WEEKENDS EXCURSIONS

A DAY OUT FROM THE UPPER GUADIANA LOWLANDS TO CORNALVO

This itinerary allows us to tour the length of the Guadiana River from its source in the neighbouring regions of La Serena and La Siberia to the very gates of Merida, the capital of the Extremadura Autonomous Community.

AN ITINERARY FOR TOURISTS

We begin our itinerary in Villanueva de la Serena which sits on the banks of the Guadiana. Of all its emblematic buildings the Town Hall stands out most. Built in the 16th and 17th centuries it is opposite the 16th century Classicist style Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción and the monument to Pedro de Valdivia who discovered Chile. The Monastery of San Benito is well worth mention - it also goes under the name of the Palacio Prioral.

                                    Church Nuestra Señora de la Asunción

A few kilometres from Villanueva we come upon the Castillo de Castelnovo, also known as “La Encomienda”, close now to the village of Valdivia. In the vicinity of Villanueva de la Serena we can visit some “settlers” villages which have the same common denominators, the proximity of the Guadiana River and agricultural exploitations which involve great extensions of irrigated lands. Amongst these important centres are Entrerríos, Zurbarán, Gargáligas and Yelbes, all of which have seen their populations thrive in this century. In Acedera we may visit its 16th century Parish Church which suffered serious damage during the famous Lisbon earthquake. Nearby there are also some “settlers” centres such as Los Guadalperales, Obando and Vegas Altas.

Near to a place called Madrigalejo there are some “verracos” (megalithic, granite monuments) and some artefacts from the time of the Celts which can be contemplated in the Provincial Archaeological Museum in Cáceres and in the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. The Parish Temple is dedicated to San Juan Bautista and dates back to the beginning of the 16th century.

Rena is where some of Extremadura’s most interesting prehistoric idols were found. They can be viewed in the Provincial Archaeological Museum in Badajoz. The most important edifice is the Parish Church of San Pedro Apóstol, built in the 15th century in late Gothic style.

The origins of Don Benito date back to medieval days. Set in an area in which interesting Roman remains have been found, it is without doubt the principal town in this part of the Upper Guadiana Lowlands, a veritable commercial and cultural metropolis which contains important historic and artistic buildings as well as the headquarters and the installations of the FEVAL Exhibition Centre. The most interesting ecclesiastical building is to be found in the magnificent Plaza de España (Spain Square), surrounded by arcades. We refer of course to the Parish Church of Santiago Apóstol, begun at the beginning of the 16th century and concluded in 1611. Its Herreran influences are evident. The oldest building in Don Benito is the Hermitage of Saint Sebastian and Saint Fabian although there is also an interesting series of Hermitages built around the 16th century such as that of Nuestra Señora de las Cruces o that of San Gregorio. In the afore-mentioned “Plaza de España” the renowned architect Rafael Moneo has designed the town’s avant-garde Cultural Centre which is connected to the beautiful building of the Plaza de Abastos.

En route to the locality of Saint Amalia we pass by the villages of Ruecas and Hernán Cortés, settlers villages dedicated to the cultivation of irrigated crops. As is the case in the ones mentioned earlier, these villages attract our attention on account of the whiteness of their buildings amongst which the ones built around their main squares stand out most of all.

Santa Amalia dates back to the beginnings of the 19th century and the reign of Fernando VII. The hard work of the local people has brought about its incredibly rapid development. The Plaza Mayor (Main Square) stands out most, particularly the whitewashed stone built Parish Church, dedicated to Santa Amalia.

Leaving Santa Amalia behind, we drive to Medellín, established by the Romans on the banks of the Guadiana River and birthplace in the 15th century of Hernán Cortés, the Conquistador of Mexico. His monument can be found in the well cared, open square of the same name, just beside the Town Hall. Medellín conserves an important Roman theatre on the skirts of its majestic Arab castle which dominates the entire area and from which we can see both the Guadiana and its important 16th century bridge. On the way to Guareña we pass by the village of Mengabril where we can contemplate the interesting 16th century Parish Church of Santa Margarita built from ashlar in the Gothic style.

On the way to Guareña we pass by the village of Mengabril where we can contemplate the interesting 16th century Parish Church of Santa Margarita built from ashlar in the Gothic style.

