Do you love hiking but are also a lover of cities with a great cultural-historical heritage? Then an inspiring week full of cultural history in Extremadura and a hiking adventure in the Sierra de Aracena in Andalusia is for you. In collaboration with Tierragua we offer you this varied trip which will show you the best of two authentic Spanish regions.
Your trip begins in Seville. From here, you’ll take your own rented car to Extremadura, where you’ll immerse yourself in the region’s rich history and culture. Imagine yourself in the Middle Ages as you walk around the walled old town of Cáceres. In Mérida, experience what it must have been like during the Roman Empire. On a tour of the Royal Santa Maria Monastery in Guadalupe, you’ll marvel at the architectural mix of mudéjar (Muslim and Christian intertwined art form), Gothic and Baroque and all the pomp and circumstance. All these places are on the UNESCO World Heritage List and for good reason. A visit to Trujillo with its beautiful square is also a must. Trujillo breathes one and all history and the past of Romans, Moors and Catholic kings can be found here in a nutshell. You will also visit the unknown pearls Zafra and Jerez de los Caballeros. Zafra is also called little Seville and is located on the strategic “Via de la Plata”, or Silver Route. Jerez de los Caballeros was founded in 1229 by Alfonso IX of Leon and the birthplace of explorers Hernando de Soto and Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. Here you will still find the real Spain as this region is (fortunately) not yet known to the general public; mass tourism does not exist here; indeed, you will often be the only foreign traveller.
During your trip in Extremadura, you will stay in excellent 3 or 4-star hotels / paradors or apartments in the centre of the different cities. You will receive many insider tips of what to see and do in the area from Tierragua.
At the end of this week, you’ll drive to Seville to return your rental car and can take public transport (about 1.5 hours) to the Sierra de Aracena. Ó, you can decide to drive straight on (then rent a car for 2 weeks or return your rental car in Aracena). It is also possible to take a taxi from the airport in Seville to your accommodation in Sierra de Aracena.
After a week full of historical excursions, it is good to switch off for a while, or as the Spaniards say: desconectarse. And where better to do that than in a beautiful peaceful natural setting? This second week, put on your hiking boots and you will explore the beautiful natural beauty of the Sierra de Aracena.
The Sierra de Aracena is an unspoilt area of rolling natural landscape and picturesque villages in north-western Andalusia. You will stay in a comfortable and very tastefully decorated stone-built holiday home on a beautiful estate. There is plenty to do on and around the estate. There is a swimming pool (April-Oct), a tennis court with lighting, a table football, a table tennis table, a jeu de boules court and outdoor chess. You can take lovely walks, varying in length and difficulty, directly from your accommodation. In the characteristic villages you will encounter during your walks, you will notice that time seems to have stood still. The pace here is like it was decades ago.
And if you don’t want to hike one day, you can relax on the fantastic estate. In the nearby village, there are numerous bars and restaurants serving the tastiest local dishes on the menu, with the speciality being the acclaimed ‘pata negra‘, cured ham from the black, Iberian pig. And throughout the year there are fiestas and festivals in the Sierra.
Itinerary
Day 1 and 2: Flight to Seville – Mérida
Days 3 and 4: Cáceres (and Los Barruecos natural park)
Days 5 and 6: Trujillo and Guadalupe
Days 7 and 8: Zafra and Jerez de los Caballeros
Day 8 to 15: Sierra de Aracena (hiking week)
Day 15: return.
Travel details
Duration: 15 days
Best season:
All year, except summer months (July/Aug)
Travel price:
from €975,- p.p. based on 2 pers.
Included in this trip
7 nights’ accommodation (excluding breakfast) in 3 or 4-star hotel/paradors and flats in the centre of Cáceres, Mérida, Trujillo and Zafra
7 nights’ accommodation (excluding breakfast) in a 4-star holiday home in Sierra de Aracena
comprehensive and personally tailored travel documentation and Tierragua travel tips on special routes, places, sights, local festivals, restaurants, etc.
contribution to STO Guarantee Fund
booking fee
Options (on request):
Private cultural-historical tour with professional English-speaking guide in Cáceres.
Wine-cheese tour/wine tour in Zafra accompanied by a sommelier.
Breakfast during the walking week €12.50 p.p. per day.
This trip can also be booked for several people or in a different order.
This trip can be shortened or extended with a stay in Seville or with another Tierragua package (e.g. stargazing in southern Extremadura).
Please inquire about what is the most suitable option in terms of transport for you.
Excludes: Flight to and from Seville and rental car.