Zafra

Roman remains around Zafra point to a settlement linked to the legendary ancient city of Segeda. During the Roman period the territory fell within the province of Baetica. In the medieval era Zafra sat on the frontier between the taifa kingdoms of Seville and Badajoz, which prompted the construction of a defensive castle in the Sierra del Castellar in 1030 — recorded by the Arab geographer Al-Bakrī in 1094 under the name Sajra Abi Hassán. The Arabic toponym Safra or Çafra became the modern Zafra. The town was taken during the Reconquista twice: first by the Leonese king Alfonso IX in 1229, and definitively by Fernando III in 1241.

The decisive turning point came in 1394 when King Enrique III granted jurisdiction over the town to Gomes I Suárez de Figueroa. His son Lorenzo II made Zafra the centre of the Lordship of Feria, building the town walls between 1426 and 1449, commissioning the Alcázar as his residence in 1437, founding the Hospital de Santiago, and completing the Monastery of the Poor Clares of Santa María del Valle as the family pantheon. By 1460 the lordship had been elevated to a county.

Zafra also contributed significantly to the conquest of the Americas: 221 of its inhabitants took part in expeditions across the continent, from present-day South Carolina to Chile. Among the most notable were Pedro Arias de Almesto, secretary to Lope de Aguirre on the Amazon expedition and later chronicler of that journey; Hernando de Santana, who helped conquer Yucatán and founded the city of Valledupar in Colombia; and Sancho de Barahona, who travelled with Narváez, Hernán Cortés, and Pedro de Alvarado.

The town's two linked main squares, Plaza Grande and Plaza Chica, form its social heart. On one of the pillars of Plaza Chica a measuring rod survives — once used by merchants trading in the market held there, making it one of the town's earliest civic structures.

The most imposing building is the Alcázar-palace of the Dukes of Feria, begun in the fifteenth century and extended over the following two centuries. Its centrepiece is a marble courtyard whose design was long attributed to the architect Herrera, though that attribution has since been rejected. The building now operates as the Parador de Turismo "Duques de Feria."

The Iglesia de la Candelaria is a large Gothic church containing an impressive high altarpiece, a substantial organ, and paintings by Zurbarán. The Capilla de San José was originally a medieval synagogue. The Iglesia de Santa Marina has been converted into a cultural centre and exhibition space, and is listed among the cultural heritage assets of the province of Badajoz.

Two historic gateways, the Arco de Jerez and the Arco del Cubo, remain from the old walls. The town also has several notable stone water troughs and fountains, the most significant being the Pilar del Duque, the Pilar de San Benito, and the Pilar de la República.

Zafra has a good range of everyday shops. Tapas are easy to find — sit in one of the plazas or in the bars along the side streets. There is also a Chinese restaurant just off one of the main squares.

Extremadura is known for its wines, and local varieties are widely available. One regional speciality worth looking out for is a liquor made from acorns, particular to Extremadura.