Portray of the Destination
It is the biggest municipality in Spain. Its Almohad walls and its historical and architectonical invaluable buildings made of this villa a 14th and 16th century replica. On November 26th, 1986, it was declared World Heritage by UNESCO, due to the fact that it houses this monumental complex. It also has the recognition of the International Federation of Tourism Journalists and Writers, which awarded the city the Pomme D’Or tourism merit.
It is also included within the tourism networks like the one of the “Spanish World Heritage Sites”, “Juderías” (Jewish quarters) and “Ruta de la Plata”. Ancestral Extremadura offers an extraordinary example of evolution, determined by two constructions quite differentiated in time: the Arab fortress and the Feudal City. It keeps its roots and history thanks to its inhabitant’s ability to transmit and preserve one of the Medieval and Renaissance more complete constructions in the world. Its palaces and ancient houses, inhabited by ancestry families and public institutions impress with its coat of arms, and towers the defensive character of the City.
We would like to thank the “Secretaría de Turismo” tourism board of the Cáceres City Council for the photographs provided.
Geography
The city of Cáceres is located in a central area in the Iberian Peninsula, slightly to the South of the province, between the Sierra de la Mosca and la Sierrilla mountains, with a 39° 28’ 30” North latitude and 6° 22’ 30” West longitude, at an average height of 430 m (1410 feet). This is a privileged orographical location at the top of a hill that dominate the plain extended at its feet.
Pasturelands and grain cultivation constitute the steppe landscape characteristic of the vast plains, which best representation can be pictured in Llanos de Cáceres, in the southern half of the province. This is the shelter of a great flora richness and a number of fauna in danger of extinction like the Spanish Imperial Eagle, the Cinereous Vulture, the Black Stork, the Iberian Lynx or the Wolf. European cranes, which travel each winter to the Extremadura pastures, are a symbol of a borderless Nature. The Great Bustard is the most representative bird of the Extremadura plains.
Climate
Temperate winters and dry summers define the Mediterranean climate of Extremadura, smoothed by the Atlantic influence. Average annual temperatures oscillate between 16° (60.8 ºF) and 17°C (62.6 ºF) year after year. To the North of Extremadura, average temperatures (13°C – 55.4 ºF) are lower than in the South (18°C – 64.4 ºF)), which are lower as we approach to the south until reaching the surroundings of Sierra Morena mountains, where they descend thanks to the altitude. During summer, average July temperature is over 26°C (78.8ºF), reaching the daytime maximum over 40°C (104 ºF). Winters are smooth. The lowest winter temperatures are registered in high mountainous areas with an average temperature of 7,5 °C (45.5 ºF).
When to go
Cáceres is a city to travel to all the year long. However, high average temperatures in the region during summer, determined by its Mediterranean climate, must be taken into account.
History
There are traces of Cáceres being inhabited in the Neolithic period. Testimonies are abundant, being able to quote the Caves of Conejar and El Francés in Maltravieso. In ancient times the city was occupied by Vettones Celts, Portuguese dissidents. The foundation and the name attributed to Cáceres by Roman colonizers had been debated for long time. In the year 1675 Ulloa and Golfin mentioned a headstone in which the inscription of Norba Caesarina could be read; in 1794, at the door of Mérida, a piece of architrave in which the same inscription is found, was discovered, this was copied by Boxoyo, and passed to Madeu who mentioned that in Plasencia a similar one was found too. Thanks to this rock, professor Hübner upheld the origin of Cáceres to Norba Caesarina.
A big part of the Roman walls of Cáceres are preserved and an intact door too, well-known as the Arch of Christ. The city underwent the Barbarian attacks, being recovered during the Visigoth era. Conquered by the Arabs, it was used to plunder Christian reigns, naming it Cazires. Like in many other populated areas, the alternating of power between Arab and Christians was frequently repeated. The Muslim domination of Cáceres remained firm until the 12th century, when Gerardo Sempavor (1166) succeeded in snatching control from the Muslims. Subsequently lost again shortly afterwards, the city was retaken by Ferdinand II of León in the name of the Christians in 1169. In any case, the Almoravids wanted Cáceres for its strategic location and Abú Ya'qub regained the city in the name of Islam in 1173.
It was during this period that Cáceres, known at this time as Hinz Qazris, and with subsequent Almohads, that elements of what we admire today began to appear. Thus the town was adequately fortified on the Roman remains (wall) and the following were built: the towers of Bujaco, of Yerba, and of Horno and the cistern at Veletas Palace. A further 50 years elapsed before Alfonso IX of León could reconquer the city for the Christians, on 23 April 1229, on San Jorge (St. George's) Day.
