Bathing in Extremaduran waters: interior sweetness
Unless you are from Extremadura or have had the opportunity to get your feet wet and caress your gaze with one of their reservoirs, gorges, pools or beaches.
Because we are going to take you to freshen up (and watch out, because some of these waters are very, very cold ) at extreme waters . called the sweet coast , offers us unforgettable experiences in the form of river beaches, water sports, fishing and bird watching. And the sunsets. Don't forget to take a good look at the sunsets.
BADAJOZ: A PLAN, THOSE ROMANS AND A SWEET COAST
Let's get organized. Let's divide Extremadura's autonomy into its two provinces and start with the one that is further south. Badajoz shows us its aquatic power with large reservoirs, especially in the regions of Siberia and La Serena , gives us a walk through the history of the ancient Romans and boasts a blue flag on one of its beaches. Do you have everything ready? So let's go.
La Serena Valley
the beach of Orellana reservoir, with the waters of the Guadiana , exhibits the blue flag that accredits the quality of its waters and its facilities, being the first inland beach in Spain to obtain it.
Orellana offers a beach… of cement, yes, but don't let yourself be carried away by absurd prejudices and stop to enjoy its facilities for a day. In the Sweet Coast Beach , as it is also called, you can practice sports such as sailing, canoeing or windsurfing, or fishing if you are a fan. Orellana offers us a beach with all the comforts and services, including showers for returning home and picnic areas or restaurants when hunger strikes.
And we are going to repeat this throughout the article: do not leave without getting lost in the surroundings of these waters. Orellana, next to the town of Orellana the Old , is in an area rich in nature, with wetlands, mountainous areas and abundant vegetation.
Surrounded by eucalyptus trees, we recommend you take a good look at the sky, both for enjoy the sunset (time of the day that we will also mention several times in the article) as well as for bird watching, since the Orellana reservoir It is part of a ZEPA, Special Protection Area for Birds.
Orellana Reservoir or Costa Dulce Beach
We change the region and we go to the border with Portugal, to Llanos de Olivenza . Why this jump? Because we let ourselves be carried away by the wind and the accents towards another of our favorite beaches on the coast of Extremadura: Cheles .
Well known by the locals, both on one side and the other of the Guadiana River, Cheles is a beach in the Alqueva reservoir , the largest in Europe, opened in 2002.
From its fine sand we can guess the Portuguese coast, since we are in The line , as the natural border between the two countries is called. Just 5 kilometers from the town of Cheles and well located if you want to lose yourself in the streets of Olivenza (about 34 kilometers) when the heat stops squeezing, Cheles is one of those beaches that allows you to forget about (almost) everything.
And we mean it literally: it has picnic areas, a home-cooked restaurant (delicious gazpacho) and a shaded terrace.
In addition, it offers sun loungers and umbrellas for cheap rental and there are showers in perfect condition. The car park, and this information is important, has shaded areas . In Extremadura, in summer, always look for shady areas to leave your car, listen to us.
If you are a restless soul, you have many water activities for all audiences, as well as organized bike and hiking routes in the area.
Cheles beach, the perfect place to forget about the world
Following the Alqueva reservoir, about two kilometers away, you have the Cheles Pier , where you can eat some of their fish specialties at the beach bar. And if you want to visit another pier with a lot of magic, good views and good food, we recommend you go up to Olivenza and there go to the Port Villarreal de Olivenza , where people bathe yes , but what we recommend most is to walk and admire the landscape, including the Portuguese coast, again in front, with the town of Juromenha almost, almost, within reach.
Alqueva boasts, once again in Extremadura, of skies, and if you stay overnight in the area you will be able to admire its clean natural vault, curdled with stars.
We will not be far from Portugal for our next destination, more to the north of Badajoz : the elbow . Here we find natural pools with the waters of the river Gévora , quieter than the previous beaches and that invite you to let yourself go with a good book or listen to stories from those who accompany us under the shade and with the lullaby of the water.
