EuroVelo 1
Section 23 Section 25

Section 24 - Extremadura

Zafra - Monesterio - 65Km

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We travel the last 65 kilometres of EuroVelo 1 in its passage through Extremadura. On this section we leave Zafra and depart for the town of Monesterio, bordering on Andalusia, on a stage running through extensive dehesas devoted to rearing Iberian pigs.

We are heading for the south to Puebla de Sancho Pérez, where if we are curious to do so we can visit what is said to be the oldest bullring in Spain, which is adjacent to the Chapel of Belén. The town is also known for its El Raposo Spa some 5 kilometres away with its waters with curative powers in a pleasant environment which is worth exploring. And if you like archaeology you should make a detour to Medina de las Torres to get to know the former Contributa Iulia Ugultunia, the most important Roman town of Baeturia of the Celtici.

Our ride continues along the BAV-024 towards Calzadilla de los Barros. We should not leave the town without visiting its Parish Church of El Divino Salvador, which holds the best Mudejar Gothic altarpiece in Extremadura.

We continue pedalling to the provincial border and reach Fuente de Cantos, which is an unusual town and the birthplace of great painters such as Nicolás Megía and Francisco de Zurbarán. To understand the universe of this painter of genius we can visit his Casa Museum. And if it is late April we will attend the gastronomic festival, the Chanfaina, to taste the traditional stew of shepherds in Extremadura. Only 6 kilometres away lies the archaeological site of Los Castillejos, a settlement with a long history going back to the Neolithic.

This stage comes to an end together with the EuroVelo 1 Route in Extremadura in the municipality of Monesterio, where we must stop off to eat and visit the Ham Museum. We will be unable to resist tasting the delicious products of the Iberian pig, especially its famous acorn-cured Iberian ham. This farewell will leave a good taste in the mouth. We now only have to ride 15 kilometres through the magnificent pastures of the dehesa to reach the town of Real de la Jara in the province of Seville.

 

Points of Interest

Heritage: 8

  • Located in pleasant natural surroundings, it was the first spa in Extremadura to obtain a “Q” for quality as a hotel and as a thermal establishment. Its first outbuildings were built in 1886 and today it has modern infrastructures which allow you to benefit from the healing properties of these waters and also of mud.

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  • It is located on the outskirts of the town in a magnificent landscape. Although it dates from the 15th century it is baroque in style as it was rebuilt in the 18th century. It is unusual in that it adjoins a square bullring which is said to be the oldest in Spain.

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  • This was one of the most important cities in the area in Roman times and attained its greatest splendour during the second half of the 1st century and the 2nd century A.D. It is still being excavated but the main structures of this great city have already been uncovered; the walls, the forum, the market, and also a large judiciary basilica.

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  • Although it is known as the “Torre de los Moros” it is not of Moslem origin; it was actually built in the 14th century as the Headquarters of the Command of the Order of Santiago. It has a square ground plan and two of its towers survive, a circular keep and another semicircular tower.

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  • It has been declared a National Artistic and Historical Monument. This church is of simple architecture with buttresses on the outside and a battlemented apse which gives it the appearance of a fortress; it was built in the 15th and 16th centuries. It houses a spectacular Gothic altarpiece of the first third of the 16th century which takes the form of a large triptych with 28 panels; it is one of the most interesting of the few late medieval altarpieces to survive in Extremadura.

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  • The house where the artist was born which has been renovated as a museum. The various rooms recreate the mystical rural atmosphere which marked the personality of this prolific painter and reflect the most significant milestones of his artistic career.

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  • Remains of ancient settlements inhabited since Neolithic times and with two excavation areas. In Castillejos I the remains of a city wall have been found which have been dated as being from the end of the third and the beginning of the second millennium B.C. And in Castillejos II the vestiges of a settlement with a defensive wall which was occupied several times between the 4th and 2th centuries B.C. can be seen.

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  • This space of reference is a showcase for one of the treasures of the gastronomy of the region, Iberian ham. It offers an interactive route on two storeys which takes the visitor from the dehesa or pastureland of Extremadura via the Iberian pig to the experience of sampling fine acorn-fed Iberian ham.

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Nature: 1

  • The lesser kestrel is the second smallest falcon in the world (it is smaller than a dove) and the only bird of prey to nest in colonies in built-up areas, preferably on historic buildings. In Fuente de Cantos, a town which we pass through on this last stage of EuroVelo 1 in Extremadura, they can be seen in the urban area in particular in the breeding season.

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Gastronomy and wine: 1

  • The extensive dehesas of southern Extremadura, which are the largest and best preserved on earth, are the ideal place for rearing Iberian pigs and for making a unique and inimitable product: Iberian ham, the best in the world.

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Shops and cycling services: 1

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Comments: Section 24

Section 24

Zafra - Monesterio - 65Km: 65

  • Elevation
  • Heritage
  • Shops and cycling services