(Last updated on 03/05/2024)
With over ninety castles just in Cáceres province, Extremadura is a great place to visit for castle lovers. Castillo de Trevejo, situated in the Sierra de Gata area, is worth a little detour on your itinerary in northwestern Extremadura.
This short guide includes a general overview, practical info and personal tips to help you plan your trip and make the most of your visit to Castillo de Trevejo.
Table of contents
About Castillo de Trevejo
Castillo de Trevejo is a medieval castle built from the remains of a twelfth-century Moorish fortress. It changed hands throughout the centuries – from Alphonsus VII, Christian King of Leon and Castile, to different military orders – and was destroyed by the Napoleonic army in retreat during the Peninsular War in the nineteenth century.
Castillo de Trevejo today
The castle is in a ruinous state, but I think that both the crumbling castle and the hamlet of Trevejo are well worth a visit, if your Extremadura road trip takes you to Sierra de Gata.
The remains that have survived to this day date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Visiting Castillo de Trevejo
The castle is free to visit but, due to its ruinous state, it’s not a safe structure to explore. Remember that you’ll be visiting at your own risk and you’re responsible for your safety. Two personal tips: don’t venture too much into the inner bailey trying to reach the keep and, if you’re visiting as a family, don’t take children with you all the way up to the castle (only to the area outside the church, I’d say).
When to go: I visited Trevejo in early September and I wouldn’t recommend going during the summer (late June to mid-September), especially if you plan to walk there from Villamiel. It’s way too hot. And, bearing in mind that the area isn’t particularly health and safety-compliant, I’d avoid winter, too, and rainy days. Autumn and spring would be the best times to go.
How to get to Castillo de Trevejo
The point of reference for getting to the castle is the village of Villamiel to which Trevejo belongs. So let’s see how to get to Villamiel first, and then how to get to Trevejo from there.
How to get to Villamiel
From the south (Cáceres, Mérida): your main point of reference will be the A-66/EX-803 road (Autovía Ruta de la Plata). Get off at exit 505 towards Coria. At the first roundabout in Coria, take the second exit towards Moraleja and keep following the Moraleja/Portugal signs. Cross Moraleja and, at the roundabout past the petrol station, take the third exit towards Cilleros. At the first roundabout in Cilleros, take the first exit towards Hoyos and then follow the signs for Villamiel.
From the east (Plasencia): drive the N-630 to the south and join the EX-A1 road towards Coria. From Coria, follow the directions above.
How to get to Trevejo from Villamiel
There are two options for getting to Castillo de Trevejo. Choose one or the other depending on the weather conditions at the time of your trip and your fitness level.
Option 1: drive from Villamiel to Trevejo
The single-track CC-V-143 road connects Villamiel with Trevejo. The car journey takes little more than five minutes and there are several viewpoints along the way where you can stop. Park your car at the large parking area at the entrance of the hamlet.
Option 2: walk from Villamiel to Trevejo
Leave the car in Villamiel and walk to the castle (2.24km), following the Camino de los Lagares (part of the Camino Trevejo-Jálama route). The starting point (Lat. 40.184423, Long. -6.784087) is in Avenida de Trevejo (CC-V-143 road), leaving the esplanade to your right and walking past the local cemetery. A one-way walk (2.24km) takes about 45 minutes. Expect a steep (108m) slope and climb (67m). The path eventually joins the single-track CC-V-143 road just before the last viewpoint. Walking was our initial plan, but we decided against it because we arrived in Villamiel in the central hours of a very hot day. This walk is more suitable for autumn or springtime when the weather is dry.
Once in Trevejo, simply follow the main street (Calle Pizarro). The path to the castle is off the main street, on the right. It takes you up to the castle past a church, a bell gable, and some anthropomorphic tombs.
Castillo de Trevejo: highlights
Castle remains
The castle has two enclosures. The substandard materials used in the construction of the outer enclosure, which used to house the stables, as well as post-war looting may, at least partially, explain why not much of it has survived. The inner enclosure, in far better shape, includes a small bailey which in better times used to lead to the keep by a drawbridge. From the original five-sided keep, only three walls remain.
The views from the castle
The castle has great views of the surrounding areas.
To the north: the village of Villamiel
To the east: the hamlet of Trevejo, perfectly framed by a castle gate.
Church, bell gable and anthropomorphic tombs
On the way up to the castle, stop by the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista, a simple yet robust-looking sixteenth-century church. Next to the church there’s a freestanding fortified bell gable and well-preserved anthropomorphic tombs carved into the rock.
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Irene Corchado Resmella
Hi! I’m Irene (/ee-REH-neh/). Long since settled in the UK, I explore my Spanish home region of Extremadura with an inquisitive mind, a sharp eye, and the duality that comes with being both a local and a visitor. Then I write about it here to help you discover this beautiful yet overlooked part of Spain. If you have any questions after reading this article, submit a comment below! Read more about me.
