Cáceres

Life around the Plaza Mayor

We recommend entering the city by its traditional gateway, the 18th-century Arco de la Estrella, a wide arch designed to let horse-drawn carriages pass through. Below you, you’ll see the wide Plaza Mayor, an arcaded square always full of life, with plenty of places to stop for a drink or a coffee.

In past centuries, the square was also used for bullfights, and before that, for jousting. Take a moment to snap a photo with the Bujaco Tower in the background. Next, a stroll around the old quarter reveals mansions: Golfines de Abajo, Carvajal, Toledo-Moctezuma (home of the daughter of the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II), Casa de las Veletas (now the Museum of Cáceres, with works by Picasso and Miró, and the world’s second largest cistern well); and the Co-cathedral of Santa María, with good views from the belltower. You can also visit the contemporary art collection at the Fundación Helga de Alvear, or walk around the Jewish quarter, Judería Vieja with its narrow streets, whitewashed houses and windows full of flowers. A most pleasant experience. At the end of the day, the perfect place to take in the view of Cáceres is the Santuario de la Montaña, a shrine on the outskirts of the city. And in the evening, it’s fun to take a dramatised tour with troubadours retelling legends by moonlight.

Traditional recipes and lots of culture

For lunch or dinner, try traditional local dishes like migas (fried breadcrumbs with chorizo and bacon) accompanied by a wine from the Ribera del Guadiana Designation of Origin, or one of the increasingly popular artisanal beers, with a torta del Casar (one of the best cheeses in the world) or a potato sausage, morcilla patatera. More sophisticated fare is available in the city’s most famous restaurant, the Michelin-starred Atrio. And if you want to try the famous convent pastries, the sweets from the Convent of San Pablo are very well-known. Cáceres also has an interesting cultural life. Depending on when you visit, you can go to the Womad Festival (in May), the Three Cultures Medieval Market (in November), the Classical Theatre Festival (in July) or traditional events such as Easter (in March or April. The city has a special Easter visitors’ centre). How to complete a perfect trip? Relaxing in the Arab baths, picking up a souvenir at the Casa Moraga Craft Centre or taking an excursion to the nearby Monfragüe National Park (about 60 kilometres away).