Cáceres

Human presence around Cáceres goes back roughly a million years. The cave of Santa Ana, in the limestone karst zone known as the Calerizo, holds the oldest evidence of human occupation in Extremadura. Nearby, the cave of Maltravieso — discovered in 1956 — contains Palaeolithic paintings of hands, notable for having the little finger concealed under a layer of paint, once mistakenly thought to indicate amputation. The cave of El Conejar shows Neolithic occupation from around the sixth and fifth millennia BC.

The Romans established permanent camps here — Castra Cecilia and Castra Servilia — alongside the road later known as the Vía de la Plata, eventually founding the colony of Norba Caesarina. The Visigoths destroyed the Roman settlement, and it was the Moors who rebuilt the city in 1147 under Abd al-Mumin, exploiting the same strategic hilltop. The word "Plata" in Vía de la Plata derives from the Arabic *balata*, meaning paved road.

Christian reconquest came in 1229, the result of a long struggle in which Portuguese, Leonese, and Castilian forces all competed for control of the town before Alfonso IX of León finally secured it.

The historic centre of Cáceres was named Europe's third most important monumental ensemble by the Council of Europe in 1968, after Prague and Tallinn, and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. It has since received further recognition: the Pomme d'Or tourism award from the International Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers in 1996, and a European Commission twinning award in 1999.

The Vía de la Plata Roman road crosses the municipality from north to south, and remnants of the Roman presence are visible throughout — the rectangular camp of Cáceres el Viejo (possibly Castra Servilia), the archaeological sites of Cuarto Roble and El Junquillo, and a medieval bridge at Valdesalor that was rebuilt on the foundations of a Roman original. Several Roman milestones survive on the nearby Finca del Trasquilón.

The Camino de Santiago de la Plata also passes through the city. Above the eastern edge of town, the sanctuary of the Virgen de la Montaña sits on the Sierra de Portanchito and offers a wide panoramic view of Cáceres and the surrounding countryside.

The nearest major international airports are Madrid Barajas, Seville, and Lisbon, each roughly 250–300 km away. The closest airport with domestic service is Talavera, in Badajoz province, about 90 km from Cáceres, with flights from Madrid Barajas and Barcelona El Prat; it handles no international flights. Several trains run daily from Madrid Atocha, Lisbon, and Badajoz — check renfe.es for timetables.

Trains are slower than road travel but the scenery is worthwhile. The station is 1–2 km from the city centre; taxis are available, or it is a straightforward ten-minute walk along the Avenida de Alemania. A high-speed rail line linking Madrid and Lisbon via Cáceres, Mérida, and Badajoz is under construction but facing significant delays.

At the table, look for Torta del Casar cheese, stuffed red peppers (filled with fish, cornmeal, or lamb), local paprika cheese, and the red wine Ribera del Guadiana.