The hilltop Castillo de Monfragüe, a ruined 9th-century Islamic fort, has sweeping 360-degree views across the park, with birds swooshing by above and below. It's signposted up a steep winding road off the EX208, 8km south of Villareal de San Carlos. The castle can also be reached via an attractive 8km, 1½-hour walk from Villareal, along the so-called Ruta Roja (Red Route).
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
25.74 MILES
In a lovely shady setting 1.5km northwest of Cuacos de Yuste, this monastery is where Carlos I of Spain (Charles I; also known as Carlos V of Austria)…
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26.92 MILES
Trujillo's main square is one of Spain's most spectacular plazas, surrounded by baroque and Renaissance stone buildings sporting intricately carved…
29.74 MILES
As you head up the steps to the Ciudad Monumental from the Plaza Mayor, turn left to climb the 12th-century, 25m-high Torre de Bujaco, home to an…
29.75 MILES
As the closest square to the Plaza Mayor, the Plaza de Santa María and the surrounding tangle of lanes provide most people's introduction to the Ciudad…
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Palacio de los Golfines de Abajo
29.76 MILES
The sumptuous home of Cáceres' prominent Golfín family has been beautifully restored. Built piecemeal between the 14th and 20th centuries, it's crammed…
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29.84 MILES
The excellent Museo de Cáceres, spread across 12 buildings in a 16th-century mansion built over an evocative 12th-century aljibe (cistern), is the only…
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26.79 MILES
Atop the town's 600m-high summit, Trujillo's castle is of 10th-century Islamic origin (note the horseshoe arch just inside the entrance) and was later…
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0.35 MILES
Arguably the most spectacular spot in the national park is the Mirador Salto del Gitano. From this lookout point, 5km south of Villareal along the EX208,…
Nearby Extremadura attractions
0.35 MILES
Arguably the most spectacular spot in the national park is the Mirador Salto del Gitano. From this lookout point, 5km south of Villareal along the EX208,…
2. Centro de Interpretación del Arte Rupestre de Monfragüe
4.36 MILES
This excellent new installation serves as an interpretation centre for the rock art found in the Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, close to the Castillo. The…
13.95 MILES
Plasencia’s magnificent cathedral is two-in-one. The 16th-century Catedral Nueva is a Gothic-Renaissance blend with a handsome plateresque facade, a…
4. Palacio del Marquesado de Mirabel
14.06 MILES
Dating to the 15th century, this is one of Plasencia's most majestic civil buildings. Enter through the fine, columned two-floor Renaissance patio, then…
14.07 MILES
Plasencia life flows through the lively, arcaded Plaza Mayor: meeting place of 10 streets, home to plenty of bar-restaurants and scene of a Tuesday…
6. Centro de Interpretación de la Ciudad Medieval
14.24 MILES
The best-preserved defensive tower of the old city wall, located at the top of the old town, tells the history of medieval Plasencia through video, models…
22.44 MILES
Learn everything there is to know about pimentón, that wonderfully smokey Spanish paprika beloved by cooks across the country, at this engaging little…
8. Yacimiento Romano de Cáparra
23.36 MILES
Unearthed in 1929, the fascinating, substantial remains of the once-splendid Roman city of Cáparra mostly date to around the 1st century. Initially…