Founded by the ancient Romans, Caceres lies at the base of the Sierra de la Mosca along the Camino de Santiago’s “Silver Route”. It centres around a UNESCO-listed medieval walled town, which exhibits a diversity of architectural styles and encompasses 30 towers dating from the Al-Andalus Islamic period of rule.
Things to do in Cáceres
Spend a day wandering through the atmospheric Old Town of Caceres, which is clustered with fortified buildings and palaces that reflect a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and Moorish architectural styles. Now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is dotted with towers and surrounded by walls dating from the 12th century. Admire the Baroque-style Convent of la Compañía de Jesus and see the Palacio de los Golfines de Abajo where Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Fernando I once lived.
Occupying two historic buildings - Casa de las Veletas and Casa de los Caballos - in the heart of the Old Town is the Caceres Museum, which houses an impressive collection of archaeological and ethnographical artefacts. In addition to Bronze Age stone steles and Iron Age animal figures, it showcases Roman mosaics and Spanish artwork that include paintings by El Greco.
International artists such as Ai Wei Wei and Olafur Eliasson are represented in the outstanding collection of the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Helga de Alvear. The museum’s landmark contemporary building has been awarded for its architectural significance and incorporates the early-20th-century Casa Grande designed by Francisco de la Pezuela y Ramirez.
Getting around Cáceres
Caceres is around 1.5 hours’ drive from Badajoz Airport, which has regular flights to Madrid and Barcelona. By road, Madrid is three hours away. Trains connect from destinations across Spain to the Caceres railway station and buses travel throughout the city. The cobblestoned Old Town is ideally explored on foot.