5 Essentials: what to see and do in Las Hurdes (Extremadura) in 1 or 2 days

He barely remembered the only trip he had made so far many years ago to the Las Hurdes region, north of Cáceres en Estremadura.

It had been a complementary stage of a route by car through towns in the Salamanca region of the Sierra of France as La Alberca y Miranda de Castañar.

On this route I did not want to miss the opportunity to “get off" to "see what Las Hurdes were like".

I admit that I was undoubtedly influenced by the black legend that has always involved this region of Extremadura, and whose greatest exponent was the documentary “Land without Bread"Of Luis Buñuel.

On my recent return to The Hurdes I have realized that in reality then I barely made it to the town of The Mestas…and a little more.

Where are Las Hurdes?

However now, in a four day getaway I have had the opportunity to really discover this region, its towns, its landscapes, its main tourist attractions, and also get to know the idiosyncrasy of its people.

This northern region of the province of Cáceres en Estremadura spreads across six valleys with six main municipalities and a total of 44 towns and farmhouses.

They are mountainous landscapes with lush resinous pine forests, the result of forest repopulation carried out about 50 years ago.

Las Hurdes Altas in Cáceres

The area known as The Hurdes Altas cute with Salamanca province and it is distinguished by the narrowness and depth of the valleys where the roads are lost through sinuous curves until they end in the small town to which they give access.

In that area there is a certain feeling of that isolation that has always characterized The Hurdes.

Las Hurdes Bajas in Cáceres

On the other hand, in the area of The Low Hurdes, where the most inhabited towns are located, such as pine franked y Morisco road, the valleys open up and you can also see other types of native trees, such as olive trees, chestnut trees, cherry trees, cork oaks, and even pasture landscapes.

So what will you find in a tourism route to Las Hurdes?

When we arrived at the rural hotel where we were staying, Akassa, some very original and comfortable “chozos” bioclimatic of modern architecture in the middle of the countryside, we met a Dutch couple of a certain age.

Given the surprise of their presence, we were curious to know how they had decided to go to this isolated place.

And their response was that they had found it through Internet seeking to enjoy nature and tranquility in a place that offered designer architecture, which is the characteristic of said hotel establishment.

That's what you will find in Las Hurdespure nature and a lot tranquility.

Of course this region no longer suffers from the isolation that only 25 years ago still characterized it, when it was still possible to reach some farmhouses You had to climb unpaved paths.

Now in your car route through Las Hurdes in the Cáceres province, you will find all the roads well paved and in good condition.

The best things to see and do in Las Hurdes

But, from my point of view, if there is a word that defines The Hurdes along with those mentioned nature y tranquility, that would be authenticity.

But, specifically,What are you going to see in Las Hurdes? y what can you do on your visit?

Natural pools in Las Hurdes

From a tourist point of view we can say that it is a still virgin territory, which does not prevent the fact that one of its most popular attractions are the 26 natural pools where you can bathe during the summer months.

According to what they tell us, only the Pinofranqueado natural pool It fills with bathers in summer, so that in the rest you can bathe practically alone.

It is an enclave where you will find a good number of hotels and rural houses, but it is an almost unknown corner, one of the few that is left in Spain.

And this despite the fact that the north of the region borders a highly visited area such as the aforementioned Sierra of France, with the beautiful and very touristy town of La Alberca just 20 kilometers away, only separated from The Hurdes through the winding Batuecas Valley.

But this region of Extremadura It has enough attractions for a getaway on a long bridge, and of course for a day as an extension of a route through that area of ​​the province of Salamanca.

Meandro El Melero in Las Hurdes

From the point of view of nature, without a doubt the most outstanding corner and landscape icon of this region, is the meander the Melero.

It is a beautiful and spectacular geographical enclave formed by the Alagón river and the end of a reservoir, a section that separates the provinces of Salamanca and Cáceres.

Just to see from a viewpoint the Melero meander well worth it take an excursion to Las Hurdes.

