Start the slideshow

From the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor, the view runs from the Alcazaba of Trujillo to the countryside where the formidable Pizarro took his first steps.

-

Jean-Claude Urbain

The hidalgos who conquered the New World in the 16th century share more than an immoderate taste for adventure.

They were born in the same cradle.

All, in fact, are from a remote region in western Spain: Extremadura.

This “extreme and hard” territory tells its visitors the fabulous epic of the Great Discoveries with, as a backdrop, a perfectly preserved architectural heritage.

The Church of San Bartolomé dominates the streets of Jerez de los Caballeros, dear to the conquistadores Balboa and de Soto.

- Jean-Claude Urbain

Jerez de los Caballeros opens the first chapter of the story.

Like all its estrémègnes neighbors, this village with white alleys, topped with a

 medieval

alcazaba

(stronghold), is a veritable cultural maze.

Its fortress with crenellated towers, its gleaming churches and its aristocratic palaces bear witness to Roman, Visigothic, Arab and Portuguese influences.

But when it comes to History, the most precious treasures are not necessarily the most flashy.

In the shadow of the magnificent San Bartolomé Church, a no-frills house deserves the attention of travelers.

It is between its brick walls that Vasco Núñez de Balboa grew up, the very first European to have laid his eyes on the Pacific Ocean!

Strolling through the neighborhood, one wonders if the explorer played, in his tender years, with Hernando de Soto, another local hero who discovered, for his part, the Mississippi River ...

Medellín.

What a contrast between the Colombian megalopolis and the small village of Extremadura where Hernán Cortés was born!

- Jean-Claude Urbain

From the Andes to the Grand Canyon of Colorado, the Spanish Empire was built by the terrible children of Jerez, as well as those of Llerena, Cáceres and Mérida.

The conquistador Hernán Cortés, victor of the Aztec empire and founder of Mexico, was born in the village of Medellín.

It is the name of this small town of 2,350 inhabitants which inspired that of the Colombian megalopolis, today a thousand times more populated!

Throughout Latin America, there are thus nearly 1,500 agglomerations resonating with Trémègnes.

For example, there is a Trujillo in Peru, a Trujillo in Venezuela, another in Colombia and a fourth in Honduras.

It must be said that the Trujillo of Extremadura gave birth to some of the greatest explorers, such as Francisco de Orellana, the discoverer of the Amazon River, or Francisco Pizarro, the conqueror of the Inca empire and founder of Peru.

Storks and dragons

Extremadura is hidden in the north of Andalusia, between Castile and Portugal.

As large as Switzerland, but eight times less populated, the most secret of the Spanish regions does not only have its monumental heritage to promote.

The variety of its landscapes and its biodiversity are already attracting fishing and wildlife observation enthusiasts.

Near Plasencia, the steep peaks, wooded hills and rivers full of fish in Monfragüe National Park have been classified as a “biosphere reserve” by Unesco.

A paradise for ornithologists, it is home to species of forest birds, others familiar to the scrubland and many raptors.

Migrant colonies also stop over in Extremadura, like the black storks which nest without embarrassment on the palaces formerly financed by the conquest of the Americas.

In the Plaza Mayor of Trujillo, facing the equestrian statue of Francisco Pizarro, the palace built by his family today serves as a museum to the glory of the conquest of the Americas.

- Jean-Claude Urbain

More than 200 km separate the cities of Jerez, Medellín or Trujillo from the nearest port.

How is it, then, that so many young Estremens volunteered to face the dangers of the Atlantic?

Some consider the region's harshness as the breeding ground for these daring destinies.

But the explanation is less romantic.

During the Renaissance, the great local families jealously defended their wealth.

And so that the latter do not disperse, only the eldest son could claim the inheritance.

Ambitious cadets therefore had to resolve to seek their fortune on the other side of the world ... Far from their families, these adventurers of noble descent were called " 

hijo de algo 

" (someone's son), who gave birth to expression "hidalgo".

Fans of the Game of Thrones series will recognize Port-Réal in the alleys of Cáceres.

- Jean-Claude Urbain

Ironically, this region which made it possible to discover the New World is itself today to be rediscovered.

However, Extremadura is still a land of heroes.

The latter no longer set off to conquer the Americas in caravels, but fought over the Iron Throne and the Seven Crowns on the back of dragons.

Fans will have recognized the allusion to the famous Game of Thrones television series.

The old quarter of Cáceres and the castle of de Trujillo have indeed served as a backdrop for the imaginary towns of Port-Réal and Castral Roc.

Before coming to explore these cities on their own, fans of the program can admire their medieval atmosphere in several episodes of season seven.

Trip

Cyprus, the other island of beauty

Trip

Rotterdam, the architectural rebirth of the Dutch Phoenix

Go

Overwhelmed by heat in summer, Extremadura delivers its best face in autumn and spring.

The region has no airport.

On the other hand, the freeways are recent and free.

Better still: by entering the fast network here, you can leave it anywhere in Spain without having to pay.

A good plan to reach the airports of Madrid or Seville.

Housing

The Parador de Cáceres and the Mérida Palace are wonderful addresses to put down your suitcases in Extremadura and to shine in the region.

But to dream of Great Discoveries, what better room than that of one of the greatest Spanish conquistadors?

In the heart of the historic district of Trujillo, Francisco de Orellana's family home has been converted into a boutique hotel.

According to local legend, the fountain flowing in its patio is the source of the Amazon River.

To have

Mérida, the administrative capital of the region, was once the main city of Roman Lusitania.

Founded by Augustus under the name of Emerita Augusta, its vocation was to represent Rome in these borders of the empire.

From this glorious past, the city has preserved an impressive heritage, classified by Unesco, including an amphitheater with 15,000 seats (the oldest in the Roman world), a theater with 6,000 seats, a bridge over the Guadiana river, a dedicated temple. to Diana and a Arch of Trajan.

Information

The Spanish Tourist Office presents, in French, the must-sees of the destination.

  • Tourism

  • Heritage

  • Trip

  • Spain