200 km from Madrid, Spain, a bridge made of granite stones from the 15th century welcomes those who arrive fleeing the high temperatures of the Spanish summer. It’s like a magical gateway to a wild Spain filled with tide pools, cherry blossom-dotted routes and birds of prey ready for a close-up.
The two-arch Roman bridge, called Puente de Cuartos, is located in La Vera, along the EX-203 road, at the foot of the Sierra de Gredos and in the northeast of the province of Cáceres, a destination more explored by locals than by international tourists. around the capital.
Under the bridge, a makeshift beach forms on the banks of the river. Young people jump into the crystal clear water somersaulting in the air, while couples spread out their towels on the rocks for a sunbath.
Although drivers stop right on the side of the road, perhaps desperate for a refreshing dip, there is generous parking and two restaurants on site. Those who want to get out of sight of civilization can explore the trails upriver, although it is difficult to leave the icy waters in the 35-degree heat that the report faced in June.
Another distraction is the trees full of red dots that glisten on the roads between the months of June and August in Valle del Jerte, a region neighboring La Vera. Its hills are covered by more than a million trees of cherry trees, whose white blossoms paint the horizon between March and April.
The valley is one of the biggest producers of cherries in Europe, its main economic source. There is a festival at the time of flowers, and another one after that at the time of fruits.
The farms welcome visitors to learn about the cultivation and pick cherries from the tree, while a dozen restaurants prepare special dishes with the fruit in a gastronomic journey on weekends – highlighted by many gazpachos and marmalades.
Cherry boxes are sold along roadsides and at the entrance to parks, such as in the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, where the most isolated and popular natural pool in the region, Los Pilones, is located.
To get there, you have to follow a trail of almost an hour uphill, all well signposted and with good sections in the shade. The effort is worth it with the idyllic view of the river forming more than ten small pools of transparent water between its white rocks.
There are those who come for the walk and for a quick dip, and there are those who come to stay all day, with a picnic basket, dogs and occasional topless. It is very easy to visit on your own, but eco-tour companies organize tours of the cherry blossoms with a visit to Los Pilones at the end of the day.
The valley has a well-documented route of nearly 20 natural baths. It’s not difficult to come across one of them by accident, like El Nogalón, right in the center of Jerte, without having to walk. The pool in the middle of the Jerte River is huge, with an infinity edge and sand on the artificial beach on one side.
The region has not been unscathed by the forest fires that ravage the country and have already left more than 500 dead. The waters of El Nogalón helped firefighters extinguish the flames that engulfed a stretch of the Garganta de los Infiernos reserve in mid-July — authorities, however, warned that the spaces have already reopened without risk to visitors.
The province of Cáceres, on the border with Portugal, also has a sanctuary for bird watchers in Monfragüe, one of Spain’s 16 national parks. There are three types of vultures, such as the unusual Egyptian vulture, with white down and yellow face, and the very rare black stork.
With 18 thousand hectares, the park has free admission and is 60 km from Valle del Jerte. The town of Plasencia is halfway between the two regions, with a walled medieval center full of old churches, restaurants and shops.
You can try local delicacies such as the traditional cream cheese “torta del casa”, made with sheep’s milk, and “pimentón de La Vera”, a spice cousin of paprika.
To get the most out of Monfragüe, it’s important to wake up early to catch the mild temperatures, when flocks of griffon vulture, with white downy heads and collars, fly over the cliffs of Salto del Gitano, the most popular of the park’s many viewpoints.
With luck, the group of the Spanish Society of Ornithology, or SEO, will be present with their high definition telescopes to point out wonders that our eyes would not find alone, such as a nest with a baby black stork, an Iberian imperial eagle, a peregrine falcon and the huge black vulture.
The trails through Monfragüe can keep the visitor busy for a whole day. From Salto del Gitano, an itinerary leads to the top of Monfragüe Castle, which are actually the ruins of a 9th century Islamic fort.
On the way up the mountain, a cave holds one of the most representative examples of cave painting in the Iberian Peninsula. The site is under lock and key, but a park guide offers tours (3 euros per person) and explains each of the anthropomorphic and zoomorphic images, some dating back 9,000 years.
At the top of the castle ruins, where vultures fly close by, there are stories a little more recent, from the 12th century.
The space is a pilgrimage point to celebrate the Virgin of Monfragüe, a Byzantine image that would have been brought by crusade knights on their way back from Palestine. If the vultures and storks don’t convince you of Monfragüe’s magic, just look for the saint.
