The Sierras of Extremadura. Gisela Radant Wood
direction. Note that services can be disrupted at any time and on public and local holidays they do not run at all. Getting around by bus is in theory a good idea but in practice may be complicated.
See Appendix D for contact details of local transport providers.
When to go
March and April are normally warm and sunny with occasional showers, and are lovely months for wildflowers and nesting bird activity. May and June still have flowers but can be hot and dry, while July and August are very hot and walking is only possible early or late in the day – preferably by a river or under shady trees in the northern sierras. Things have cooled down by September and October but the countryside stays dry until the rains come – generally October/November. All of Extremadura can be enjoyed in November and December: they are glorious months with the forested slopes of the sierras ablaze with autumn colour. There may be rain but not usually for days on end, and migrating birds visit the region at this time. January and February can be cold with showers, but flowers start to bloom along with the almond blossom. Snow is not usual in the central and southern sierras, but in the north the sierras can be freezing with substantial falls of snow.
Always check the weather before setting out – try www.eltiempo.es (search for villages individually to get local forecasts).
March in the Sierra de Gredos
Bases and accommodation
Bases
Extremadura is vast. The walks in this book are grouped around central places to stay, which should aid planning and, in some cases, make daily transport arrangements unnecessary. There are tourist information offices in most of the towns, and places that do not have a dedicated tourist office usually provide tourist information at the town hall. See Appendix D for contact details.
Northern sierras
In the Sierra de Gata, San Martín de Trevejo, Gata and Robledillo de Gata are charming old villages with historical character, pleasant squares, places to eat and a few shops. They all offer a good choice of accommodation.
The small village of La Garganta offers no accommodation but Baños de Montemayor and Hervás, both within easy distance of La Garganta, are thriving tourist centres with excellent facilities including banks, cash machines, shops, restaurants and tourist offices.
La Garganta
Jerte is a popular and busy tourist town with good facilities and accommodation options to suit all pockets. It is especially pretty – and busy – at cherry blossom time of the year (April/May) so book early. Jarandilla de la Vera is also an excellent tourist centre with a variety of accommodation, including the 15th-century Parador de Jarandilla de la Vera. The tourist office has plenty of information on local routes for walkers.
Central sierras
Montánchez and Almoharín are small towns with banks, shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. They offer a quality choice of village and rural accommodation. There is no tourist office that covers the area, in spite of advertising that there is, but the local town halls are helpful, especially in Almoharín where English is spoken.
Guadalupe is an international tourist centre. It has a hospedería and a parador as well as numerous hotels and casas rurales (see ‘Types of accommodation’, below). The tourist office is very good and well stocked with information leaflets and maps of local walks.
Southern sierras
Alange, La Zarza and Hornachos are good places to stay with a full range of facilities and accommodation choices. Mérida, the capital of Extremadura, is also not far from these towns. The tourist offices, especially in Mérida, are useful places to visit.
Monesterio is an excellent base for walking and offers a variety of accommodation. The tourist office, run by Enrique, where English is spoken, is sited in the Jamón Museum which is certainly worth a visit.
Types of accommodation
Hospederías are usually situated near an area of tourist interest but could also be found within quite a large town. They are government-owned and -run hotels of good quality and facilities at a medium price range: around €75–€125 per couple per night including breakfast. They can be modern buildings or well-converted old properties.
Paradors are also government-owned and -run but are definitely in old historic buildings such as convents, monasteries and castles. They are usually situated in older parts of historical towns. They are sympathetically converted but retain many original features to give an atmosphere of comfort but within a slice of history. The price range in Extremadura is between €150–€230 per couple per night including breakfast.
Casas rurales can be almost anything from a grand estate farmhouse to a modern house but are usually situated in the countryside or in a small rural village. They are graded with oak tree symbols – one is basic, two is medium and three is superior. Casas rurales can be rented in different ways:
rent the entire building and be completely self-sufficient
rent the whole building but breakfast is provided and rooms are cleaned
rent a room and share the kitchen and other common rooms with other people (whom you will not know) who are also just renting rooms
rent a room but the owners live in the building and provide breakfast and clean the rooms.
Prices vary from around €35 per person or €50 per couple per night, including breakfast, up to over €100 for luxurious and well-facilitated places. It is important to research casas rurales carefully but many are fabulous places in beautiful locations.
Many hospederías and paradors offer reduced prices mid-week, Tuesday to Thursday. Some of the offers can be half-price so it is worth doing some careful planning in advance.
Recommendations for accommodation throughout Extremadura can be found at www.walkingextremadura.com/where-to-stay.html.
Food and drink
Black pigs at Monesterio (Walk 30)
Extremaduran (Extremeño) food is delicious and healthy. It is a region whose biggest economy – and export – is agriculture. Not to be missed are jamón (ham) from Montánchez and Monesterio; Torta de Casar sheep cheese; figs (especially the chocolate variety) from Almoharín; cherries from the Jerte valley; raspberries from La Vera; jams from Guijo de Santa Bárbara; and red wines from Badajoz province – especially Monasterio de Tentudía in the blue bottle.
November is the time for mushrooms and many towns do mushroom tapas trails. During the winter months, local hunters provide restaurants with game for their huge stews of venison, wild boar, rabbit, partridge and other game birds – delicious, organic and fresh.
Try to avoid the tourist plazas in the large cities and opt, instead, for the places the locals eat. Most small villages will have a bar that offers food, even if it is only tapas. Others offer raciones – intended to be smaller than a meal but often just as huge. Bear in mind that bars may keep vague hours.
Local cafés and bars open early; 6.00 am is not unusual. They serve coffee and breakfasts, which can be anything from churros (doughnut pastry sticks), to tostadas, with cheese and ham or the traditional olive oil and tomato paste.
Village shops close on Saturday at noon and do not reopen until Monday at 10am. They will stay closed on public holidays and puentes – days that bridge holidays and weekends.