Free walking tours in Jerez de los Caballeros and what to see

Must-sees

Jerez de los Caballeros sits on a hill south of Badajoz and owes its name to the military orders that ruled it, first the Templars and then the Order of Santiago. The Templar fortress keeps the so-called Torre Sangrienta, linked to the legend of the order's end. From the walls you can see the white houses and the dehesa around them.

The town's skyline is shaped by its church towers, very tall and decorated, such as those of San Bartolomé, San Miguel and Santa Catalina, as well as Santa María. Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the first European to see the Pacific Ocean, was born here, and you can visit his birthplace. The steep streets of the centre, with their stone doorways, are best explored at an unhurried pace.

Free tours and guided visits

Free walking tours are not common in Jerez de los Caballeros. The usual options are guided visits of the historic ensemble, which usually include the Templar fortress and one or two of the churches. The district is Iberian pig country, so visits to dehesas and ham curing sheds make a good excursion. Nearby you can visit the Toriñuelo dolmen or head to Zafra and Fregenal.

How long to spend

Allow a long half day for the town, because the slopes call for a gentle pace. Spend an hour on the fortress and the rest on the towers and the streets of the centre. If you add a visit to a dehesa or a ham producer, stay the whole day or spend the night. That way you can see the town in the afternoon light, when the towers take on another colour.

Where to stay

The best choice is to stay in the historic centre, near the fortress or the Plaza de España, to enjoy the town once the day visitors leave. Choice is limited, with small hotels and rural houses. In the surrounding dehesa there are quiet rural places to stay if you are travelling by car.