through is amongst the best in all the north of Extremadura.

                                            Hervás Jewish Quarter

From La Garganta we drive through the mountains - watch out for snow in the wintertime! - until we reach Hervás, a town which comes under the jurisdiction of Señorío de Béjar and which at one stage belonged to the Order of the Temple. Its beautiful and charming Jewish Quarter has been declared a Historic and Artistic Site. Also of note is the Renaissance style Parish Church of Santa María and the Baroque 17th century Church of San Juan, once the Convent of the Trinitarian Fathers and the Palace of Los Dávila, also Baroque in style and today the building in which the magnificent Pérez Comendador Museum is housed.

GASTRONOMY

Mountain goat, trout and magnificent cold meats and sausages, excellent homemade pastries, chestnuts in Baños de Montemayor or cream fritters (buñuelos) and “Pitarra” wine in Hervás.

HANDICRAFTS

Baños de Montemayor is renowned for its abundance of basking weaving and Hervás for its leather crafts. Also of interest are the wood sculptures in Aldeanueva del Camino and Hervás where they also make furniture and barrels. Soap and cosmetic products abound in Baños de Montemayor.

FESTIVITIES

The Carnival festivities are quite picturesque and in Easter the processions in the small urban centres of the Ambroz Valley take on special significance. In summer Hervás stages a series of plays on the theme of Jewish culture and traditions.

COUNTRYSIDE Y NATURE

Attractive mountain countryside with great extensions of oak groves, pine forests and chestnut trees through which small gorges run, full of water due to the snow which accumulates in the highest parts of the mountains. The enormous spaces which the region has dedicated to reservoirs provide great places for fishing or water sports. In winter the snowy mountain slopes are well used by hikers and keen mountaineers.

                                Magic Autumn in Ambroz Valley

Many birds of prey hover around the entire Ambroz River Valley, particularly in the oak groves and in the mountains but also in some of the small hidden valleys which surround the Hervás and Baños de Montemayor regions.