Silver Route 2025

Sunday

Get ready for endless surprises on this trip to one of the most unknown and beautiful areas of our country. “We set sail from Zafra, known as “La Sevilla Chica”, which gives us the opportunity to visit the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (13th century), the convents of Santa Catalina, Santa Clara and del Rosario, the Casa Grande, the remains of the Arab walls and the Puerta de Jerez or the Palace of the Dukes of Feria, a majestic 15th century castle that houses the Parador. To take the pulse of the city you should visit the Plaza Chica - where the famous Vara de Zafra is located, which in the past was used as a reference by traders for their measurements - and Plaza Grande, two wonderful arcaded squares that are the nerve centre of the city, with numerous bars and restaurants where you can enjoy the best of Badajoz’s gastronomy. In the surrounding area you can visit wineries, olive oil mills and enjoy unique experiences such as discovering the world of bullfighting from the hand of a master bullfighter and getting your adrenaline pumping by getting in front of a bull in a “capea” or going on a ham safari through the Extremadura pastures. Just 5 kilometres away you’ll find “El Capricho de Cotrina”, one of the most unusual buildings in Spain, reminiscent of those built by Gaudí. Indulge your taste buds in the Parador’s restaurant, whose menu pays homage to Iberian pork without neglecting the cheeses or the specialities of typical pastoral dishes such as migas (fried breadcrumbs) or lamb stew.

Monday

Without leaving Badajoz, we reach Emerita Augusta, “little Rome”, which tells us at every step of its splendid past when it was a flourishing and active colony of the Empire. A faithful reflection of this legacy is the National Museum of Roman Art, the Amphitheatre, the Circus - one of the best preserved and most grandiose of the Empire - and the Theatre, the prince of Emerita’s monuments, which has an incredible stage where performances are still held. Don’t forget to visit the Roman House of the Amphitheatre, the Roman House of Mitreo, the site of the Santa Eulalia Church, the Roman Bridge over the Guadiana, the Temple of Diana and the Aqueduct of Los Milagros. The Arabs also left their mark on these lands in their Alcazaba, as did the Visigoths, whose art you can discover in the Visigothic Art Museum. To feel like a real Roman, there is nothing better than a relaxing bath in the thermal baths with salubrious waters and a massage included, and to avoid having to do penance, one cannot pass through these lands without tasting Iberian acorn-fed D.O. Dehesa de Extremadura pata negra ham. It would be a sin!

Tuesday

Heading north, we enter the territory of Cáceres to reach Trujillo, the land of conquerors - or discoverers, as they prefer to be called in those parts. Extremadura is magically expressed in this monumental town. It opens its doors to us in its Plaza Mayor, presided over by the equestrian statue of Pizarro and flanked by Renaissance palaces. As you walk through its streets, you will discover the palaces of the Dukes of San Carlos, the Marquises of La Conquista and the Marquis of Sufraga. Its old medieval castle of Arab origin, where the final battle of season 7 of Game of Thrones was filmed, tells of old stories, as does the Casa Museo de Pizarro, dedicated to the conqueror of Peru. Religious monuments also have a prominent place in this town, such as the churches of San Martín and Santa María La Mayor or the convents of Santa Clara and San Francisco Real. Half an hour’s drive away is Cáceres, a city declared a World Heritage Site with outstanding monumental and historical sites. Lovers of good food cannot leave without tasting the torta del Casar, probably the best cheese in the world.

Wednesday

Plasencia, the gateway to the fertile Jerte Valley, is our next stop. A strategic enclave on the Silver Route, it is a real treat. You will discover the remains of the medieval walls, its towers (21 of the 71 original towers have been preserved) and its gates, such as the Sol gate and the gate of Santa María. You’ll stroll around the Plaza Mayor, a bustling hub of life. In the tower of the City Hall you’ll find Abuelo Mayorga, an automaton built in the 13th century that is one of the symbols of the city. You will also find one of the most representative monumental complexes in the area, formed by the Romanesque Old Cathedral and the New Cathedral, whose surroundings offer beautiful spots. The medieval aqueduct of San Antón, the Episcopal Palace, the Palaces of the Marquises of Mirabel, Carvajal-Girón, Las Torres and the Convent of San Vicente Ferrer are other places of special interest in the city. In the heart of this historic city, within the 15th-century monumental complex built by the Zúñiga and Pimentel families, stands the Convent of San Vicente Ferrer, now the Parador de Plasencia. You will be welcomed by an impressive building with vaulted ceilings, elegant stone walls and magnificent coffered ceilings, which, together with its exquisite decoration, will take you back to another era. Just over 20 kilometres away, it would be unforgivable not to visit the Monfragüe National Park and its Biosphere Reserve, a true sanctuary for birdwatchers, home to Mediterranean forests and the most important species of Spanish fauna. Plasencia is also an excellent starting point for exploring the Hurdes, the Sierra de Gata mountains and the Jerte Valley, with its spectacular spring, when the cherry blossoms turn the valley bright white. Look out for its irresistible picota cherry liqueur! Another recommendation to take into account, the Parador has an exclusive night bar housed in the old cellar of the convent, where you can relax and enjoy the evening in the best of atmospheres.

Thursday

We finish our journey by reaching the capital of the province of Salamanca. Salamanca, a university ¡, lively city bristling with historic corners and buildings. It is brimming with heritage and beauty. Walk to the centre of the baroque Plaza Mayor (18th century), open your eyes, let yourself be seduced by its beauty and harmony and go into its cosy and welcoming cafés and inns, such as the veteran Novelty, to have a drink. Among its many monuments, discover the Casa de las Conchas (15th century), famous for its façade decorated with hundreds of these stony bivalves; the Old Cathedral (13th century) and the New Cathedral (16th to 18th century) and go up to its exterior terraces to stroll among gargoyles and bells; or the University (16th century), the oldest in Spain, on whose façade you can amuse yourself by looking for its iconic frog to make a wish come true. And, of course, you mustn’t leave without experiencing the magic of the Calixto and Melibea Orchard, or visiting the Casa Lis, a modernist mansion with stained glass windows. In a city where the university hustle and bustle pulsates in its incessant cultural activity, it is obligatory to go out for tapas, a true religion, and don’t leave the Parador without trying the Morucha beef, the farinato (spiced bread sausage) or the Iberian ham from Guijuelo.