Sierra de San Pedro destinations: Valencia de Alcántara

Valencia de Alcántara is a small town located in Sierra de San Pedro, in western Cáceres province and very close to the Portuguese border. With a notable Jewish-Gothic quarter, numerous religious buildings, several monuments of Roman origin and dozens of dolmens, it’s a recommended day trip from Cáceres.

This destination mini-guide covers what you need to know before visiting Valencia de Alcántara – from what to see and do to practical info and personal tips on things like how to get there, or when to go.

Five facts about Valencia de Alcántara​:

1. It has one of Europe’s most important megalithic archaeological ensembles, with over forty dolmens.

2. Due to its proximity to Portugal, Valencia de Alcántara was involved in several conflicts, namely the Seven Years’ War, the War of the Oranges, and the War of Independence.

3. Valencia de Alcántara is located within the Parque Natural Tajo Internacional, a UNESCO Transboundary Biosphere Reserve.

4. A Madrid-Lisbon railway line runs through Valencia de Alcántara but the Portuguese part of the line was closed, so now Valencia de Alcántara is the last (or first) stop in the line.

5. It had a population of over 15,000 during the forties and fifties. Today, the population is 5187.

How to get to Valencia de Alcántara​

You can get to Valencia de Alcántara either by train, by coach or by car.

Getting to Valencia de Alcántara by train

Valencia de Alcántara is served by three weekly train services from Cáceres. The journey duration is 1h 29min (a Regional Exprés service).

Valencia de Alcántara Train Station is located in Calle Manuel Puebla Estación, s/n, to the north of the town (about 2.7km from the town centre).

Getting to Valencia de Alcántara by coach

Company Interbus runs two services from Monday to Friday from/to Cáceres. The journey duration from Cáceres to Valencia de Alcántara is 1h 30min. Tickets must be purchased on the bus.

Valencia de Alcántara Bus Station is located in Calle Congregación Hijas de la Virgen, 11, just off the main road (Avenida de Lisboa, N-521 road).

Getting to Valencia de Alcántara by car

Due to its remote location by the Portuguese border, Valencia de Alcántara is best reached by car.

The drive to Valencia de Alcántara from Cáceres is very straightforward – the town is signposted at this roundabout in Avenida de las Arenas. Then you join the N-321 road, which will take you to Valencia de Alcántara.

If you’re driving to Valencia de Alcántara from Badajoz, get on the N-523 road Cáceres-bound, and then join the EX-110, which will take you to Valencia de Alcántara past Alburquerque.

From Mérida: get on the A-66 road (Autovía Ruta de la Plata) northbound. Get off at exit 606 and then join the EX-214 road at the roundabout towards La Nava de Santiago. Stay on that road and follow the signs for Alburquerque first, then the signs for Valencia de Alcántara (on the EX-110).

(Portugal)
From Coimbra to Valencia de Alcántara: 2h 28min
From Lisbon to Valencia de Alcántara: 2h 55min

What to see in Valencia de Alcántara

Centro de Interpretación

This Centro de Interpretación is a good starting point to get a general overview about the history of Valencia de Alcántara. Located in a beautiful sixteenth-century house in the Gothic Quarter, it comprises several rooms where you’ll learn about dolmens, the Roman heritage, the Alcántara military and religious order, the Madrid-Lisbon railway, local culture, and more. A local guide provides useful information and is available for questions.

Location: Calle Marqués de la Conquista, 3

Opening times: (winter) from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2pm, and from 4pm to 6pm; Sundays and bank holidays from 10am to 2pm; (summer) from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2pm, and from 5pm to 7pm; Sundays and bank holidays from 10am to 2pm.

Free entry

Sinagoga

Located in the Gothic (Jewish) Quartier, this former synagogue can only be visited accompanied by the local tourist office guide, who explains the history of the Jewish residents in the area until 1492, when most of them escaped to nearby Portugal, only to be expelled several years later. While originally built as a synagogue in the fifteenth century on the site of a former foundry, the building was desecrated after 1492 and had many uses (slaughterhouse, garage, tavern…) before being acquired by the regional government and restored as a synagogue.

Location: Calle Gasca

Free entry

Castillo-Fortaleza

From the walls of this defensive castle situated on a sturdy hill on the eastern part of town, you’ll enjoy some fantastic panoramic views. This thirteenth-century fortress, built over older Moorish remains, underwent numerous repair and extension works, with the current layout dating from the sixteenth-seventeenth centuries. It is home to a church (accessible from outside the fortress), the local archive and some offices. You can roam around at will.

Location: Calle de Santiago, 2

Opening times: from Monday to Friday from 9am to 2.30pm.

Free entry

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Rocamador

Located within the fortress, this church is one of most notable buildings in Valencia de Alcántara. It’s known for being the venue of the 1497 royal wedding which led to a peace agreement between the kingdoms of Castile and Portugal, this historical event being re-enacted every August. This church can only be visited upon request and highlights include two altarpieces from renown artists Luis de Morales and José de Churriguera. (I cannot offer my personal thoughts on the interior, since I didn’t manage to visit it.)

