Guide for south west Extremadura

Sierra Suroeste
It's formed mainly by wide dehesas (vast expanse of wood pastures) with holm oaks and cork oaks erverywhere.

The zone of Sierra Suroeste and Jerez de los Caballeros has typical and beautiful landscapes, in the middle of a peacefuly nature.

The name of Jerez de los Caballeros (Jerez of the Knights [Templar]) is because Jerez was a very important Templar center. There are many Templar defensive buildings and medieval castles in this zone.

The visitor can see in this zone ancient monuments from Stone Age and pre-Roman cultures: the Dolmen of Toriñuelo, Letreros de Nijata, the Castro of Capote or the celtic town of Nertobriga.

If you visit western Spain at the end of March or first days of April, you can see many religious acts in Jerez and Oliva de la Frontera. They celebrate the Cristian Easter following old traditions.

In summer it is very famous the Internationa Festival of Folk in Fregenal de la Sierra, with participants comming not only from Extremadura or Spain but from other European, American, Asian or African countries.

In summer is also celebrated the Templar Festival in Jerez de los Caballeros, where the entire town goes back to the medieval days and celebrates many events related with the Knights Templar.

Zafra - Río Bodión
This zone is located between Tierra de Barros and the mountain range of Sierra Morena, in the Via de la Plata (the actual name comes from the Roman name 'Via Delapidata', as paved road), the old route connecting the north and the south of Spain.

Zafra, Feria and other towns in this zone were very important medieval towns (for Arabs and Christians), and they holds all that flavour of past ages.

History, culture and traditions goes together in Zafra, also called 'Sevilla la Chica' (little Seville). There are many interesting monuments in this town: the Palace of Duques de Feria (a defensive castle, but decorated as a palace) or the Plaza Grande and Plaza Chica, two beautiful squares in the old center of the city.

Feria is a typical Spanish town, builded in a defensive position on a mountain range, under the protection of its beautiful castle. It was a important center of domain in the Middle Ages. The visitor can visit the castle and can go up to the top of the main tower: the landscapes from that point are really beautifuls.

Sierra Grande de Hornachos
Tierra de Barros
Tierra de Barros is a zone of wines and wineyards. The name can be translated as 'Land of mud', so called because the fertiles fields of this area.

Almendralejo is a beautiful city, a mix of modernity (it is a middle size city) and the charm of typical Spanish little towns. It is known as the Warmth Town, because the warmth of their people.

In the Middle Age, the entire zone: Almendralejo, Villafranca, Aceuchal, Santa Marta, Villalba.. was under the control of the Order of the Temple (Knights Templar) and the Order of Santiago. And many towns holds monuments and military or religious buildings.

Sierra Grande de Hornachos is a mountain range in the middle of an open country zone, it is like a green island growing up from the land. The mountain range is a ZEPA (zone of special protection for birds), so it is the perfect site for birdwatching or just for walking and relax.

Tierras de Mérida
Augusta Emerita (Mérida) was the administrative and military center of the Roman province of Lusitania. Nowadays, the city holds many Roman monuments and treasures. Mérida is a World Heritage City, and has the most important set of Roman ruins of Spain: the Roman Theater, Amphitheatre, Circus, Trajano's Arc, Aqueducts, Roman houses..

Near Mérida is the beautiful Natural Park of Cornalvo where you can practice hiking or birdwatching. In this park is located a Roman dam (more than 2000 years old) that is in use today. Another Roman dam, Proserpina, is also near Mérida.

If you come in summer, you can enjoy a night in the Roman theater as the Classic Theater Festival take place annually in July and August.

The Christian Easter celebration in Mérida is also very appreciated.

Los Baldíos
Lácara
Llanos de Badajoz
The Guadiana and Gevora rivers flow through the fertile Baldíos land. This zone combines farming countries with wide dehesas full of holm oaks.

Alburquerque was an important frontier town in the Middle Age. It has a impresive XII century castle called Castillo de la Luna (Moon's Castle).

The castle called Castillo de Azagala is near this town, it is located in the top of the Santiago mountain range.

Going to the south, near Mérida, is the Lácara natural environment, an authentic paradise for the nature. In this zone is located the Dolmen of Lacara, a great prehistoric tomb made of big (very big) stones.

In Badajoz city, just in the border of Spain and Portugal, you can visit many monuments and beautiful places: the Alcazaba (an Arab defensive building), the restored square called Plaza Alta (the oldest zone of this city), the Cathedral..

The Carnival of Badajoz (in february) is a celebration of fun, colors and sounds, everywhere in the streets of Badajoz. Also, the Chistian Easter celebrations in Badajoz are very impressive.

Alburquerque celebrates the Medieval Festival in summer.

Comarca de Olivenza
The Guadiana river is in this zone the real border line between Spain and Portugal. The visitor can see the influence of Portugal culture in Olivenza monuments and even the people of this zone.

As a frontier zone, Olivenza has many defensive buildings and castles scattered in many towns or isolated in mountain ranges all arround the Olivenza city.

This zone combines dehesas with farming lands.

You can taste in this area a delicious dessert called Tecula-Mecula, among other delicious dishes and foods of this beautiful land.