During the Middle Ages the splendour of the period began to take hold, what in time, would become the groundwork for the Monumental City that is so admired today. The city started to cluster along the parishes of Santa María and San Mateo. From another direction, to the west of the city, the Jewish population settled around the synagogue. Then, at the end of the 13th century, aristocratic families, primarily from Galicia, Castile and Leon started to arrive and build their houses and palaces.
In the war of succession of the crown of Castile, the surrounding area of the very noble and very loyal city changed. Not supporting the cause of Isabella of Castile meant that the queen destroyed almost all the battlements of the noble families' palaces. The only one that managed to survive this act of arrogance was the Torre de las Cigüeñas (Cáceres-Ovando Palace), thanks to the support its owner, Captain Diego de Cáceres, gave to the queen.
At the end of the 18th century, the Real Audiencia de Extremadura (Extremadura Royal Courts) were established in Cáceres, with the aim of ending the high incidence of pillage and other crimes. It was not until 1833 that the city became the capital of the province, robbing Plasencia of that privilege. From then on, the population and economy grew (thanks to the economic gains from the Aldea Moret phosphate mines) and the city embarked upon an ambitious expansion plan outside the city wall, with beautiful works like Paseo de Cánovas.
The Civil War and the subsequent period halted this process, until 1986, when the city was declared of cultural heritage by Unesco. Today, Cáceres is a city with an important university, headquarters to many official organisations of the autonomous region and the second most populated city in the province of Extremadura with over 84,300 inhabitants, most of whom work in the industrial sector.
Traditions
San Jorge: Saint Patron Festivity. It is commemorated on April 23rd. It has been developing until these days when a modern version of the dragon burning and the dramatization of the fierce fight between Moors and Christians.
Carnival: The programme opens with the burns of FEBRUARY, on Friday morning. At night, in the tent placed in the Main Square the dances begin, where the Orchestras collaborate in the fun of thousands of people from Cáceres who from the first hours of the night fill in this place.
Candelas and San Blas festivity: February 2nd -3rd, are the most popular festivities in the area. During the week of the 2nd of February, a procession is organized in which the Virgin of Candelas departs from its hermitage a small Roman temple situated in the heart of the Monumental City.
“Romería de los Santos Mártires”: San Sebastián Festivity or Santos Mártires Festivity, January 20th.
Holy Week: some of its brotherhoods date back to the 15th century, being currently 11. Popular music in Holy Week is always present through Saetas (devotional songs.
“Virgen de la Montaña” (Patron Saint): each Sunday of the month of May, Cáceres celebrates one of the most deeply-rooted and fervent festivities. But the main spectacle is constituted by the descent of the image from its Sanctuary in the Mountain with a multitude of devoted people in the narrow rough tracks of the Fuente Concejo and on the streets heading to the procathedral of Santa María.
Gastronomy
Gastronomy in Cáceres is distinguished by its special pork and lamb by-products, which are used to elaborate dishes like “frite” (kid stew), “pestorejo” (pork snout and ear stew) or the “picadillo” (minced meat). Cold meats are prestigious, especially the Iberian cured hams of Pata Negra from Montánchez and Piornal, coming from acorn-fed pigs.
Game dishes are also an important element of the cuisine of Extremadura. One of the most valued ones is the Alcantara-made partridge and the venison, prepared in many different ways. The “migas” is a country dish that can be eaten for breakfast or lunch, made with dried chopped bread, accompanied by fried rasher of bacon, sweet peppers and fried garlic.
Although fish is a minor ingredient in this cuisine, magnificent stews made of cod, fried or marinade tench and trouts from the rivers Jerte or Pinofranqueado.
Among cheeses, de so-called Torta del Casar and as dessert, “bollos de chicharrones”, “perrunilla” (oven cooked jam), the “repápalos of Torrejoncillo” (bread roll) and the “monumentelas de Alcantara”. Delicious are also the local wines such as the Pitarra wine.