Land of Badajoz , the region where we are, offers us abundant vegetation and an accent mixed with Portuguese in some localities due to the proximity with the neighbors. In fact, the river Gévora is born fando português, in the Sao Mamede Natural Park, in the Alentejo . La Codosera arrives, as we told you, in the form of pleasant swimming pools, which have toilets, picnic areas and parking for a modest price.
the elbow
For fans of excursions with history, your time has come: Cornalvo and Proserpina.
Cornus Albus , white horn in Latin, is a reservoir in the waters of the Albarregas River , near Emérita Augusta, the current and fascinating Mérida.
The reservoir is shaped, indeed, of horn , with crystal clear waters that give it the white color that our distant ancestors saw. Surrounded by Mediterranean-type vegetation , in its surroundings still inhabit specimens of the wild cat , almost extinct.
Its waters are the territory of otters and leper turtles, In addition to endemic fish from the Guadiana, its lands feed the holm oaks and cork oaks of the Badajoz dehesa and its skies again recommend taking a look at the birds, since we are in a ZEPA that we have told you about before. Until 155 species you can search, including the Honey Buzzard , one of the rarest birds of prey on the peninsula.
Also near Emérita Augusta we have the Proserpine reservoir , after the Roman goddess of the same name. Here is the beach also known as the pond. Its waters are not excessively cold, so they continually invite you to swim.
Proserpine Reservoir
In the areas closest to the beach bars you have everything you need to spend the day, including the rental of pedal boats and other water activities.
We advise you to leave your car parked, bring food and drink and look for some corner just for you , since the surroundings of the reservoir are full of these freshwater coves that allow you to enjoy the sand, the sun and the calm, especially if you go during the week. Keep in mind that you are just 4 kilometers from the city, so this Pond is very visited.
Another tip is to give a walk around the reservoir , one of the oldest in the world that is still in operation, and admire its engineering work. The path that surrounds the waters is about 6 kilometers . If you dare, you will not stop greeting people, since it is a very busy road. Ah, it is likely that you will also greet a bull, but don't worry, a fence will separate you.
Cornalvo and Proserpina are part of the Mérida Archaeological Ensemble, declared World Heritage Site in 1993 by UNESCO . According to recent information, the Cornalvo and Proserpina dams are not Roman, based on archaeological investigations.
Whether they are Roman or not, and at the risk of making this article outdated with the reference to the time of ancient Latin, you should not stop bathing in Merida waters. they are worth it.
We return to the East of the province of Badajoz to tell you about the Peloche Beach , which has a concrete area and a sand area for any criteria.
In the García Sola reservoir , the waters of the Guadiana are once again an invitation to relax, enjoy water sports or stroll along the reservoir. All the necessary equipment, including barbecue area and plenty of shade. Because the shadow is so important in Extremadura like the light that will invade your retinas and your experience.
Before recommending other reservoirs, we will make a historical note: Badajoz It has had these water reserves for only a few decades.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was already proposed to act in the province for its development, but it was the famous Francoist Badajoz Plan which made the idea effective, with reservoirs like the one in García Sola or Orellana, in addition to Cíjara and Zújar , of which we will talk to you now. New towns and flooded towns tell the parallel story to this plan, which was criticized for the delay of the works and the insufficient subsequent industrialization.
Cerro Masatrigo A
Siberia and La Serena They are two regions full of water as a result, in part, of the Plan Badajoz . However the La Serena Reservoir It is a great work of engineering inaugurated in 1990, becoming the largest in Spain and one of the largest in Europe.
It offers you baths in its waters and a curiosity that we recommend you visit and photograph: the Masatrigo Hill, an island surrounded by a road on both sides in the center of the dam.
If we go to Zújar reservoir, near La Serena, yes we will be in one of the works of the plan developed in the Franco regime. In fact, La Serena is a reservoir built inside the Zújar basin.
This one has remained as a counter reservoir of the first, and in it you can also enjoy beaches, fishing and abundant trees. Near Castuera you have the Isla del Zújar, where fans of climbing, canyoning or hiking come. Look for your favorite in the bathing areas of this reservoir.