We make a slight detour, just a few kilometres from the road which leads to Guareña, to pay a visit to Valdetorres a village set in beautiful countryside on the banks of the Guadiana, dedicated to irrigation farming and an ideal spot for fishing. The village’s principal historic and artistic building is the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción which dates back to the 16th century. Guareña is famous for its good wine and olive oil and in the vicinity certain vestiges have been discovered which tell us of the existence of an interesting settlement in the area both in Roman times and in later centuries.

Amongst the buildings of interest that we can discover in this hard working village the Town Hall is particularly notable. It is a magnificent and in Extremadura a quite rare example of a civic building built in the Neoclassical style, situated in the centre of the locality's main square. A short distance away we can see the Parish Church of Santa María, perhaps one of the largest ecclesiastical buildings in all Extremadura, built in the mid 16th century at the request of Vargas de Carvajal, Bishop of Plasencia under the technical guidance of the renowned Gil de Ontañón.

Set amongst the beautiful Peñas Blancas mountain range, nearby Oliva de Mérida is a refuge for a multitude of birds of prey. Schematic cave paintings and, on the outskirts of the village, the remains of a pre-Roman settlement have been discovered. Amongst its historic buildings is the 16th century Parish Church of La Purísima Concepción. Leaving Oliva de Mérida behind, some 14 kilometres away we come to La Zarza, a village famous for its furriers and its splendid pastry cooks. The nearby La Calderita mountain range is where the famous cave paintings which bear the same name were found.

Close by are the villages of Manchita and Cristina; the former contains a Parish Church which was rebuilt in the 15th century and dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Asunción whilst in the latter, on the road to Oliva de Mérida, we can see the Parish Church of Saint Christine, the village’s patron saint.

We drive back along the N-432 to the neighbouring village of Villagonzalo, a locality built in the Middle Ages following the Reconquest. Set on the banks of the Guadiana River it contains the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, initiated in the 16th century and completed in the 18th.

Barely 10 kilometres away, after we cross the ford or "Baden" of the Guadiana, we come to Valverde de Mérida. Set amongst groves of oaks and olives, we may admire the majestic Parish Church of Santa Marina, built from masonry and complete with a beautiful tower and Classicist porticos with Plateresque elements.

After Valverde de Mérida and before we continue along our itinerary to San Pedro de Mérida, we can visit the village of Don Álvaro, medieval in origin, situated right on the banks of the Guadiana in an area of beautiful river landscapes and home to the 15th century Parish Church of Santa María Magdalena.

We return to Valverde de Mérida and then take the road which leads to the village of San Pedro de Mérida on the A-5 motorway although before we get there we can visit the village of Torrefresneda which like many of those along our itinerary was built as settlers’ centre for irrigation farming. Part of the municipality of San Pedro de Mérida lies within the Cornalvo Nature Park and in the village itself we come across one of the few ecclesiastical buildings in Extremadura which is clearly influenced by Hispanic Visigoth artistry, we refer of course to the 15th century Parish Church of the San Pedro Apóstol.

Trujillanos is just a few kilometres away. Founded in the 14th century it sits amidst great oak groves and its most impressive building is the Parish Church of La Santísima Trinidad, from the 16th century. Trujillanos is home to the Water Interpretation Centre and the Cornalvo Nature Park.

                                                Cornalvo Reservoir

GASTRONOMY

Home made pastries in Don Benito, Villanueva de la Serena, Guareña and La Zarza. Wine in Mengrabil, Guareña and Don Benito. Olive oil in Guareña. Extremadura “migas” (breadcrumbs), “caldereta” (lamb stew) and “moje” (fish salad) can be found throughout the region. Cheese in Villanueva de la Serena.

HANDICRAFTS

Leather crafts in La Zarza, Don Benito and Guareña. Knives crafted in the traditional fashion in Don Benito.

FESTIVITIES

“La Carrerrita” on Resurrection Sunday in Villanueva de la Serena. Competitions and exhibitions in the FEVAL in Don Benito. Saint Martin on the 10th of November in La Zarza.

NATURE AND COUNTRYSIDE

Contrasting extensions of crops of corn, olives, fruit trees, vines and rice on the one hand and magnificent oak groves sprinkled throughout pasture lands given over to sheep breeding on the other.

mnipresent throughout the region, the Guadiana is the principal protagonist both in the landscape and in the way of life of farmers and stockbreeders whose livelihood has been well improved thanks to the enormous extensions of irrigated land.

This territory is an excellent place for birds of prey and hunted species which abound along the banks of the Guadiana and its affluents. Areas for swimming abound throughout the region and there are splendid spots for fishing and practising water sports.