Basic Dictionary
YES: si. NO: no. HELLO: hola. GOOD BYE: adios. GOOD MORNING: buenos días. GOOD AFTERNOON: buenas tardes. GOOD NIGHT: buenas noches. PLEASE: por favor. SORRY: lo siento. THANK YOU: gracias. DOCTOR: médico. PHARMACY: farmacia. NUMBERS: 1: un. 2: dos. 3: tres. 4: cuatro. 5: cinco. 6: seis. 7: siete. 8: ocho. 9: nueve. 10: diez. 11: once. 12: doce. 13: trece. 14: catorce. 15: quince. 16: dieciséis. 17: diecisiete. 18: dieciocho. 19: diecinueve. 20: veinte. 21: veintiuno. 22: veintidós. 30: treinta. 40: cuarenta. 50: cincuenta. 60: sesenta. 70: setenta. 80: ochenta. 90: noventa. 100: cien. 1000: mil. DAYS OF THE WEEK: MONDAY: lunes. TUESDAY: martes. WEDNESDAY: miércoles. THURSDAY: jueves. FRIDAY: viernes. SATURDAY: sábado. SUNDAY: domingo. COMMON WORDS: BIG/SMALL: grande/pequeño. HOT/COLD: caliente/frío. OPEN/CLOSED: abierto/cerrado. GOOD/BAD: bueno/malo. NEW/OLD: nuevo/viejo. PUSH/PULL: empujar/tirar. ENTRANCE/EXIT: entrada/salida. LADIES/GENTLEMEN: señoras/señores. FAR/NEAR: lejos/cerca. LEFT/RIGHT: izquierda/derecha. TAXI: taxi. BUS: autobús. MEALS: BREAKFAST: desayuno. LUNCH: comida. DINNER: cena. MENU: menú. WINES: vinos. DESSERT: postre. THE BILL: la cuenta. COMMON SENTENCES: DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?: ¿Habla inglés?. I DON'T UNDERSTAND: no entiendo. WHERE IS IT?: ¿donde está? HOW MUCH IS IT: ¿Cuánto es? WHAT TIME IS IT: ¿Qué hora es? COULD YOU HELP ME: ¿Puede ayudarme?
Currency
Euro is the local currency. There are 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euro banknotes. There are also 1 and 2 euro coins, together with 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent coins.
Currency Exchange
1 EUR (Euro) = 1.20 U$D (United States Dollar), 1 EUR (Euro) = 0.66 GBP (Pound Sterling).
Prices
In comparison with other European Union countries, and perhaps due to its high tourist vocation, Spain is one of the cheapest countries. Obviously, prices vary depending on the season, being higher during the summer and lower in the winter.
Useful Info
Official nameCáceres
CountrySpain
Time ZoneGMT+1
Official LanguageSpanish
Surface area1,768 km2 (682.6 sq. mi)
Population86,124 inhabitants
Political RegimeConstitutional Monarchy
Public holidays
January 1st: New Year.
January 6th: Epiphany; March 19th: Saint Joseph; May 1st: Labor Day.
August 15th: “Asunción de la Virgen” (Virgin’s Assumption Day).
October 12th : National celebration of Spain
November 1st : All Saints' Day.
December 6th: Day of the Spanish Constitution.
December 8th: Day of the Immaculate Conception.
December 9th: Santa Leocadia;
December 25th: Christmas.
Religion
Like all the rest of Spain, Cáceres is mainly catholic and this is reflected, even, in the holiday calendar of the city.
Religion90% Catholics
Arrival / Departure
Cáceres is a connection crossroads on the Vía de la Plata. Near interesting localities are: Trujillo (45 Km), Mérida (68 Km), Valencia de Alcántara (92 Km), Alcántara (63 Km), Coria (68 Km) and Plasencia (82 Km).
Distances from the following localities:
Ávila: 230 Km.
Badajoz: 90 Km.
Lisboa: 300 Km.
Madrid: 300 Km.
Salamanca: 215 Km.
Seville: 270 Km.
Toledo: 265 Km.
Safety
Taking into account the importance that tourism has in Spain, the security of the tourists is a true priority for the country. However, some general recommendations are given to the visitors like carrying the required money when going out and not the total amount taken for the holidays, also precautions need to be taken in busy places to prevent possible thefts.
Visa
European Union tourists do not need visa to enter Spain. Neither those citizens of the United States, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and the rest of the Latin American countries, though a return ticket must be bought. Travelers from Australia, Anguilla, Bermuda, Canada, Cyprus, South Korea, Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Israel, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Saint Helena, Singapore and Turk & Caicos do not either need visa provided that they do not stay more than 90 days in Spain.
Clothing
Clothing, which does not have very fixed rules, changes according to the climatic period, the place or the circumstances. The Spanish usually do not over dress to attend to work or to share leisure time with others; in general informal comfortable clothes are used. Taking in account the climatologic characteristics of this city it is advised to wear light and warm clothes during summer and a coat during winter.
Electricity
220V, 50 Hz. Sockets take two round plugs.
Radio and Television
Nacional TV channels: TVE1, TVE2, Antena 3, Tele 5 and Cuatro.
Regional TV channels: Localia and Canal 30. Radio stations: RNE, Cadena SER, Cadena 100, Radio Clásica, Cadena COPE, Onda Cero and 40 Principales.