In the Cijara Nature Reserve , another place famous for bird watching (how many have we already had?) you can take advantage of the bathing places of the Cijara Reservoir. Located between Toledo and Badajoz, its waters are ideal for swimming, fishing or sailing and its paths offer pleasant walks. Could it be that we don't give you options...
La Serena Valley
We will finish our recommendations from Badajoz with Alange, where, since Roman and Arab times, its mineral-rich waters have been used (just as in Baths of Montemayor ), and where you can add an extra relaxation experience in one of its spas, some of which even make use of structures from Roman times. In Alange, water is the star, whether in the form of a spa, fountain, river or reservoir.
CÁCERES: OF GORGES, BRIDGES AND CHORRERA
We have chosen this title when we go to the north of Extremadura because they are one of the names that we are going to repeat the most. Cáceres, with a prodigious landscape, offers abundant swimming pools and pools in the middle of Nature to let time pass and lose yourself while you treasure memories.
Are we overly poetic? ? If you believe it, seriously, let yourself be fooled by the verse by the waters of Cáceres. And in the north of Extremadura, precisely, we find most of the water reserves suitable for bathing in the province. We give you the most obvious clues: Jerte, Vera and Hurdes . These three areas will be your main destination.
Jerte does not live on cherries alone and sorry for throwing off the topic: mountains, abundant vegetation, forests and forests with stone sheltered by which you will go off course to find multiple waterfalls, waterfalls, streams and the enormous pools that we will be talking about.
Hells Gorge
Although the Jerte Valley It is recommended at any time of the year, in summer its pools challenge us to taste icy waters in fairytale postcards. One of its best known places is the Hells Gorge.
And here, go first to The Pilons. Pools formed on a whim by the erosion of water on the rock, giant natural pots. Do not stop surprising yourself with its view and the temperature of its waters (we are warning you, any local will also do it) and take the opportunity to go to the Jet of the Virgin , specifically the viewpoint from which you can see a waterfall that is likely to be less spectacular in summer than in times with more rain. Too bad, you will have to repeat visit... What are you already planning?
Los Pilones, as we say, are formed by pots of granite blocks pierced by water, they are very visited in summer and we advise you to reach them by taking a short walk, since they are in a Nature Reserve. Take the recommended route and then reward yourself with a swim in one of the most photographed and spectacular natural pools in Spain.
If you find that there are too many people or you like to go more on your own, don't worry.
In the same reserve you will find other highly recommended natural pools such as the Christ, El Vao, El Chamizo/Benidorm or La Pesquerona (or La Pescarona ) , among other. Quiet, equipped and with grass areas for those who do not love sand.
Bonal Gorge
in the calls Pools of El Tomate and La Galiciana you have bathing places where you can get tired of photographing and smiling. One of the most famous is The Nogalon , and we are not surprised: it has all the services you may need and gives you a landscape that you do not get tired of.
In Bonal Gorge , in the municipality of Valdastillas , you will find crystal clear waters and plenty of shade, as well as a hiking trail thanks to which to enjoy the vegetation, very abundant in the area.
The number of natural places suitable for bathing is such that we do not want to list them all so as not to make a boring list, so we advise you, apart from visiting the ones that we point out here, that ask the inhabitants of the towns you visit or go to the nearest tourist office and let yourself go. Watchful eyes and ears and then you will make the recommendations to us, you'll see!
Near Jerte we find another famous region of La Laguna, Vera's. We go from cherries to paprika and from one water to another, but we continue in gorges. To get started, that of Alardos, in Madrigal de la Vera, with several natural pools, in which we recommend bathing while admiring the commendable state of conservation of the landscape.
In Alardos you can bathe next to the Roman bridge, called Puente Viejo, which, as you can imagine, has undergone several renovations over the centuries. Postcard images and bathrooms with history to repeat. In fact, if you need a break or decide to improvise a night in the area, go to one of its many accommodations.
If you like bridges or you want to add likes to your social networks full of bathrooms next to them, go to Losar de la Vera , where the pool of the Garganta de Cuartos gives you the Puente de Cuartos , a medieval double-arched bridge that will take up most of your photos here, although there are more pools throughout the gorge.
