Caceres’ elegantly preserved walled city with a mix of Roman, Moorish, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. The suburbs and town centre of Caceres are unremarkable in much the same way as any other Spanish city yet the historic centre is extraordinary. Caceres is like a pearl, in order to be the beauty of today, different cultures had to add layer upon layer of architectural style. It grew on the plains of Extremadura, nourished by a rich history that goes back for centuries. As you walk through the entrance to the Old Town, you are fascinated. Entering through Arco de la Estrela, if you had not seen cars parked on the streets, you would have thought that you are walking centuries back on the cobbled streets of Caceres.

This city is impressive. The more you spend time in it, the more it grows on you. We were bewitched and we spend only a few hours there. We were happy for being able to see this beauty and also to see that once again beauty can be found in a place least expected. But it is not only the beauty that captured the imagination but also the rich history that goes back for millennia.

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Plaza de Santa Maria is an impressive square within the historic centre and is surrounded by medieval palaces and renaissance period facades, overlooked by the cathedral.

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From Torre de Bujaco, we get a wonderful view over Plaza Mayor and we walk over the Arco de la Estrella, which guards the entrance into the historic centre.

The Bujaco Tower is a unique and well preserved tower, located in the Plaza Mayor of Caceres. Located next to the Bujaco Tower is the Arch of the Star, one of the five access gates into the old town of Caceres. Beyond the gate and inside a small grotto, you can see the Virgin of the Star and the icon after which the gate is named.

Iglesia de San Francisco Javier is a Jesuit church which rises above from the square below. The towers afford a beautiful view across Caceres.

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The Palace of the Golfines is considered a true nobleman’s compound and this was built after the Spanish Reconquista (Spanish golden age and the Conquistadors). It is representative of the Caceres grandiose constructions.

Museo de Caceres is an excellent museum which depicts Caceres through its establishment across ages. The museum is built over a 12thcentury aljibe (cistern), which is the only surviving Moorish element of the castle.

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The old Jewish quarter show the remnants of the Jewish population, which lived in Caceres until their expulsion in the 15th century.

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Narrow cobbled streets, ancient stone walls, palaces, arches and churches abound and the skyline is punctuated with spires and turrets. Not a lot has changed in Caceres’ historic centre since the 16th century.