RUTA VÍA DE LA PLATA

STAGE II: MONESTERIO - FUENTE DE CANTOS

Difficulty: Medium/Low

Distance: 24, 0 Km.

CONTENTS:

• STATEMENT
• WHAT TO EAT
• SHOPPING
• WALKING, PEDALLING AND HORSE RIDING
• ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
• SURROUNDING AREA

STATEMENT OF THE ITINERARY

Passing the football field along the asphalt road we return to our route in search of the town of Fuente de Cantos. We leave to our right the Monesterio Water Treatment plant and we enter the oak groves in the company of the creek from the farm on our right. We cross over this using a ford and start to move uphill, leaving the water tank on our left. We continue to follow the path, moving downhill between the oak groves and the stone walls to our left and right.

A new green-yellow sign shows us the direction to follow until we arrive at the BA-668, which connects the A-66 with Calera de León, and we cross this road. It is 2.9km from this point to the first gate that we find up ahead and this part of our route is marked by several green-yellow signs located between stone walls.

Once we have gone through this gate we find a green-yellow sign on our left which shows us the path to follow for the next 1.5km, through pastureland and with two fire lines to the left and right of our route. At the end of this stretch we find another green-yellow sign next to another gate, and on the right there is a modern windmill. When starting this stretch, walkers should be careful not to follow other signs which appear on the right which, although they do lead to Fuente de Cantos, do not follow the Vía de la Plata.

Further gates, which should be closed behind you as you move between the different farmlands, lead us to walk beside a large house with a red facade and over the Vereda de la Plata (Silver Path) which is indicated with wooden signs. Passing the house, to our right and at the point where paths cross, we find a green-yellow sign which shows us the route to follow. We continue opening and closing gates and finding signs that show us the way. In this stretch we can find some mangers for the livestock and, next to a white house with yellow borders, some old wells and a water wheel.

Shortly afterwards we find some eucalyptus trees and the Bodión river to our left. This takes us to an H3 sign, some 18.5 km from the previous one, located on the side of the EX-202 road which connects Fuente de Cantos with Segura de León. This H3 sign is accompanied by another two signs which indicate two possible routes to follow: one on the left which takes you, along a route which is not recommended during rainy spells, to Medina de las Torres; and another on the right, the yellow one, which is the recommended route to follow. It also goes to Medina de las Torres but first passes through the nearby town of Fuente de Cantos which has an excellent hostel.

From here to Fuente de Cantos is 5.5 km following the EX202 road. On or way we see the San Isidro Hermitage where on 15 May they celebrate the San Isidro Labrador pilgrimage, declared a Regional Festival of Interest to Tourists. They also hold the Chanfaina festival on the last Sunday in April in the outskirts of the town.

At the entrance to Fuente de Cantos a sign points to the nearby Vía de la Plata Tourist Hostel, which is a magnificent restoration and adaptation of the old San Diego Convent of bare-footed Franciscans, part of which is used as the Casa de Zurbarán Interpretation Centre, this being the town where this famous Extremaduran painter was born. Various sources consider that in Roman times the current Fuente de Cantos could have been known as Mansio Lacunis (a mansio being an official stopping point). Awaiting us in Fuente de Cantos are several interesting religious buildings, including Ntra. Sra. de la Granada parish church and the seventeenth century Convento de las Carmelitas convent.

WHAT TO EAT

Iberian Ham continues to be the star of the gastronomy in this area, along with products derived from the traditional slaughter of pigs, such as tocino (pork fat) and cold meats and sausages. Visitors can also enjoy the rich and varied cooking of wild products such as cardos (thistles) and criadillas (testicles). Perdices en aceite (partridges in oil) and arroz con palomas torcaces (rice with wood pigeon) are two classic dishes from the south of Extremadura.

SHOPPING

The pottery from this area is very highly sought after, as are the artisan country products traditionally made for the shepherds in this area. This includes everyday items such as wooden spoons and pans or boots which are crafted from simple materials.

The artisan sweets made in the area use as their base products derived from the pig, such as lard. These include sweets called perrunillas, las bollitas de chicharrones and los piononos.

WALKING, PEDALLING AND HORSE RIDING

The countryside in this area encourages us to go for walks along the pathways, visiting towns of great tourist interest such as Jerez de los Caballeros with its spectacular ecclesiastical architecture combined with its narrow streets and charming squares.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Towards Sierra Suroeste

The western part of this Extremaduran area is on the border with the Portuguese region of Alentejo and is an area of great tourist interest. Given their proximity to the Portuguese culture it is not surprising that border towns such as Oliva de la Frontera, Zahínos and Salvaleón have clear Portuguese influences which can be seen in their architecture and gastronomy.

SURROUNDING AREA

At only a short distance from Fuente de Cantos, following an asphalt path which along the EX-212 to Calera de León, we can visit the Castillejos archaeological site which includes items ranging from the Neolithic era to the Romanisation of the area. Next to our route is the district called Campiña Sur, an area rich in cereals which is home to many migratory birds such as the crane which visit each year and spend time with the local population which includes white storks and steppe birds species such as the great bustard. There are also many species of bird of prey such as harriers, Montagu´s harriers and black-shouldered kites.

This area provides pastureland for many sheep whose milk is used as the main ingredient for the local cheese and whose meat is used for some of the typical dishes from Lower Extremadura, namely la caldereta del cordero and la chanfaina (lamb stews) which features in the Fuente de Cantos Regional Festival of Tourist Interest which takes place in April. This area also continues to be mountain territory for the Iberian Pig and therefore produces many top quality sausages and cured meats.

The important historical and artistic remains of the Roman and Arabic cultures found in this area are of great interest to visitors. The site of the old Roman city of Regina, close to Casas de la Reina, includes a restored roman theatre which can hold up to 1,000 spectators and from here visitors can make out the majestic outline of the Reina Arabic fortress. Inside the fortress we can visit a beautiful Visigoth basilica located in the patio of this military Muslim building from which we can make out the neighbouring areas of Campiña Sur and la Sierra Morena.

A few kilometres from Reina is Montemolín, the last possession held by the Muslims in this area before they pulled back towards Andalusia. It still retains its Arab castle which has been restored.

The Miramontes de Azuaga Castle and the walls of Llerena are also from the Arab period. Magnificent examples of renaissance and baroque art can be found in Azuaga, with its Cristo del Humilladero baroque style church and its Consolación church, built in the sixteenth century and with marked flamboyant gothic influences.

In Llerena, which was once the capital of the San Marcos de León province, we find the impressive and majestic Ntra. Sra. de la Granada church, a true architectural religious gem which is located in the Plaz Mayor (main square) where a monument dedicated to the distinguished painter Zurbarán from Fuente de Cantos also stands. For some years Zurbarán lived in this historical Extremaduran town which still retains much of the original walls from the Arab era.

In the outskirts of Fuente del Arco we find la La Jayona Mine, declared a Natural monument, which is an old mining site where minerals were already being extracted in Roman times. It was used again at the start of the twentieth century for iron. The inside contains interesting geological formations and the outside is home to the always beautiful Mediterranean forest.