🇪🇸Spain · Places to discover
What to see in Cáceres?
22 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Cáceres is a medieval city in Extremadura whose historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has weathered the centuries with remarkably little alteration. The ashlar palaces of conquistadors sit alongside Moorish towers and Gothic churches within a perimeter you can walk in an hour. The Plaza Mayor, lively and unpretentious, forms the boundary between the ancient, frozen city and the modern one that bustles beyond.
Spring (April-May) and autumn offer reasonable temperatures for exploring the narrow streets without the crushing heat of an Extremaduran summer. Two days suffice for a thorough circuit; three if you plan an excursion to Monfragüe National Park. Cáceres is reached by train from Madrid in under two hours. Avoid restaurants that border the Plaza Mayor directly: prices are inflated and the cooking standardised.
Landmarks & heritage
6 places
1Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Casa de las Veletas - Cáceres Museum
Provincial museum housed in a 17th-century palace, with a unique 11th-century Arab cistern preserved in the basement—the only one of its kind in Spain. Archaeological, ethnographic and contemporary art collections sit together under one roof.
2Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5Landmark
Torre de Bujaco
A 12th-century Almohad tower dominating the Plaza Mayor, the absolute emblem of the city. Climb to the summit for sweeping views across the old town and the storks nesting on the rooftops.
3Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0Landmark
Casa del Sol - Palacio de los Solís
A Renaissance palace distinguished by a rising sun emblem carved into its façade. Now home to the Museo de Bellas Artes, often pleasantly quiet yet rich in Extremaduran paintings from the 17th to 19th centuries.
4Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5Landmark
Concatedral of Santa María
A 13th-century Gothic cathedral at the heart of the monumental city, built atop a former mosque. The ornate polychrome wooden altarpiece and tombs of local nobility are particularly worth viewing.
5Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Landmark
Arco de la Estrella
An 18th-century Baroque gateway designed by Manuel Lara Churriguera to allow carriages into the monumental city. It deliberately breaks with the medieval ramparts, marking passage into another world entirely.
6Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Landmark
Monumental City of Cáceres
A medieval historic centre designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and among Europe's best preserved. Fifteenth-century noble towers and palaces create a timeless atmosphere, especially at sunset.
Religious sites
2 places
7Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Religious site
Church of San Mateo
A 15th-century Gothic church perched at the highest point of the monumental city, surrounded by noble palaces. Its bell tower and the coats of arms of the great Cacereño families stand as testimony to local medieval power.
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Religious site
Religious site
Convento de San Pablo - Dulces de las Madres Clarisas
A convent of Poor Clare sisters who sell their handmade confections through a revolving hatch in the entrance door. Yemas de Santa Teresa and candied almonds are essential local specialities to take home.
Castles & fortresses
3 places
9Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5Castle
Palacio de los Golfines de Abajo
A 15th-century Gothic-Renaissance palace where the Catholic Monarchs stayed during the Reconquest. The façade adorned with heraldic stars is among the finest in all Extremadura.
10Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0Castle
Palacio de los Mayoralgo
A 15th-century Gothic palace with an ornate façade featuring an impressive coat of arms adorned with lions and towers. Seldom visited and often closed, yet the exterior alone warrants the detour down this quiet alleyway.
11Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0Castle
Palacio de Carvajal
A 15th-century Renaissance palace distinguished by its characteristic round tower and magnificent interior courtyard. Seat of the Provincial Council, it welcomes visitors yet remains overlooked by hurried travellers.
Nature
2 places
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Nature
Nature
Río Salor - Natural Swimming Area
Natural river some twenty kilometres from Cáceres where locals come to swim in summer within natural pools formed by granite boulders. Wild and authentic setting, far removed from artificial beaches.
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Nature
Nature
Dehesa of Cáceres
Emblematic Extremaduran landscape on the city's doorstep—a forest of cork and holm oaks where Iberian pigs roam freely. Perfect for walking or cycling as the sun sets.
Viewpoints
3 places
14Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Viewpoint
Mirador del Espíritu Santo
A panoramic terrace north of the monumental city offering sweeping views across Extremaduran countryside and dehesa grasslands stretching to the horizon. Ideal at dawn to watch storks take flight from the towers.
15Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Viewpoint
Mirador de la Cuesta de la Compañía
A secret viewpoint tucked within the monumental city, reached by steep cobbled alleyways. Plunging views across Roman roof tiles, towers and stork nests—with scarcely a tourist in sight.
16Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Viewpoint
Hermitage of the Virgin of the Mountain
A Baroque sanctuary perched on Cerro de la Montaña commanding the most comprehensive panorama of Cáceres and the Extremaduran plains. Locals climb here on foot each 1st May for the romería, an essential popular festival.
Activities
4 places
17Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0Activity
WOMAD Cáceres
World festival of world music that transforms the monumental city into a vast stage each May. One of the planet's most iconic WOMADs, free and accessible, with concerts held in palace courtyards.
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Activity
Activity
Stork Route
Marked walking trail circling the ramparts of the monumental city, perfect for spotting white storks nesting on the towers and bell towers. Cáceres is home to one of Europe's largest urban stork colonies.
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Activity
Activity
Night-time Tour of the Monumental City
The medieval city transforms at dusk: ramparts illuminate, lanes empty out and the atmosphere becomes almost mystical. Several local operators offer guided night tours with costumed performers.
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Activity
Activity
Mercado de Abastos de Cáceres
Municipal covered market where local producers sell ewe's cheese, Iberian charcuterie, Vera vegetables and Cacereño jalapeños. Authentic popular atmosphere on Saturday mornings.
More to discover
2 places
21Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Place
San Blas Quarter
An authentic, unpretentious neighbourhood below the monumental city, untouched by gentrification. Whitewashed low houses, neighbourhood bars and a village atmosphere within the city.
22Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Place
Plaza Mayor de Cáceres
The beating heart of the city where locals gather at all hours, between café terraces and views of the medieval ramparts. Evenings bring university students for the traditional paseo stroll.
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