If you want to continue bridging (sorry for the bad joke) go to Jarandilla de la Vera, where do you have the area of Puente Parral and the bathing area of Puente de la Serradilla, both in the Jaranda Gorge.
Another Throat, in this case Garganta Ancha, is in the upper part of Casas del Monte. A large natural pool in which to remind you how wonderful it is to enjoy your free time in this way. Or the weather, in general.
Near Alardos is Minchones Gorge, with several pools. From the main path that approaches you from the detour you will see trails, dare with any of them because most of them lead to bathing areas. Although there is no parking as such, you can walk without much problem. The most visited here are La Mora, Las Islillas, Fuente Coturra and El Tobogán. The latter will delight the kids, because it is just like a slide to slide down into the water. If you like the experience, you have another in the La Hoz Gorge, very close, in the Charco del Recuéncano.
If you go with children, a good option for slides is the El Lago pool, in Jaraíz de la Vera, where the waters are not very deep in certain areas and there is sand so they can roll around and play. We advise you to go early, especially on weekends, but if you see too many people when you arrive, you can go to the Charco de las Tablas. It is following the course of the Tiétar River, less than half a kilometer away, and offers a little more tranquility and also has a restaurant. Don't worry about beauty: this whole region comes with it as standard.
Close to Jaraíz we have the Garganta la Olla, where do you have the pools Charco Calderón and the Piletillas. Next to the bridge you will find the Piletillas below (you can also go to the Piletillas above to bathe) and in them you will again marvel at the giant pots, the whims of water on granite.
And the spectacle of the waterfalls offers it to us Chorrera de la Mora, an impressive waterfall with pools to which you arrive after a hiking route from the town. Sport, calm and water at the end. What more can we ask for? Gastronomy, but there are also plenty of that.
We continue with Chorreras, in this case the Devil's, in the Gualtamino gorge. There is a car park where you can leave your vehicle and look for all the viewpoints for the waterfalls. They may be less spectacular in summer, but still you can add pools where you can bathe. In addition, there is a grass area, something that you may have seen that is more or less common in many of the natural pools in these regions.
Very well known is the Naval Gorge, specifically the Charco de la Chorrera, with a smaller waterfall. And in Village of Vera you can take advantage of how well preserved it is the Old Pool, in the San Gregorio Gorge.
If you like to get up early or spend the night nearby, go up to the Trabuquete Puddle , from where you can admire the Jaranda Gorge (that of the bridges that we mentioned previously, in Jarandilla de la Vera) and take a very refreshing swim to start the way back.
Do you miss reservoirs? you can get closer to that of Gabriel and Galan, named after the poet José María Gabriel y Galán from Salamanca. Most of his descendants owned the land on which the reservoir is built, which is why they asked to honor his ancestor in the dam. This swamp offers a yacht club and the inhabitants of the nearby towns go to it to bathe as soon as the heat hits.
If you prefer another place with natural pools, do not move from the north. In the region of Las Hurdes, a magical place, you can go to the Azabal natural pool , from the Los Angeles River, although the area of Los Angeles stole our hearts for its calm and luminous beauty. Pinofranquead or, with one of the largest natural pools in the area.
In Plasencia you can take the opportunity to go to La Isla, a natural pool created by the Jerte River as he passed through the town.
In Sierra de Gata, the river Árrago creates bathing places such as the Hernán Pérez pool , with an area to make your own barbecue. In Carrecia, Los Cachones and Los Pilares you can also enjoy a refreshing summer, and we strongly recommend downloadmaria , which behind its suggestive name hides a swimming pool with a waterfall included.
Also the San Blas creek He returns us a postcard of a bathroom with a bridge, in case you missed them, in the town of Gata and called as is, Bridge Puddle , highly recommended to go with children.
In Robledillo the water escapes from the rocks in one of the jets that you will get tired of enjoying in Cáceres, which also offers you pools of Don Miguel Tower , surrounded by archaeological remains, and the bathing area of the Rivera de Gata reservoir, surrounded by olive groves.
We hope to have filled you with ideas for your next getaway looking for tranquility, sun, water and happiness. Extremadura suits you, let yourself go and check it out.