Route by car through the Valle del Ambroz and Granadilla

The north of Extremadura is full of natural paradises that captivate all its visitors and surprise everyone who meets them for the first time. The most famous of the regions of northern Extremadura are the Jerte Valley, thanks to its cherry trees, and La Vera, thanks to its gorges and the Yuste Monastery, but next to them there is another lesser-known place such as the Ambroz Valley.

The landscapes that the valley through which the Valle del Ambroz runs leaves us will not be as spectacular but they also have a great charm, especially for the towns that you can meet in it and its neighboring region of Tierras de Granadilla.

Here we propose a route that you can do by car through the Valle del Ambroz and Tierras de Granadilla, regions located very close to Plasencia.

What to see on the route by car through the Valle del Ambroz and Granadilla

Hervás and its Jewish quarter

We are going to start our route in Hervás, the most beautiful town in the region and the one that preserves one of the most spectacular Jewish quarters that we can find in Spain.

Strolling through the alleys of the Hervás Jewish quarter will transport you to another era, specifically to the 14th and 15th centuries, which is when the houses that you will find in its steep streets that take you from the river to the Church of Santa María de Aguas Vivas date from., the highest point of Hervás.

In Hervás we also recommend you visit the Church of San Juan Bautista and its baroque altarpieces, the Fuente Chiquita Bridge and cross the Ambroz River to the place from which you have the best views of the Hervás Jewish Quarter. If you like hiking and you have time, from here you can go to La Chorrera, a spectacular waterfall that you cannot miss.

The Gorge and Baths of Montemayor

From Hervás we can start to climb the mountain along the road that goes north along the mountain that separates the Valle del Ambroz from the Valle del Jerte until we reach the town of La Garganta from where we have the best views of the mountains.

In La Garganta you will find very interesting places such as the Pozo de Nieve or the Wolf Interpretation Center, dedicated to this enigmatic animal that is complemented by the Corral del Lobo, a trap that the shepherds of the area used to hunt them in the past.

Nearby is the town of Baños de Montemayor, famous for its incredible spa that takes advantage of the thermal waters that were already known in this place in Roman times, although the current building dates from the 19th century.

Passion fruit

We continue our way through this wonderful land and after crossing the towns of Aldeanueva del Camino and Abadía, towns with great history and very important on the Vía de la Plata, we arrive at the region of Tierras de Granadilla where everything moves around the Gabriel Reservoir. and Galán, opened in 1961.

And it was precisely the construction of that reservoir that made the town of Granadilla one of the most enigmatic places in Extremadura. This town, founded by the Muslims in the 9th century, had to be abandoned due to the construction of the reservoir and was left abandoned although the waters never submerged it.

Today it is part of a program for the recovery of abandoned towns and can be visited to admire its castle and its walls, as well as its streets, along which its inhabitants once walked.

Roman City of Cáparra

A few kilometers away we have another of the monumental jewels that we can visit in Extremadura. We are talking about the ancient Roman city of Cáparra, where we can enjoy some ruins and archaeological excavations whose visit is essential for lovers of history and archeology.

What stands out most of the ruins is the Arco de Cáparra, an authentic symbol of northern Extremadura and which is in a great state of conservation. It is unique in Spain in terms of its characteristics and under it runs a section of the Vía de la Plata, the ancient Roman road that linked Spain from north to south.

Next to the arch are the remains of what was the ancient Roman city, among which we can highlight those of the Baths. There is also a small amphitheater and very close a Roman Bridge that crosses the Cáparra River.

Segura de Toro and Choker

To finish the route by car through the Valle del Ambroz and Granadilla, we will return towards Hervás again to the north until we reach the beautiful town of Segura de Toro, one of the most beautiful in the area.

Segura de Toro is the oldest town in the region, of Veton origin, where we can find a stone bull from the 6th century BC and other points of interest such as the ruins of an old Templar castle or its natural pool. In addition, also very close are the Castaños del Temblar, a set of 5 spectacular chestnut trees that can be reached by taking a beautiful hiking route from the town.

The end of our route is in the neighboring town of Gargantilla, where you can enjoy one of the best examples of popular architecture in the north of Extremadura.

You can find more information on the official page of Valle del Ambroz.