What to see and do in Hervás, the footprint of the Jews in Extremadura

Poco a poco Hervas has become one of the most sought after destinations when organizing a tourism getaway awarded by the Cáceres province.

Hervas is in the Ambroz Valley, in the north of this province of Estremadura, very close to that of Salamanca.

This valley is known as a small natural paradise for their forests, especially chestnut trees, where we find different specimens of centenary and monumental trees.

Where is Hervás and the Ambroz Valley

The entire valley is a suitable place for walks and bicycle tours, taking advantage of a series of well-marked trails that run through the natural landscapes.

In the valley there are other towns (Baños de Montemayor, Aldeanueva del Camino, La Garganta, Abadía, Segura de Toro, Gargantilla and Casas del Monte) in addition to Hervas who also have a great heritage and natural attraction.

You can take several tours through the valley, so it is a destination that can perfectly fill a long weekend or several weekends.

Additionally the Ambroz Valley is located next to the Jerte Valley, both valleys separated only by the ridge of the mountains, so a Getaway to the north of Cáceres you can include them.

This valley has been inhabited since ancient times, and there are numerous vestiges from many centuries ago throughout the region, and in that sense it is worth highlighting the Veton boar from Segura de Toro.

And we must not forget that the Roman race ran through this valley Vía de la Plata between Augusta Emeritus (Mérida) Y Asturica Augusta (Astorga).

Hervas is the capital of the Ambroz Valley Commonwealth, since it is the largest population and where a large number of services are concentrated.

when talking about Hervas we always think of the Jewish quarter, which is your best known neighborhood and the main destination of visitors who come to this town.

On our most recent visit to Hervas We spent a little more time on it and we were able to discover that this small town of barely 4.000 inhabitants has many attractions within its urban area, beyond its famous Jewry.

Curiosities history of Hervás in Cáceres

La history of Hervás can date back to the 12th century and the process of Christian repopulation, which in this area was in charge of the Templars.

At the end of the 14th century it received a significant Jewish population that integrated well with the Christian community.

From that time remains the Jewish Quarter, with great medieval flavor and the best-known attraction of Hervas, although, as we have already said, there is much more to know here.

What to see and do when visiting Hervás in Cáceres

A good place to start visit to Hervás it is in the Braulio Navas streetKnown as “The Pedestrian” for obvious reasons.

At number 19 is the Tourist Office, which provides you with plans and information about the places to visit and excursions in the surrounding area.

Plaza de la Corredera in Hervás

Very close we find the La Corredera square, true heart of traditional Hervás.

Many of their houses have arcade that have allowed the population to meet for centuries even in times of rain or extreme heat.

This essence of a meeting point remains today since here they stand Street markets and there are some bars and restaurants that have their terraces.

Una 16th century fountain It continues to occupy a prominent place in the square.

Both in the square and in the surrounding streets we will see that there are numerous shops that offer typical gastronomic products from the area, from sausages to oils and different buns and cakes.

Church of Santa María de las Aguas Vivas in Hervás

You have to wander around looking for the uphill streets to reach one of the most interesting places in Hervás.

This is the Church of Saint Mary of the Living Waters, which occupies the highest part of the population.

It is noticeable at first glance that it is composed of elements of different origin but it maintains, due to its location and structure, some strength.

In this place was built the primitive hermitage that they built the Templars after the conquest of the region by Alfonso VIII of Castile in 1186, which was protected with different defensive elements, of which remains of the wall and the tower remain.

On top of all this, the current church was built in different stages from the 13th to the 16th century, with a classicist cover very elegant.

Being located at the top of a hill, from here the view over the whole of Hervas and its surroundings is very attractive.

The Plaza in Hervás

The descent takes us back to the historic center, and we will surely reach a space known simply as The Plazaa.

It is a small square that is a reduced version of the Log, also with its source.

The whole is less packaged, which tells us that we have gone from the noblest and highest part of the town, with flatter, wider and better ventilated streets, to another with narrower, darker and sloping streets.

A Star of David on the pavement tells us that the neighborhood that we now know as begins here. the Jewish quarter.

Hervás Jewish Quarter

It is without a doubt the most attractive part of Hervás since it preserves to a large extent the medieval architecture, with stone walls on the ground floor and adobe or brick walls and chestnut wood framework on the upper floors.

It is a delight to walk aimlessly through these alleys, go down to the river, cross the bridge and walk a little along the other bank in search of some of the best views of the whole of the Jewish quarter.

Convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians in Hervás

If we leave the Jewish quarter the Cuestecilla, we will reach convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians, a huge complex that was very visible from the top of the church of Santa Maria.

The façade of the church, of a reddish tone, imitates that of Saint Nicholas of Bari en Valladolid. Inside, the splendid baroque altarpieces.

This set, financed by María López Burgalés In the 17th century, a Christian of Jewish descent, she exemplified the integration process of the descendants of the converts.

Part of the convent is converted into inn and it is one of the most characteristic accommodations in the entire north of the province of Cáceres.

Railway Interpretation Center in Hervás

From here we can go to the iron bridge, which is a good viewpoint over the whole town, or also look for the Railway Interpretation Center.

Here we find information about the importance that the railway had in the integration of the region with the rest of Extremadura and Salamanca.

Pérez Comendador-Leroux Museum in Hervás

It remains to highlight another of the treasures of Hervás, although we believe that it is not sufficiently known despite its importance.

This is the Pérez Comendador-Leroux Museum, which is located in an imposing 18th century manor house with a strong granite façade.

The museum shows a large collection of sculptures de Enrique Perez Commander, a native of Hervás, and the paintings of his wife, Madeleine Leroux, a treasure worth knowing. Admission is free.

Hervás Town Hall

If we walk a little further, we will reach the Town Hall building, an austere construction that keeps a curious inner courtyard of eight columns.

A few meters further on we will see some traditional-looking houses in which we must pay attention to the columns since they come from the founding hermitage that gave rise to Hervas.

That is why they are known as templar columns.

Motorcycle and Classic Car Museum in Hervás

And if we have time. Another interesting visit is the Motorcycle and Classic Car Museum a private collection of vintage vehicles.

The building that houses it stands out from the surrounding area for its peculiar architecture.

Map: how to get to Hervás in Cáceres

Hervas is north of the province of Cáceres, just over an hour north of said city and one hour south of Salamanca.