Plasencia deserves, in my opinion, one full day to leisurely see all the places not to miss; I personally recommend staying overnight, particularly if you travel on a weekend. If you’re using Plasencia as a base to further explore Cáceres province, this article will come in handy.
Here, you’ll find eight ideas for day trips from Plasencia. I’ve divided my suggestions into three categories: half-day trips, full-day trips and combined day trips. Full-day trips are destinations with enough to see and do to keep you busy for a full day, while combined day trips include two smaller separate places or sights you can visit in a single-day trip. To help you make the most of your day trips from Plasencia without spending too long on the road, I’ve only selected places you can reach from Plasencia within one hour by car.
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Table of contents
Half-day trips from Plasencia
Navaconcejo is a small town situated in Valle del Jerte easily accessible from Plasencia by car. There are several reasons for visiting Navaconcejo beyond the rural charm of its traditional architecture: enjoying the cherry blossom festival in spring, wild swimming at one of its four official natural swimming pools, or walking the SL-CC 33 Ruta Garganta de las Nogaleas – a highly-recommended 6km long circular route featuring many steps in a forest area, waterfalls, great views and walking amongst cherry trees.
Distance from Plasencia: 30.2km (to the start point of the walk)
Plasencia-Navaconcejo car journey duration: 30min
Parque Nacional de Monfragüe
Monfragüe National Park, also included in the UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserves list, is one of the best birdwatching areas in Europe and its International Birdwatching Fair (FIO, taking place in February every year) draws thousands of visitors from all over the world. Pack your binoculars, choose one of the three self-guided walking routes available (from 7.9-km to 16-km long) and get ready to spot Spanish Imperial eagles, Egyptian vultures, Griffon vultures and more. Don’t miss the Salto del Gitano viewpoint and walk up to the castle remains for great panoramic views. Depending on your chosen walking route, this could be either a half-day or a full-day trip from Plasencia.
Distance from Plasencia: 33.3km (to the parking area of the castle)
Plasencia-Parque Nacional de Monfragüe car journey duration: 39min
Serradilla
Serradilla is a village within the Monfragüe and surroundings area that honours its local extremeño language variation by displaying local words around town (look out for black metal words on façades). Walk across the main square and past the rather grand sanctuary (Santuario del Santísimo Cristo de la Victoria) to reach Finca Taheña Fuente Apio, where you can then start the Ruta de la Sierra – a 6.5km, circular walk that will take you up and along the sierra past a nineteenth-century fountain and the newly-installed Canchu del Lobu viewing platform.
Distance from Plasencia: 39.8km
Plasencia-Serradilla car journey duration: 33min
Full day trip idea: combine a morning walk in Serradilla with another (perhaps short) afternoon walk in Monfragüe National Park, or with a boat tour on river Tagus.
Granadilla
Granadilla is a peculiar place with a peculiar story. In the mid-fifties, land was expropriated to build a reservoir nearby and a ‘flood zone’ status was declared, forcing all residents to leave, despite the town never actually flooding. Today, Granadilla is a gated ghost town with no residents and no services, but it makes an interesting half-day trip where you can visit a fifteenth-century castle, walk along the city walls and roam around its empty streets (where some buildings have been nicely renovated).
Distance from Plasencia: 41.5km
Plasencia-Granadilla car journey duration: 36min
Full-day trips from Plasencia
Hervás
Hervás is a little town located in Valle del Ambroz, in beautiful natural surroundings, featuring one of Spain’s best-preserved Jewish quarters. Its charm is not about big imposing tourist sights, but about its picturesque traditional architecture and its picture-perfect scenic location. Walk up to Iglesia de Santa María for what I think to be the best views of Hervás, and then get lost in the maze of narrow streets of the Jewish Quarter.
Distance from Plasencia: 39.1km
Plasencia-Hervás car journey duration: 31min
Jerte
Located in the namesake Valle del Jerte area, this village offers several possibilities for a varied and enjoyable day trip from Plasencia. If you’re visiting in March or April, keep an eye for the cherry blossoming dates, when the whole valley is in bloom. Late spring and early summer is the best time to go to enjoy one of Extremadura’s finest produce – the famed picota cherry. In summer, you can do the Ruta de Los Pilones walk (4km one-way from the village) and finish off with a dip in the natural pools. From autumn to spring, I recommend doing the longer (16km long) circular Ruta Garganta de los Infiernos walk.
Distance from Plasencia: 38.5km
Plasencia-Jerte car journey duration: 38min
Cáceres
While Cáceres probably deserves more than a day’s visit, you can still enjoy a well-rounded day out if you set off early. (Use this practical information for visiting Cáceres to organise your day). Prioritise: the main square (Plaza Mayor), the twelfth-century Torre de Bujaco, the views from Iglesia Concatedral de Santa María’s bell tower and the old Jewish quarter (Judería Vieja). If you have the time, also visit: Museo de Cáceres, Museo Helga de Alvear and Palacio de los Golfines de Abajo. Cáceres is a great food destination, so make sure to book a local restaurant for lunch (stay off the main square).
Distance from Plasencia: 79.8km
Plasencia-Cáceres car journey duration: 49min
You can also travel from Plasencia to Cáceres by train or coach.
Plasencia to Cáceres by train: the journey duration varies, depending on the service – from 38 minutes (Regional Exprés) or 40 minutes (Media Distancia) to 1h 8m (Regional Exprés, evening service). Check train times and buy tickets
Plasencia to Cáceres by coach: Cevesa services this coach journey, with a duration of between 1h 10min and 1h 50min, depending on the service. Check coach times and buy tickets
Combined day trips from Plasencia
Cuacos de Yuste + Garganta la Olla
Cuacos de Yuste is a village situated in La Vera, largely known for its nearby Monasterio de San Jerónimo de Yuste, the place where the Holy roman Emperor Charles V chose to spend his last days. The monastery is certainly an unmissable sight, but Cuacos has more to offer the visitor – from some great examples of traditional civil architecture, to several beautiful squares with classic stone fountains to a small tranquil wild swimming spot.
Practical info about Monasterio de Yuste:
Address: Carretera de Yuste, s/n. The monastery is located about 1.5km northwest of Cuacos, on the EX-391 road which connects Cuacos with Garganta la Olla.
Opening times: (October-March): Tuesday-Sunday from 10am to 6pm; (April-September) Tuesday-Sunday from 10am to 7pm.
Tickets: buy them online on Patrimonio Nacional’s website.
Distance from Plasencia: 40.5km
Plasencia-Cuacos de Yuste car journey duration: 40min
Garganta la Olla is a picturesque nearby village worth visiting for its rich architectural heritage and its river pools on Garganta Mayor. Drive there on the EX-391 single-track road from the Yuste Monastery and stop at the ‘Mirador de la Serrana’ for a great view of Garganta and the surroundings. Don’t miss: the main square, the striking blue Casa de las Muñecas, the quirky Casa de la Peña, and its Jewish quarter (Barrio la Huerta).
Distance from Cuacos de Yuste: 9.5km (7.5km from the Monastery)
Cuacos de Yuste-Garganta la Olla car journey duration: 18min (15min from the Monastery)
Distance from Plasencia: 41.4km
Garganta la Olla-Plasencia car journey duration: 42min
La Vera is easily accessible from Plasencia. For more ideas about places you can visit on a day trip from Plasencia, read my articles about villages in La Vera. If you’re travelling in late spring or during the summer months, have a look at these places for wild swimming in La Vera.
Day trips from Plasencia on a map
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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.
