Trujillo, a fictional setting as real as its history.
To overcome the depression caused by the end of the holidays, the best thing is a weekend getaway, or even just one day. We propose them immerse ourselves in the land of conquerors, of wild nature, where the legends still seem credible and, as if that were not enough, in Game of Thrones scenarios.
The **journey between the Cáceres towns of Trujillo and Guadalupe** is an excellent alternative because it combines straight stretches of road with gentle slopes and mountain areas for lovers of a more exhilarating drive. A route of just over an hour, about 78 kilometers, which allows us to stop at the most interesting corners, have a meal calmly and return to our destination or the starting point.
You can call it Trujillo Castle or Casterly Rock, the home of the Lannisters in Game of Thrones.
Trujillo, the place that we have taken as an exit has good communications. It is only 48 kilometers from Cáceres (which will allow us to extend the excursion if we have time) along the A-58 motorway; the A-5 connects it with Madrid and from the north it is reached by the Ruta de la Plata, the A-66.
FROM THE ROMANS TO THE LANNISTERS
Trujillo itself deserves a leisurely stroll because has managed to maintain its medieval and palatial essence in every corner in perfect harmony with the 21st century. The old part is alive and active, with private houses, businesses, terraces and restaurants.
the town is crowned by a spectacular castle with perfectly preserved walls. It was a Roman camp, an Arab citadel, a Christian castle and, for a few years, Casterly Rock, the home of the Lannisters in Game of Thrones. Some of the scenes from the last season (for now) of this series were shot here and the places are perfectly identifiable.
In addition, its main square is one of the largest and most beautiful in Spain, surrounded by palaces, arcades and the elegant church of San Martín. In the square where fairs and markets were held in the Middle Ages Rare is the weekend that does not host an event, such as the National Cheese Fair, which is held every year to coincide with the May 1 long weekend. The tortas del Casar and de la Serena are some of the gastronomic specialties of the town, with sausages, Retinto meat and, of course, the migas.
At the National Cheese Fair, the Casar and La Serena cakes stand out as local specialties.
A NEW YORKER SLATE
Watching the square, the most illustrious Trujillo, Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of the Inca Empire. The monumental bronze sculpture of the soldier on horseback and wearing a feather cap is, curiously, also American, North American, specifically from New York. Is a The work of the American sculptor and polo player Charles Cary Rumsey, donated by his wife to the city in 1927. There are similar sculptures in Lima, where Pizarro died, and in Buffalo, where Rumsey was born.
Following in the footsteps of Pizarro, many people from Trujillo (nobles, knights, adventurers or simple peasants) they traveled to the New World to seek adventure and, above all, gold. That is the reason why the name of this town and many of those that surround it can also be found in Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Puerto Rico... But also what made Trujillo more beautiful, because those who returned (not Pizarro, who died in Lima) They built palaces, mansions and churches with the gold they brought.
In the Plaza de Trujillo, fairs were previously held; today the National Cheese Fair.
We leave Trujillo to the south along the EX 208 highway. The direction to Guadalupe is well signposted, next to Zorita, a town that is halfway and, beware, has nothing to do with the nuclear power plant of the same name.
In the first kilometers the road unfolds gently, following the orography of the terrain in a landscape of meadows dotted with huge granite stones, where the pigs walk or the red cows. The straight lines and gentle curves follow one another as we leave Madroñera on the left and the Pago de San Clemente on the right, where the nobles of Trujillo had their summer mansions and where you can still see old presses for making wine or oil, now converted into houses. field.
The dehesas of Cáceres are idyllic pastures dotted with holm oaks and other tree species.
Griffon Vultures
After crossing the towns of Herguijuela and Conquista de la Sierra (although it is on a plain, it owes its name to the fact that it looks towards the Sierra de la Peña), a long straight line takes us to Zorita. In this town we can make a stop to approach the Mirador de la Peña, a hiking trail that ascends to more than 500 meters with the incentive of being able to see griffon vultures.
From Zorita the road is called EX 102 but there is no intersection or diversion to take. The next section is 18 kilometers, with the mountains of the Sierra de la Peña to the left, meadows to the right and birds flying over the horizon to Logrosán.
In this town a sign at a roundabout tells us that we are on one of the paths that lead to the monastery of Guadalupe, dating back to 1337. In the 14th century it became a center of pilgrimage, but the paths traveled by pilgrims at the time have been erased by time and memory.
SAWS AND GORVES
The vegetation changes the oaks begin to share the space with the prickly pears and about kilometer 50 we notice that the road begins to become more twisted, with linked curves as we ascend. However, throughout the trip the road is wide, with good asphalt and in some sections with the uphill lane split, which makes it easier to overtake slower vehicles.
We enter the mountain area, the first pine trees appear and we enter Cañamero, the most dangerous point of the route. The road crosses the town without compassion, converted into the street of a populous town. It is crossed by zebra crossings, it has double parked vehicles and pedestrians walking on the asphalt. Be very careful on this journey and a thousand eyes to what can happen in the environment, behind a toy comes a child.
Just out of town the road crosses the gorge of the river Ruecas, sandwiched between the rock walls of the mountains and with the river to the right. The landscape is spectacular with pines and poplars.
At this point there is another perfectly signposted hiking route that **leads us to discover cave paintings** and an impressive orography. Attention at the entrance to Guadalupe. There are different indications that can confuse. The town stands on top of a hill, which means that everything is uphill. You can drive around the entire municipality but it is not easy, let alone parking, so our recommendation is to leave your vehicle, especially if it is a four-wheeler, in one of the car parks on the outskirts and visit it on foot.
DIVINE FOOD
The origin of all this dates back to the end of the 13th century when a shepherd found an image at this point, thanks to some miraculous apparitions. The image is black, like others that are worshiped in the area, for example in Madroñera. Her namesake from Mexico has its origin in some local apparitions and, although she is also a brunette, her features are mestizo. In both cases it seems that the shrines were built on sites of older traditions.
The result in the Spanish Guadalupe of Cáceres is an impressive monastery, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1993. Its architecture is a harmonious blend of different styles (Romanesque, Gothic, Mudejar, Baroque...), luxurious and sober, which makes it even more attractive and the perfect decoration for any Game of Thrones scene. It is decorated with works by El Greco, Goya, Zurbarán, Lucas Jordán… The monastery has a guest house and a restaurant located in a Mudejar-style cloister where you can eat well and with charm. Alternatively, opposite is the Parador.
The rooms of the Hospedería del Real Monasterio de Santa María de Guadalupe overlook the Gothic cloister of the s. XVI.
AMBIENT READINGS
A good recommendation for this route is to read, or reread, the saga A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R. Martin. The setting of the environment could not be more appropriate. And so we also warm up engines before the last season of the series for which there is less time left...
Typical medieval street in Guadalupe, Cáceres.