Location: Calle Rocamador, 1

Barrio Gótico

Comprising nineteen narrow, wonky streets in the historical centre, the Gothic Quarter (also known as the Jewish Quarter) is one of the largest of its kind in the Cáceres province. Many of its whitewashed houses still retain original features such as pointy stone arches (there are some 266), lintelled windows and corbels.

Museo Etnográfico

Located in the upper gallery of a sixteenth-century former convent, twentieth-century former school, this ethnographic museum offers an insightful glimpse into the local culture, traditions and society. The collection is displayed across eight topical exhibition rooms dedicated to themes ranging from the printing press to a traditional kitchen, rural professions, the cinema or local festivities.

Location: Plaza de Gregorio Bravo, s/n. Both the museum and the Tourist Information Centre are in the same building.

Opening times: from Monday to Sunday from 9am to 2pm.

Free entry

Puente de Abajo

You’ll find this medieval stone bridge at the northeastern end of town, at the end of Calle Salguero, past a more modern (and quite frankly, much less attractive) bridge.

Location: Calle Puente de Piedra, 2

Acueducto

Despite being known and advertised as a Roman aqueduct, recent studies suggest that this aqueduct is, in fact, of medieval origins, and likely dating to the sixteenth century. Situated in a rural location to the south of Valencia de Alcántara, it was extended in the nineteenth century to carry water to the centre of town from a spring located eight kilometres away. Originally, it had seventeen main arches and twenty smaller arches along the top. It’s an unusual sight in the middle of the countryside – the aqueduct itself being in private land, with a few goats roaming around its arches.

How to get there: using the main road (Avenida de Lisboa, N-521 road) as a point of reference, get off at the southern edge of town towards San Pedro (Calle Reina Sofia or CC-303 road), then take the first turn left (opposite Calle de San Antonio) onto a gravel track, which will take you straight to the aqueduct.

What to do in Valencia de Alcántara

Wander around

After ticking off all the essentials mentioned above, just take your time to simply wander around. Valencia de Alcántara is a very pretty town to explore, with many interesting buildings to see, from classic public building to quirky, family-owned shops (or former shops).

Don’t miss:

Casa Consistorial, an arcaded seventeenth-century building in Plaza de la Constitución, home to the town hall;

Casa de la Gobernación: former town hall, local court and prison, in Plaza de la Constitución (at the corner with Calle del Patio);

Puerta de las Huertas, the last remaining city gate, in Calle Luis Rivera, 54;

Calle Los Arcos, where you can see a large section of the aqueduct.

The colourful mural depicting traditional costumes on Calle Esteban López/Calle Ramón y Cajal.

Where to stay in Valencia de Alcántara

I visited Valencia de Alcántara during a three-day road trip and I used the outlying village of San Pedro de los Majarretes (a ten-minute drive to the south) as a base to explore the surroundings and drive across the border to Marvão.

I stayed in a lovely two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment (Apartamentos Rurales San Pedro) at the southern end of the village and I’d certainly stay there again. It is in a gated little complex comprising only three, duplex-style apartments, a small swimming pool and a patio area overlooking the countryside. The couple who own the apartments are super-friendly and attentive. I found it quiet, peaceful and comfortable; absolutely perfect for a remote, off-grid rural getaway.

Use the button below to search for this apartment or for other places to stay.

Things to see and do near Valencia de Alcántara

Monumento Natural de La Data

The Berrocal de La Data comprises a series of huge granitic rocks in a natural protected area which was awarded Monumento Natural status in 2021. It makes for a great half-day walking trip – there’s a 7.5-km route available, starting outside the local church and taking you not only to the main natural monument, but also to a series of dolmens.

Where: La Aceña de la Borrega (12km from Valencia de Alcántara)

Cork and Ethnographic Museums in San Vicente de Alcántara

San Vicente de Alcántara is a short fourteen-minute drive from Valencia de Alcántara and is home to two interesting little museums.

Museo del Corcho

San Vicente is intrinsically related to cork production, with the first cork factory opening here in 1858. Extremadura is one of the largest cork-producing regions in Spain, and around 65% of all cork produced in Extremadura is processed in San Vicente de Alcántara. While all information available is in Spanish, I think it’s worth stopping by.

Address: Avenida de Juan Carlos I, 33

Opening times: from Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 2pm, and from 4.30pm to 8pm; Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 10.30am to 2pm.

Contact details: (phone) +34  924 410 945; (email) [email protected]

Free entry

Museo de Historia y Cultura Sanvicenteña

Opposite the Cork Museum and next door to the Oficina de Turismo is the local ethnographic museum. Its collection comprises archaeological remains, old photographs, musical instruments, agricultural and other types of tools, utensils and homeware. Free entry.

Map of Valencia de Alcántara and surroundings

Find all the places mentioned in this article on the map below.

When to visit Valencia de Alcántara

While there’s not a wrong time to visit Valencia de Alcántara, I would personally avoid the high summer months. This town is surrounded by beautiful landscape, and I find that it makes for a perfect rural getaway in late-winter and early-spring, particularly if you’re into nature and walking.