Extremadura and things to do in Spain
Far to the west of Madrid, close to the Portuguese border, lies a remote and often rugged region that played a leading role in one of the most important chapters of Spanish history. During the 15th and 16th centuries, this vast, landlocked area exported its sons to the farthest reaches of the earth to chart unfamiliar and hazardous oceans and explore the Americas. Extremadura was the cradle of the conquistadores, men such as Francisco Pizarro, an uneducated swineherd who set off to conquer Peru for the Spanish and to plunder the gold of the Inca.
Pizarro came from Trujillo, today one of the jewels of Extremadura, a small town rich in fine 16th-century palaces built with gold from the Americas. Also from Trujillo was Francisco de Orellana, the first European to explore the Amazon, while Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who made the first European discovery of the Pacific Ocean, and Hernando de Soto, who colonized Florida for the Spaniards, both hailed from the southern Extremaduran town of Jerez de los Caballeros. Pedro de Valdivia, who conquered presentday Chile, was born and brought up in Villanueva de la Serena.
Today, the names of Extremadura's towns and cities echo all over Latin America. There are Trujillos in Peru, Honduras, and Venezuela. Medellin, the name of the small Extremaduran citadel that produced Hernan Cortes, the European discoverer of Mexico, can be found in Mexico, in Argentina and, most notoriously, in Colombia. Numerous other places in the Western Hemisphere, including the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, take their name from the mountain Monasterio de Guadalupe, the monastery where Queen Isabella of Spain drew up a contract with Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon in Spanish) for his voyage of discovery to America and in which the first Native Americans brought back as prisoners were baptized by their conquerors.
The modern-day sons of Extremadura continue to travel far from home, although now they are more likely to go to the big cities of Spain or the more industrially advanced north of Europe than to cross the Atlantic. This wild corner of the country can still be harsh and primitive, and emigration is an attractive option for young people who aren't drawn to the rustic life.
For the visitor, however, it is precisely this remoteness that gives the region its appeal. Extremadura is an area of immense natural beauty, with vast expanses of rolling countryside broken only occasionally by little whitewashed pueblos (villages) peopled by shepherds and their families. In the north, the fertile plains of wheat, cotton, and tobacco give way to soft hills and tumbling olive groves, then to the snow-capped peaks of the Gredos and Gata mountain ranges. Farther south, the rich red soil is thickly wooded with pungent eucalyptus trees and holm and cork oaks. In spring and early summer, before the heat has burned the landscape brown, carpets of wildflowers stretch for miles.
The region is also rich in architecture and history. The towns, especially Caceres, Trujillo, and Guadalupe, contain palaces and fine churches - fantastic examples of 16th century one upman ship built by the Spanish nouveaux riches with gold brought back in galleons from their newly discovered territories. Merida has a museum housing the finest collection of Roman finds in the whole of Spainfittingly, since Extremadura was one of the chief colonies of the Romans' vast province of Lusitania, and Merida, founded during the 1st century BC, was Lusitania's capital. The Visigoths, who came later, also left an important heritage, particularly in finely tooled stonework and jewelry. Again, Merida has some of the best examples of this early Christian civilization.
Extremadura and the Moors
The Moors arrived during the 8th century and stayed for 500 years, building magnificent castlefortresses and other structures in their decorative architectural style. Extremadura was next ruled by several orders of knights, who took it upon themselves to chase out the Moors and to protect Christian pilgrims on the long and arduous journey north to the sacred shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. They controlled vast areas of land, given to them by grateful Spanish nobles in payment for their services. Alcantara, Monfragiie, Merida, and Caceres are still steeped in the history of these crusading orders, which wielded immense political and financial power in the late Middle Ages.
During the 19th century, Napoleon tried to make Extremadura a French province, and the region was the site of fierce fighting until the Spanish, assisted by the British, beat the French back over the Pyrenees.Today Extremadura is one of Spain's main cattle raising areas; the black bulls seen throughout the countryside may end up in the bullring or in one of the regional dishes. The local fare is good and hearty, with lots of game and meat dishes. The beef, lamb, and pork are all good, and the strong, deep pink ham is superb. Fish such as trout and tench appear on most menus. Another favorite meal is braised partridge. The region produces some good wines; particularly noteworthy are the strong rose from Caiiamero and the justly renowned, full-bodied red named for the Marquis of Caceres.
The route outlined below enters the northeast corner of Extremadura, turning off the main NV highway from Madrid just short of the small town of Navalmoral de la Mata and running down through the foothills of the Sierra de Altamira Mountains to the famous sanctuary town of Guadalupe. From there, it continues west to Trujillo, southwest to Merida, and west again to Badajoz, a town dominated by the imposing Moorish castle where generations of Muslim kings made their base.
The itinerary then proceeds north to Caceres, richly evocative of Spain's golden age, and on up to Plasencia, a charming town and a good base for trips into the picturesque valleys of the far north of Extremadura. Among these, a visit to the lovely wooded Monasterio de Yuste, the monastery where the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V spent his last days, is' particularly recommended. The total length of the route is between 422 and 453 miles (675/725 km), depending on side excursIons.