In the narrow valleys of the region you can also see other winding meanders, like the ones you see from the viewpoints of Martilandran.

And as happens in other northern regions of Extremadura, riding a The Hurdes You will find corners of such greenery and luxuriance that it will give you the feeling of being in Galicia, such as, for example, the Arrobatuequilla Chorrera.

Discover these small waterfalls known as jets It's an invitation hiking in Las Hurdes Well, to get to several of them you will need to take excursions that can take a few hours.

Villages with slate architecture in Las Hurdes

Another of the attractions of Las Hurdes is the possibility of seeing the most authentic country architecture.

In front of the architecture of the half-timbered houses of the nearby Sierra of France, riding a The Hurdes you can see black slate architecture.

But don't expect to find towns with a compact arrangement of well-kept wooden buildings. black architecture, such as those you can visit in the area of ​​the black towns of Guadalajara.

Authenticity in this case means that in the surroundings of small towns that have grown in an architecturally disorderly manner, groups of stone and slate houses are still preserved, most of them abandoned, or only used as barns.

Places where you can see examples of this rural architecture are in Riomalo de Arriba, olive y the Gasco, in the north of Las Hurdes, or in Sauceda u Ovejuela In the south.

Cultural heritage in Las Hurdes

In your visit to Las Hurdes you will also find corners of cultural heritage.

For example, the Bridge of the Machos from the 13th century, the oldest in the region.

Or the remains of Convent of the Angeles, founded in 1214 by himself St. Francis of Assisi as it passed through this area of ​​Extremadura, and of which only a few stone walls remain in the area known as Valley of the Angels.

In relation to churches, the oldest is that of Santa Catalina, from the 16th century, which you can see in the town of Cambroncino.

But it will also catch your attention Las Mestas church, from the 17th century, ordered to be built by the monks of the nearby Carmelite monastery of The Batuecas.

Gastronomy: what and where to eat in Las Hurdes

La gastronomy in Las Hurdes is another argument to justify a getaway to this northern region of Extremadura.

I can assure you, and not on all trips I can say this, that in all the restaurants we visited the food was really satisfactory.

Of course we tasted local specialties, among which lemon salad (lemon and orange segments, chorizo, all scrambled with fried egg) takes center stage.

El kid, with various preparations, from grilled up to caldereta, is another protagonist of the gastronomy in Las Hurdes.

It is also worth trying the local beer cerex, with different aromas, including chestnut, and for desserts, Chestnut Flan or Kill Hunger (bread coated in egg, fried and covered with milk, cinnamon and honey).

From my good experience, restaurants What can I recommend to you? eat in Las Hurdes consist of The Castúo y the Bridgee, next to the natural pool of Pinofranqueado.

He too El Abuelo restaurant at Caminomorisco, with its original fried goat with pollen sauce; he La Meancera restaurant in Gasco with its creative cuisine at a very good price in a pleasant atmosphere; and the Los Angeles restaurant from Vegas de Coria.

And finally the restaurant La Posada del Casar in Casar de Palomero.

Tours and activities in Las Hurdes

Facing your car route through Las Hurdes, I can tell you that it is not easy to discover its main corners on your own.

Due to the complex orography and layout of the towns and farmhouses. Getting to the most notable corners will require you to have a good map and precise information to locate the enclaves to visit.

Therefore, a good solution is to sign up for some of the tours and excursions carried out by local entrepreneurs who have specialized in showing the hidden corners of their region.

Thus, you can make a 4×4 route along tracks and firebreaks that will allow you to see the region from the top of the mountains, or do guided cultural tours.

And you can also sign up for activities like the apitourism (The apiculture is the main economic activity of Las Hurdes) or the airplane.

Do you dare to discover Las Hurdes?

Map: how to get to Las Hurdes

La Las Hurdes region is at north of the province of Cáceres in Extremadura, bordering to the north with the Sierra of France of the province of Salamanca, and separated from Portugal by the region of Sierra de Gata.