Telephone
The code for Spain is 34 and the one for Cáceres is 927. Dial 00, followed by the country code and the telephone number in order to make an international call. For local calls the use of a special code is not necessary.
The most important phone operators are Amena (Web page:
www.amena.es); Movistar-Telefónica Móviles (Web page:
www.movistar.tsm.es) and Vodafone (Web page:
www.vodafone.es). Public telephones are located all over the city, by the street, they work with local currency coins or pre-paid cards. “Locutorios” are establishments where you will find several telephone booths, and you can pay in cash after the call is made. Also you can send and receive faxes and have Internet access.
Police092 / 927 255 769
Ambulance061
Fire Brigade080
Tourist health care services112
Newspapers and Magazines
Besides receiving national newspapers like: Abc, El Mundo, El País, La Razón and La Vanguardia, the city of Cáceres has local press like: EL PERIODICO DE EXTREMADURA, DIARIO HOY, EXTREMADURA HOY and NUEVA COMARCA.
It also receives the following magazines: Época, Semana, Interviú, Primera Línea and Tiempo de Hoy.
Postal Service
The postal service in Spain is efficient. Letters within Europe usually take 3 to 5 days. A special delivery costs a minimum of 2.5 euros The Post office’s schedule is: from 08:30 to 20:30 on weekdays, Saturdays from 08:30 to 13:00.
Main post offices in the city are located in:
OAXACA, 30 (AND CALLE SEGOVIA), telephone: 927230327;
GENERAL PRIMO DE RIVERA, 2 , Telephone: 927626681.
www.correos.es
Health Care Services
The Cáceres health care centres, as well as in all Spain, offer a permanent health assistance to all the population in their corresponding zone. These services give a direct and comfortable care to the user. Spain has signed a reciprocal health assistance agreement with the rest of the countries of the European Union in order to provide health care to all the EU tourists just showing an E-111 document. This document must be done before travelling.
Hospitals and health centres in Cáceres:
Complejo Hospitalario San Pedro de Alcántara, Avda. de Millán Astray, s/n Tfno. 927 256 200;
Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Montaña, Avda. de España, s/n, Tfno. 927 256 800;
Centro de Urgencias Médicas Monfragüe, C/Amberes, 8, Tfno. 927 235 328;
Clínica Virgen de Guadalupe, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n, Tfno. 927 216 869;
Clínica Nuestra Señora de la Consolación, C/Clemente Sánchez Ramos, 2, Tfno. 927 216 436.
Airport
The nearest airport is the one of Badajoz, located 14 km (8.7 mi) away from the city of Badajoz and 45 km (28 mi) away from Mérida, Capital of Extremadura. This airport has connections with the one of Barajas, located 12 km (7.5 mi) away from the center of Madrid.
Public Transport
Cáceres has an important number of urban bus companies which tour around the city, its main interesting tourist spots and surroundings, with a time schedule interval of 12-20 minutes.
It also has a good taxi service.
Radio Taxis Cáceres, Telephone: 927242424, among others.
Railway
The train is the best way to access Cáceres: The railway network operates with a frequency of approximately 3 hs, the following ways:
Madrid - Cáceres,
Seville - Cáceres,
Plasencia - Cáceres,
Mérida - Cáceres.
The RENFE station is located in Avenida Alemania. Information service telephone: 927 235 061.
For further information:
www.renfe.esBus
Cáceres Bus Station is located on Calle Túnez. Information telephone number is: 927 232 550.
For further information:
www.estacionautobuses.com.
Schedules: 08:30 to 23:00 hs every day of the year except on December 24th-25th-31st and January 1st.
Car
From Madrid you can access Cáceres by road, N-V highway to Trujillo and then taking the N-521.
The N-630 road connects Cáceres with North Salamanca, through Plasencia, and to Seville at the South, through Mérida.
From Lisboa, which is as far as Madrid, you can connect the N-523 to Badajoz and then link to the N-V highway. Connections to Portugal through the N-521 road through Valencia de Alcántara.
Car Rentals
LAMBEA
Address: Cáceres Bus Station. N-630 Road (Gijón - Seville), Telephones: 927 629 091 or 902 474 748 ext. 404; Fax: 927 629 091;
SPAIN CAR
Bookings: Telephone: 349 157 946 00 or Fax: 349 157 196.
Ship
Cáceres can not be accessed by boat due to its inland location.
Destination Tourism Office in Spain Spanish embassy in the destination Taking pictures See climate
www.worldweather.orgCurrency converterwww.xe.com/uccA dinnerBetween 12 and 25 Euros
A coffee1 Euro
The taxiApproximately 1.10 euros initial fare (ordinary), 1.44 (night), 1.65 (public holidays).
The train4 Euros aproximately
