It's not just Hervas, Estremadura in every corner is always an option for a getaway. What's more, it has all the components so that any trip is always perfect: paradisiacal natural landscapes, an immense historical heritage, a outstanding gastronomy, it is close to the big cities and its destinations fit any pocket.
We have decided to make the route to one of those corners that has it all, leaving behind the Jerte Valley and the beautiful Plasencia to direct us to Hervas, which is known as the capital of the Ambroz Valley. Hervás rises in the middle of an enviable natural environment and also hides a very curious past. And as a good people from Extremadura, you have to come unhurried and hungry.
The fairytale forests that surround Hervás.
A MEDIEVAL AND SEPHARDIC VILLAGE
Hervás welcomes the traveler with the pleasant character of the people of Extremadura, stepping cobbled streets that in their day drew the layout of a medieval town that enjoyed a certain prestige thanks to the proximity of the Silver Way . Going through it is a simple task, it only takes one day, but you have to pay a lot of attention to what is seen.
The footprint of the Knights Templar is still visible on the Church of Santa Maria de Aguas Vivas, one of the highest points of the town and perfect to start the walk. From here you can see the whole town and a large part of the natural greatness of the Ambroz Valley. The temple looks like a fortress because it was built on a fortification of the knights templar It's from the 11th century and still preserves remains of the wall that was built there.
Jewish quarter, Hervás (Cáceres).
The other religious temple that you must visit is the Church of San Juan Bautista, somewhat further from the center and that can be visited by stopping in advance at the Tourist Office. It is located in the convent of the Trinitarians, founded in 1664 in a post-Herrera style that oozes apparent sobriety. But that sobriety is lost inside, where you have to let yourself be dazzled by the Baroque grandeur: decoration with plasterwork, a precious and ornate main altar, the work of Francisco Cutanda and a beautiful baroque painting of the Coronation.
Here is one of the jewish neighborhoods best preserved in our country. As was the case in Plasencia, the Jews occupied more distant neighbourhoods, since the squares closest to the castles were reserved for the Christians. The Hervás Jewish quarter is a true jump to the past, more specifically to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, a living document of the Sephardic culture.
Workshops and shops were in their day the establishments that filled the twisted streets of the Jewish quarter, streets that still exhibit some David's star embedded in its facades. The layout is a bit labyrinthine and if one gets confused you can get lost or appear in a dead end. But that is part of its charm.
FROM THE PIG… TO THE WALK
Yes, things from Hervás, Extremadura, one of the areas of Spain that have best preserved the gastronomic heritage along the centuries. Gastronomy is based on the know-how of the farmers, the country kitchen, pastoral and use, very marked at this time by the slaughter.
Land of potato sausage, ham and morro, because the Iberian pig has a protected designation of origin here. And that is also seen in the crumbs, in sausages and in the sweet wonders that are made with butter such as the perrunillas, flagship of the confectionery of these lands. Though in Carnival Are the fried flowers whatever happens to eat, smeared with honey and perfect for any long after-meal conversation.
You have to go to Hervás with the spirit of a bar, because there they know how to mix fresh beer or a pitarra wine with good portions and generous skewers. In the surroundings of the Church of Santa María de Aguas Vivas there are many bars in which to stop for a snack or to get involved, as in the El Patio Tavern, located at the entrance of the Jewish quarter. Good place for crumbs, for tail croquettes and the blood sausage and pear scramble.
Valle del Ambroz Inn.
Going to the other side and next to the Pérez Comendador-Leroux Museum is found the Meson 60 (Collado, 28), a place to eat delicious jeta (or morro), zorongollo or a good string of tapas where they give you a choice. They also do very well grilled meats, especially the secret and the steak, which are served with braised potatoes.
A bet not to fail is the restaurant To simmer (Vedelejos, 6) also very close to the Church of Santa María. Here they go beyond the Torta del Casar, betting on a selection of cheeses from Extremadura that are yet to be known. It is a true temple for lovers of meat, both Extremaduran beef and the beauty of the Iberian pig, protected in this area. And finally, they have a sidereal cheese cake
Those looking for the all in one can find a good option in the Valle del Ambroz Inn, a small hotel located in the convent of the Trinitarians, a place where you can breathe peace and where you can also eat fabulously. The restaurant of the inn, Convent, It has a gastronomic menu of only 30 euros which is well worth it.
Spa and Roman Baths of Baños de Montemayor, Cáceres.
THERMAL DESTINATION WITH HISTORY
Very close to Hervás is Baths of Montemayor, a small town of less than a thousand inhabitants that has been of great importance since the time of the Romans, since it is built on hot springs. That is why Baños de Montemayor allows us to turn our getaway into a parenthesis of relaxation and disconnection in what is one of the best spas in Extremadura.
The waters of Baños de Montemayor were a very important attraction for the inhabitants of Roman Hispania between years I and IV and for soldiers and merchants who traveled the old Vía de la Plata. the sulphurous waters This part of the Ambroz Valley was said to cure rheumatism, joint ailments and a multitude of respiratory ailments. Inside it is still preserved a roman bath, one of the many reasons that has earned him the title of Well of Cultural Interest since 1995.
the gates of Spa will reopen on March 18, so if you plan your getaway to Hervás for those dates, do not hesitate to come to this little paradise where stress ceased to exist years ago.
Ambroz Valley, Cáceres.
PLUS...
One of the great attractions of Hervás is found in the enormous number of outdoor activities and sports that can be done in the Ambroz Valley. In the same Tourist Office they will be able to explain the hiking trails, bicycle and horse riding along the Vía Verde de la Plata. But you will also find balloon rides, astronomical observation, photographic routes through the dehesa and a lot of water activities in the Baños Reservoir such as paddle surfing, kayaking and even diving.
A very curious visit in Hervás is in the call Cacti House. This private home has a garden open to the public with more than six thousand different species of cacti that turn this space into a singular Botanical Garden. Even when the owner is away, you can visit the garden, as he usually leaves the outside door open.
House of the Cactus, Hervas.
Hervas has one of the narrowest streets in Spain, the Travesía del Morón, located in the Jewish quarter, which is only 50 centimeters wide. For this reason, it belongs to that peculiar club of towns with the narrowest streets in our country, along with others such as the Callejón de Urriés (Zaragoza), which is 41 centimeters wide, or Calle Zanjilla de Soportújar (Granada), also 50 centimeters wide. .
Motor enthusiasts can enjoy their Motorcycle and Classic Car Museum, located on the outskirts, in the neighborhood of San Andrés. It was the first museum of these characteristics that opened in our country and houses a impressive collection of vehicles and classic motorcycles from different decades, from the 1920s to the 1970s.