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We
will begin our tour in the easternmost village of this area of
Extremadura, Madrigal de la Vera. Part of the nearby Garganta de
Alardos has been fitted out as an open-air swimming pool, the first of
many such pools that endow the whole region with tiny oases of
refreshing, ice-cold water.
Next
stop is Villanueva de la Vera, at the foot of the Sierra de Gredos. Its
historic centre, made up of long narrow houses with overhanging eaves
and carved wooden balconies, has been listed as an Artistic-Historic
Ensemble. Its streets harbour such historic buildings as the
sixteenth-century Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción and the
thirteenth-century Ermita de San Antón. Another spot well worth a visit
is the waterfall called Cascada del Diablo, one kilometre from the
village, where the Garganta Gualtaminos skips down an 80 metre drop. Its hallmark festival is the Fiesta de Pero Palo.
In
Valverde de la Vera, also listed as a Historic Site of Cultural
Interest, visits can be made to the Arab castle and the Iglesia de
Fuentes Claras. On the night of Holy Thursday-Good Friday the Fiesta de
Los Empalaos is celebrated, listed as a festival of Tourism Interest.
To
appreciate Losar de la Vera in all its splendour, visitors are
recommended to make the trek up to the Collado del Brezo. It is
certainly no cake walk but the effort is repaid with excellent views
over the deep gorge carved by the Cuartos river, running under a Roman
bridge at one point. Other stunning gorges are the Garganta Hormigosa
and Garganta de la Hoz.
Carrying
on from Losar westwards along the C-51 road we come to Jarandilla de la
Vera, with an old palace where Charles I lived before moving to the
Monasterio de Yuste. In the historic centre of the village stands the
fifteenth-century Iglesia-fortaleza de Nuestra Señora de la Torre. One
of its traditional celebrations is the Fiesta de Los Escobazos.
With
a nod towards the beauty of Garganta la Olla (to be seen on the second
route) and leaving behind Aldeanueva de la Vera and the Garganta de
Cuacos ? one of the finest gorges in the whole region ? we carry on
towards Cuacos de Yuste. The highspots here are its spectacular Plaza
Porticada (arcaded square), the Casa de Don Juan de Austria and the Plaza de la Fuente de los Cuatro chorros (square with four-spouted fountain).
The main town of La Vera is Jaraíz, whose fourteenth-century Iglesia de Santa María is listed as an Artistic-HistoricMonument.
Before reaching the city of Plasencia we should stop at Tejeda de Tiétar and buy a box of the local delicacy, perrunillas,
a sweet pastry made of egg and lard. Although originating in this area
it has since spread throughout the whole region of Extremadura and even
crept into the south part of the neighbouring region of Castilla y León.
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