Villas for sale and to let in Rural Extremadura Spain

The Rural Spain

Holiday Villas for Sale and Rent in Rural Spain


	Barcelona? You’ve already been. Seville? Of course. same goes for Madrid, Andalusia, and other well known regions. But Extremadura is a region of Spain that your trip planner might have overlooked, and that’s not surprising: Very few tourists find their way to this landlocked area that’s about a two-hour drive northeast of Sevilla. Bordered by Portugal to the west, the Gata mountain range to the north, Andalusia to the south, and Castile to the east, Extremadura is made up of 16,000 square miles of as many landscapes as conquistadores: Pizarro, Balboa, Cortez, and de Soto all hailed from this area covered in mountains, plains, meadows, lime fields, and thousands upon thousands of demure cigueñas (storks) nesting peacefully on every roof and bell tower. The past is firmly in place: The small city of Mérida holds the largest concentration of Roman ruins outside Rome; there are Arab remnants in Badajoz, and evidence of medieval Europe almost everywhere. Plus, it all feels blissfully remote (Extremadura means “lands outside the Moorish region”), which may be why Spaniards retreat to the provinces of Cáceres and Badajoz to hunt, ride horseback, fish in the reservoirs, and cruise the sinuous mountain roads. The primary mystery (and allure) remains the fact that more foreigners don’t follow along in their path. The aptly named Extremadura is a land of harsh beauty and cruel extremes. Arid plains bake under the intense summer sun, relieved only by scattered patches of sunflowers. Yet the traveler who braves the Extremaduran plains is rewarded with stunning ruins and peaceful towns. Compared to the hectic pace of nearby Madrid, life in Extremadura is unhurried and far less modern, as though the region's history still dominates its present character. Though these are the lands that hardened New World conquistadors like Hernán Cortez and Francisco Pizarro, Extremadura itself has remained unexplored by most Spaniards. Mérida's Roman ruins and the hushed ancient beauty of Trujillo and Cáceres are only beginning to draw their flocks of admirers looking for the traditional Spanish countryside. Beyond the region's rugged landscape, its hearty pastoral cuisine is especially appealing; local specialties include rabbit, partridge, wild pigeon with herbs, and migas (fried bread) with hot chocolate. Thick cocido (chick pea stew) warms extremeños in winter, while the many varieties of gazpacho cool in summer.

Use these buttons to play/stop music

About Extremadura
Extremadura

This vast area of unspoilt rural Spain lies to the extreme west of the country and just north of Seville. In this area, known as the Valle del Sol, the people still smile at you, there are no traffic jams, the place is not teeming with new developments, and you are not trampled underfoot by tourists and/or estate agents. At the same time, do not expect to find lager louts, late night discos or any other entertainment of that type. This region is totally undiscovered by mass tourism and as a result it maintains it traditional charm and beauty, with totally unspoiled landscape and tranquil villages where time seems to stop and life is definitely lived at a slower pace.

The past is firmly in place, the small city of Mérida holds the largest concentration of Roman ruins outside Rome; there are Arab remnants in Badajoz, and evidence of medieval Europe almost everywhere. Plus, it all feels blissfully remote (Extremadura means “lands outside the Moorish region”), which may be why Spaniards retreat to the provinces of Cáceres and Badajoz to hunt, ride horseback, fish in the reservoirs, and cruise the sinuous mountain roads. The primary mystery (and allure) remains the fact that more foreigners don’t follow along in their path.

History & Culture View, Caceres With its mighty Tajo and Guadiana rivers, its wild and desolate mountain ranges and its rolling plains, Extremadura is one of the most unspoiled regions of Spain, bordering Castile to the north and east, Portugal to the west and Andalucía to the south. It is an indisputably beautiful area, and there are times of the year when the landscape is stunning. But there is much more to Extremadura than scenic beauty or the sight of a golden eagle soaring over the hills of ilex and cork trees, and thousands of storks nesting in church belfries.

