WEEKEND EXCURSIONS

A DAY OUT IN THE TENTUDIA REGION

The Tentudía Mountain Range and its region lie to the south of Extremadura and neighbour onto the southern Extremadura region of Sierra Sur and Huelva. At the other eastern end of the territory is the region of Campiña Sur.

AN ITINERARY FOR TOURISTS

We begin our itinerary in Monesterio, a village located close to the Andalucian provinces of Huelva and Seville. Following the conquest of these lands by the Order of Santiago, Monesterio was an important and strategic regional enclave and in fact it became one of the Order’s Trusteeships (“Encomiendas”). Its Parish Church is dedicated to the Apostle Saint Peter and was built in the 16th century in the Gothic-Renaissance style.

                        Church Apostle Saint Peter. Monesterio

We leave the Silver Route to visit a place called Montemolín which conserves remains of what was once a superb Arab fortress. The Church, known today as the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Granada is in the Gothic style and the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción in the Renaissance style. Just a few kilometres away is Pallares which in the Middle Ages occupied a strategic position in between lands dominated by Arabs and Christians. Albeit small, the village is quite beautiful and the Parish Church of Santa María Magdalene is worthy of note.

Santa María de la Nava is further south, a small village surrounded by oak groves and mountain ranges. At the end of the 15th century the neighbouring Puebla del Maestre was the temporary residence of the family of Alonso de Cárdenas, the Master of the Order of Santiago.

We take the A-66 back to Fuente de Cantos which has the privilege of celebrating two Festivities declared of Interest as Regional Tourist Attractions in Extremadura, the famous San Isidro Procession (“Romería”) and the “Chanfaina” which is held on the last Sunday in April in the Church of Nuestra Señora de Gracia. This church possesses a Baroque major altarpiece, work of González del Castillo. Worthy of mention are also the Convent of the Carmelites and the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Hermosa. It is possible to visit the house of the painter Zurbarán, born in this village.

A few kilometres on we come to Calzadilla de los Barros, very close to the A-66, where we can see the Parish Church Nuestra Señora del Camino and its beautiful plateresque portico. In the mountains we come upon the village of Atalaya which once belonged to the Order of the Temple and which contains the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora del Camino. The church belfry is built on top of an ancient defensive tower. If we make a detour from the A-66 we come to Valencia del Ventoso where we can visit its 15th century castle-palace which Rodrigo de Cárdenas, the Commander of the Order of Santiago, ordered to be built.

Bodonal de la Sierra is enclosed between Segura de León and Fregenal de la Sierra. Its famous amateur bullfights are held in September in the Plaza Mayor (Main Square). We can discover the 16th century Parish Church of San Blas and the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Guía. From there we can drive to Segura de León, a beautiful village the origins of which date all the way back to the prehistoric period, as can be attested by discoveries made here, the so called Treasure of Segura.

Right in the middle of the mountains and set amidst beautiful pastures is Fuentes de León which, as can be seen from its Castle of El Cuerno, is of Arab origin. Also within the town land are various caves which have been declared an Extremadura Nature Monument. Close by is Cabeza la Vaca, famous for its excellent ham products. One of the most beautiful aspects of this village is its popular mountain architecture.

                                Monastery of Nuestra Señora de Tentudía. Calera de León

Climbing further into the mountains we come to Calera de León which is situated at the feet of the Tentudía Mountain Peak. Arab in origin, it was one of the region’s principal strategic and religious enclaves and barely a few kilometres away we will find the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de Tentudía, built to commemorate the battle won against the Arabs.

GASTRONOMY

Ham and dried meats in Monasterio and Cabeza la Vaca. Lamb stew in almost all the region, in particular the Extremadura “caldereta” and the popular “Chanfaina” which is especially well known in Fuente de Cantos. Extremadura breadcrumbs (“migas”), gazpacho and game dishes throughout the itinerary.

HANDICRAFTS

Leather boots in Fuente de Cantos and bone handicrafts. Embroidery and lace in some of the villages along the itinerary.

FESTIVITIES

odonal de la Sierra holds its amateur bullfights from the 9th to the 11th of September. In Fuente de Cantos the San Isidro Procession (“Romería”) is held on the 15th of May and "Chanfaina" on the last Sunday in April. Both have been declared Festivities of Interest as Regional Tourist Attractions in Extremadura. The amateur bullfights in Segura de León are famous and are held during the Feast of Christ in the second week of September. The famous Tentudía Procession (“Romería”) takes place in the area around the Monastery of Tentudía.

NATURE AND COUNTRYSIDE

Magnificent mountain ranges covered in oak groves are visible all along the itinerary. From them we can make out some pasturelands in which cereals are being introduced or also interesting exploitations in which livestock is being reared, in particular Iberian pigs. Scrubland dominates the skirts of the mountains. The most important one is that of Tentudía, a veritable natural paradise to the south of Extremadura, where numerous birds of prey coexist with a rich and varied fauna, the delight of local hunters.

Sprinkled throughout the itinerary and the mountains are white villages with steep streets, some attached to medieval castles most of which are in a good state of conservation.