Itinerary
Cáceres A-66 to Plasencia. From here by the Ex-203 towards Jarandilla, Cuacos de Yuste and Garganta la Olla. Turn off to Plasencia to take the Ex-208 towards Malpartida de Plasencia, Torrejón el Rubio and the Monfragüe Nacional Park.
Distances
From Cáceres to Jarandilla de la Vera 132 km; 3 km to Cuacos de Yuste; to Garganta la Olla; 23 km to Plasencia; 30 km to the Natural Park of Monfragüe and 55 km to Cáceres. Departure from Cáceres to Jarandilla de La Vera: The town belonged to the Templars and its old castle constitutes the current parish of Santa María de la Torre. The Castle of the Counts of Oropesa (now a Parador Hotel) was home to Charles V while his residence in Yuste was being refurbished. It has a rectangular floor plan, with square and circular towers, and still has its original wall and drawbridge.
Cuacos de Yuste: A village typical of the Vera region with houses that make up streets with arcades, typical squares and numerous fountains, such as the one "de los chorros". Here you can find the house where Don Juan de Austria lived as a child, known as Jeromín's house.
Monastery of Yuste: Founded by the Hieronymite Order in 1408, it was chosen by Charles V for his retreat in 1556. You can visit the rooms where the emperor lived and the gothic church from the 15th century. Next to the palace, the orchard and a large swimming pool. It was devastated by the Napoleonic troops and abandoned in 1834. A long and careful restoration work has recovered much of its austere grandeur.
Garganta La Olla: Surrounded by mountains, streams and waterfalls but in the middle of the valley, is this set of popular architecture declared a historic-artistic site. It preserves its Jewish quarter and has an Inquisition Museum.
Plasencia: A city founded by King Alfonso VIII in the 12th century. It conserves part of the walls with some of the defensive towers and the four access gates. The Tuesday market has been held in the Plaza Mayor since the 13th century. The Cathedral consists of two perfectly differentiated buildings: the Old Cathedral from the 12th-14th century, in Romanesque style, and the New Cathedral, which was begun at the end of the 15th century, and in which the most famous architects of the time participated. The Baroque altarpiece by the Valladolid sculptor Gregorio Fernández stands out. The Cathedral Museum contains paintings, sculptures, gold and silver work and religious textiles. In front of the Cathedral, the 17th century Dean's House, the Palace of Justice, the House of the Two Towers, the palace of the Marquises of Mirabel where the Hunting Museum is located. The Ethnographic and Textile Museum is also very interesting.
Monfragüe National Park. It occupies an area of 18,000 h. and constitutes one of the most important reserves of Mediterranean flora and fauna. From Villarreal de San Carlos, where the Interpretation Centre is located, you can go up to the Almohad castle and visit the caves with cave paintings of the Castle and the Bats. There are several routes of diverse difficulty where you can stop at the Cardenal Bridge and the Salto del Gitano where you can admire the landscape and the birds that nest in the rocks. More than 75% of the protected species such as the Iberian lynx, the imperial eagle or the black stork live in this Biosphere Natural Reserve.
Gastronomy: Tomato soup, Jerte trout, fig sorbet and cherries from the valley.
Festivities: Festival of the Pero-Palo in Villanueva de la Vera; the festival of the Empalaos in Valverde de la Vera on Maundy Thursday; The Dances of the Italian women on the 1st and 2nd of July in Garganta la Olla; "Martes Mayor" or the first Tuesday in August in Plasencia's Main Square where a large medieval market is held where all the food and craft products of the area are sold. The festival of Los Escobazos, on 7 and 8 December in Jarandilla de la Vera.