Extremadura and Madrid car hire
The best way to explore Extremadura is to hire a car from Madrid Barajas Airport. Airport car hire in Madrid can be pre-booked so you avoid delays and save money when you arrive.The roads in Extremadura are generally good (provided you stick to those recommended in the itinerary), except in the remote Las Hurdes area, which can be explored as an optional detour. Distances are often greater than they seem on a map, however, and gas stations can be few and far between, so allow plenty of time and keep the tank full. Don't rely on renting a car locally, because tourism is still new here and there are few car rental offices.
When planning your itinerary, bear in mind that opening hours for churches, museums, and other places of touristic interest usually run from 9 orl0 AM to 1 or 2 PM and then again from 4 or 5 to 6 or 7 PM; schedules may also vary with the season. Weekend hours are generally shorter than on weekdays, and closing days tend to be Sundays or Mondays.
Extremadura paradors
Extremadura is particularly rich in paradors. Staying in them is the best way to get a real taste of the region, but be sure to book well in advance; they tend to fill up quickly, even outside the high season. The north of Extremadura is likely to prove more captivating than the south, so it's a good idea to allocate more time for Trujillo, Caceres, and Guadalupe when planning. Unless otherwise noted, most restaurants in Extremadura are open for both lunch and dinner.
Extremadura Monastery
The conquistadores adopted the shrine as their own and heaped treasures on it from the Americas, making it one of the most elaborate and richly decorated monasteries in Spain. Conquered Inca leaders were brought here to be baptized. Freed Christian slaves left their chains here in votive thanks. The monastery was abandoned in the 19th century, then restored and taken over by Franciscan friars in 1908. For the Spanish, it is still one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Christendom, as well as a symbol of hispanidad, the cultural and linguistic link between Spain and Spanish America.
A guided tour takes visitors around the complex, including the manuscript room, which houses giant illuminated books of hours, and the sacristy, which has eight paintings by Extremadura's most famous artist, the painter Francisco de Zurban: ln (1598-1664). The 14th-century church, which was a later addition, features an altarpiece with works by Carducci, Giraldo de Merlo, and Jorge Manuel Theodopoulos, son of EI Greco.
One of the main features of the monastery is the 15th-century Mudejar cloister, unmistakably Moorish in influence and faced with glazed colored tiles (there is a smaller, Gothic cloister in the monastery as well). The tour ends with a visit to the Camaren de la Virgen, where the statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe reposes on a richly worked altar, a casket to one side stuffed full of peseta notes, gifts from grateful or hopeful pilgrims.
Pizarro came from Trujillo, today one of the jewels of Extremadura, a small town rich in fine 16th-century palaces built with gold from the Americas. Also from Trujillo was Francisco de Orellana, the first European to explore the Amazon, while Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who made the first European discovery of the Pacific Ocean, and Hernando de Soto, who colonized Florida for the Spaniards, both hailed from the southern Extremaduran town of Jerez de los Caballeros. Pedro de Valdivia, who conquered presentday Chile, was born and brought up in Villanueva de la Serena.
Today, the names of Extremadura's towns and cities echo all over Latin America. There are Trujillos in Peru, Honduras, and Venezuela. Medellin, the name of the small Extremaduran citadel that produced Hernan Cortes, the European discoverer of Mexico, can be found in Mexico, in Argentina and, most notoriously, in Colombia. Numerous other places in the Western Hemisphere, including the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, take their name from the mountain Monasterio de Guadalupe, the monastery where Queen Isabella of Spain drew up a contract with Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon in Spanish) for his voyage of discovery to America and in which the first Native Americans brought back as prisoners were baptized by their conquerors.
The modern-day sons of Extremadura continue to travel far from home, although now they are more likely to go to the big cities of Spain or the more industrially advanced north of Europe than to cross the Atlantic. This wild corner of the country can still be harsh and primitive, and emigration is an attractive option for young people who aren't drawn to the rustic life.
For the visitor, however, it is precisely this remoteness that gives the region its appeal. Extremadura is an area of immense natural beauty, with vast expanses of rolling countryside broken only occasionally by little whitewashed pueblos (villages) peopled by shepherds and their families. In the north, the fertile plains of wheat, cotton, and tobacco give way to soft hills and tumbling olive groves, then to the snow-capped peaks of the Gredos and Gata mountain ranges. Farther south, the rich red soil is thickly wooded with pungent eucalyptus trees and holm and cork oaks. In spring and early summer, before the heat has burned the landscape brown, carpets of wildflowers stretch for miles.
