Cáceres and Los Barruecos

If you are a lover of history and nature we encourage you to visit Cáceres whose walled city was awarded the World Heritage Site designation by UNESCO in 1986 and the title of Third Monumental Site in Europe by the European Council in 1968.

In Cáceres you can become infected by the art which brims over from its streets, its avenues, its buildings... Cáceres is known amongst other names as the City of the Thousand and One Shields, because of the sheer number of coats of arms hanging outside its innumerable palaces. A visit to the walled city is a must. It is divided into two parts, one within the walls where you can visit the Plaza de Santa María and the Plaza de los Golfines squares, whilst in their surroundings you will find the admirable Co-cathedral of Santa María la Mayor and the Palace of the Golfines de Abajo.

At the entrance to the walled city you will find the Torre de Bujaco and its interpretation centre where you can visit the Moorish walls and get magnificent views of the Plaza Mayor square.

As we continue walking we reach the Plaza de San Jorge square, where you'll see the Church of the Preciosa Sangre and the Convent of the Society of Jesus, built in the Baroque style and in honour of the patron saint of the city, Saint George. In the lower part of the church you can visit the Easter Week Museum and a 16th century water cistern.

Then you can visit the "Barrio Alto" of the city where you will find the Plaza de San Mateo square, with the Church of San Mateo and the Palace of Las Veletas (weathervanes), which has now become the seat of the Provincial Archaeological Museum. In the palace you'll find the second Almohad cistern, the best preserved in Europe. Walking through its narrow streets you come to the Jewish Quarter known as San Antonio de la Quebrada, where you can still appreciate the labyrinthine layout of the streets from the Islamic and Jewish periods. In this quarter you can enjoy the magnificent Tower of the Wells, a Moorish fortification from the Almohad period, with the Museum of the Jewry, where you can learn about the city's Islamic past.

Then you must visit the Plaza Mayor square, which stands out as the historic centre of the city and its gateway to the Walled City. Amongst its most emblematic quarters you must visit the Barrio de Santiago and the Barrio de San Juan both of outstanding beauty.

We certainly recommend a visit to Cáceres during Easter Week, declared to be of International Tourist Interest. Amongst its confraternities you'll find the most ancient in all Spain and of course, you really shouldn't miss the procession and the battle between Moors and Christians, which takes place on 23 April, St George's Day.

We suggest that, after a good lunch, you discover a natural landscape carved out by nature

Just over 10 kilometres away you'll find a landscape carved out by the hands of nature: Los Barruecos.

It was declared a Natural Monument in 1996 and is outstanding because of the beauty of the monolithic “bowls”, a number of rock formations sculptured by nature, the most notable being those known as the Mushroom or the Boulders of the Treasure.

This natural space is home to a number of important archaeological finds covering several periods of the Neolithic Era. Important remains of Roman settlements have recently been found.

The painter Wolf Vostell decided to place his works within this natural landscape, both in the museum which he created and open-air sculptures which are there for your enjoyment. They are to be found scattered all over the natural landscape creating a paradise of nature and culture.

All you have to do is pack your bags and set a course for Extremadura's well-kept secrets. What's stopping you?