The Romans left traces of their passage through this region, building majestic bridges, such as the ones at Mérida and Alcántara, and the spectacular Roman remains of Mérida are world renowned. Caesar's legions were here to mine silver from the ravines of the Sierra de Gata, which borders Extremadura to the north. The so-called Roman "Silver Route," with its fine roads, bridges, aqueducts, temples and cities was the result of the Romans' quest for this precious metal

Attractions
Pantano del Alange

Extremadura carries the title of the "Cradle of the Conquistadors" with dignity. Cortez and Pizarro, the best known of a long list of men from Extremadura that also includes Valdivia, Orellana, de Soto and Nuñez de Balboa, took human endurance to new limits as they explored, mapped and charted the recently discovered New World under unthinkably severe conditions. In fact, countless New World cities and towns adopted the names of their counterparts in Extremadura, like Trujillo, Medellín, Guadalupe, and Alburquerque (Spanish spelling). Visitors to Extremadura can tour along the Route of the Conquistadors, which passes through the towns and villages where these explorers were born and bread and where they worshipped.

Mérida Mérida, the capital of Extremadura, was one of the most famous Roman capitals of the Iberian Peninsula, and it features some of the best preserved Roman ruins in Europe. Mérida has passed between Christian, Moorish, and even Portuguese control. It is a fabulous place to walk, like Rome (only much smaller!). Archaeology pops up in the strangest corners, and the Moorish influence adds a grace of its own to the town. Mérida preserves some of the most outstanding Roman monuments, including a colossal theater, an amphitheater, two aqueducts, and a bridge, and the Museum of Roman Art with its invaluable collection.

Cáceres The capital of Upper Extremadura has a beautiful old quarter, enclosed by Moorish Caceres town walls with great watch-towers. Additional attractions include some exceptional Renaissance palaces. Founded by Romans in 34 BC, this thriving provincial capital is the closest Extremadura comes to a big city. Named a World Heritage City in 1986, Cáceres's barrio antiguo offers plenty of architectural wonder. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, rival noble families vied for social and political control, each building a miniature palace to demonstrate their power and wealth. As a result, the old city is a wonderful maze of palaces, museums, and churches. Although Cáceres's newer areas are less interesting, the Parque del Príncipe and a healthy nightlife scene provide ample amusement for a short stay. From Cáceres it is possible to enter Portugal by bus or by train via Badajoz or Valencia de Alcántara.

Trujillo The birthplace of famous conqueror Pizarro is well known for its beautiful main square. There are also a great medieval castle and the well-preserved town-walls with seven doors. The gem of Extremadura, hill-top Trujillo (pop. 10,000) is an enchanting old-world town unspoiled by modern influences. Often called the "Cradle of Conquistadors," Trujillo furnished history with over 600 explorers of the New World, including Peru's conqueror Francisco Pizarro and the Amazon's first European explorer, Francisco de Orellana. Scattered with medieval palaces, Roman ruins, Arabic fortresses, and churches of every era, Trujillo is a hodgepodge of histories and cultures. Its most impressive monument is also its highest: the 10th-century Moorish castle commands a stunning panoramic view of the surrounding plains. Twentieth-century residents take pride in the well-preserved beauty of their churches, palace, and castle, adorning them with lovely gardens and flowering vines.

Guadalupe This beautiful town is dominated by a colossal Mudejar style monastery which preserves Monastery of Guadalupe valuable works of art. It witnessed the documents certifying the departure on the American adventure. And there the first Indians were baptized. Proof of all this are the famous monuments, which turned it into the Marian Sanctuary for all of the Spanish speaking world. This dates from the miraculous appearance of the Virgin, its Patron Saint, around the year 1300. The huge Monastery combines Gothic, Mudejar and Plateresque in unusual grandeur. There are admirable paintings by Juan de Flandes, Zurbarán and Lucas Jordan, apart from the miniatures of its choir books, the rich collection of ornaments and the buildings which used to be a hostelry, hospital and royal fortress. Guadalupe has the 4 stars Parador National called "Zurbarán", which is an invitation to rest after admiring so much beauty.

Badajoz
Plaza de San Andres The capital of Lower Extremadura, it has a population of 130,000 and inside its province is found the capital of the Community of Extremadura, Mérida. The province is the largest in Spain and covers an area of 8,500 square miles (21,757km²). Originally a Celtic settlement, Badajoz was successively in the hands of the Romans and the Visigoths, and in 1031 became the capital of a Moorish kingdom. It became Portuguese in the 12th century, and was taken by Alfonso IX of Castile and Leon in 1229. During the Peninsular War, Badajoz surrendered to the French in 1811, but was recaptured by the Duke of Wellington's forces the following year. The town lies at an altitude of 614ft above sea level (186m) on a hillside near where the rivers Rivillas and Guadiana meet. The Portuguese border is only 4 miles from this castle dominated town.

This page was last updated on Sunday, 11 November 2007.