The region is also rich in architecture and history. The towns, especially Caceres, Trujillo, and Guadalupe, contain palaces and fine churches - fantastic examples of 16th century one upman ship built by the Spanish nouveaux riches with gold brought back in galleons from their newly discovered territories. Merida has a museum housing the finest collection of Roman finds in the whole of Spainfittingly, since Extremadura was one of the chief colonies of the Romans' vast province of Lusitania, and Merida, founded during the 1st century BC, was Lusitania's capital. The Visigoths, who came later, also left an important heritage, particularly in finely tooled stonework and jewelry. Again, Merida has some of the best examples of this early Christian civilization.
Extremadura and the Moors
The Moors arrived during the 8th century and stayed for 500 years, building magnificent castlefortresses and other structures in their decorative architectural style. Extremadura was next ruled by several orders of knights, who took it upon themselves to chase out the Moors and to protect Christian pilgrims on the long and arduous journey north to the sacred shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. They controlled vast areas of land, given to them by grateful Spanish nobles in payment for their services. Alcantara, Monfragiie, Merida, and Caceres are still steeped in the history of these crusading orders, which wielded immense political and financial power in the late Middle Ages.
During the 19th century, Napoleon tried to make Extremadura a French province, and the region was the site of fierce fighting until the Spanish, assisted by the British, beat the French back over the Pyrenees.Today Extremadura is one of Spain's main cattle raising areas; the black bulls seen throughout the countryside may end up in the bullring or in one of the regional dishes. The local fare is good and hearty, with lots of game and meat dishes. The beef, lamb, and pork are all good, and the strong, deep pink ham is superb. Fish such as trout and tench appear on most menus. Another favorite meal is braised partridge. The region produces some good wines; particularly noteworthy are the strong rose from Caiiamero and the justly renowned, full-bodied red named for the Marquis of Caceres.
The route outlined below enters the northeast corner of Extremadura, turning off the main NV highway from Madrid just short of the small town of Navalmoral de la Mata and running down through the foothills of the Sierra de Altamira Mountains to the famous sanctuary town of Guadalupe. From there, it continues west to Trujillo, southwest to Merida, and west again to Badajoz, a town dominated by the imposing Moorish castle where generations of Muslim kings made their base.
The itinerary then proceeds north to Caceres, richly evocative of Spain's golden age, and on up to Plasencia, a charming town and a good base for trips into the picturesque valleys of the far north of Extremadura. Among these, a visit to the lovely wooded Monasterio de Yuste, the monastery where the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V spent his last days, is' particularly recommended. The total length of the route is between 422 and 453 miles (675/725 km), depending on side excursIons.
Extremadura and Madrid car hire
The best way to explore Extremadura is to hire a car from Madrid Barajas Airport. Airport car hire in Madrid can be pre-booked so you avoid delays and save money when you arrive.The roads in Extremadura are generally good (provided you stick to those recommended in the itinerary), except in the remote Las Hurdes area, which can be explored as an optional detour. Distances are often greater than they seem on a map, however, and gas stations can be few and far between, so allow plenty of time and keep the tank full. Don't rely on renting a car locally, because tourism is still new here and there are few car rental offices.
When planning your itinerary, bear in mind that opening hours for churches, museums, and other places of touristic interest usually run from 9 orl0 AM to 1 or 2 PM and then again from 4 or 5 to 6 or 7 PM; schedules may also vary with the season. Weekend hours are generally shorter than on weekdays, and closing days tend to be Sundays or Mondays.
Extremadura paradors
Extremadura is particularly rich in paradors. Staying in them is the best way to get a real taste of the region, but be sure to book well in advance; they tend to fill up quickly, even outside the high season. The north of Extremadura is likely to prove more captivating than the south, so it's a good idea to allocate more time for Trujillo, Caceres, and Guadalupe when planning. Unless otherwise noted, most restaurants in Extremadura are open for both lunch and dinner.
Extremadura Monastery
The conquistadores adopted the shrine as their own and heaped treasures on it from the Americas, making it one of the most elaborate and richly decorated monasteries in Spain. Conquered Inca leaders were brought here to be baptized. Freed Christian slaves left their chains here in votive thanks. The monastery was abandoned in the 19th century, then restored and taken over by Franciscan friars in 1908. For the Spanish, it is still one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Christendom, as well as a symbol of hispanidad, the cultural and linguistic link between Spain and Spanish America.
A guided tour takes visitors around the complex, including the manuscript room, which houses giant illuminated books of hours, and the sacristy, which has eight paintings by Extremadura's most famous artist, the painter Francisco de Zurban: ln (1598-1664). The 14th-century church, which was a later addition, features an altarpiece with works by Carducci, Giraldo de Merlo, and Jorge Manuel Theodopoulos, son of EI Greco.
One of the main features of the monastery is the 15th-century Mudejar cloister, unmistakably Moorish in influence and faced with glazed colored tiles (there is a smaller, Gothic cloister in the monastery as well). The tour ends with a visit to the Camaren de la Virgen, where the statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe reposes on a richly worked altar, a casket to one side stuffed full of peseta notes, gifts from grateful or hopeful pilgrims.
Labels: Extremadura and Madrid car hire
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