Thursday, July 8, 1999

Our exciting tour begins in Guadalupe. From the road one is confronted with a magnificent, panoramic view of the vast monastery which dominates the picturesque town of Guadalupe, full of traditionally built houses and old craftsmen's workshops typical of this region. The Royal Monastery of Guadalupe. The origins of this monastery date back to the 13th century. Around a small hermitage, Alfonso XI commissioned the construction of a grand monastery which was entrusted to the Hieronymite monks. The monastic complex combines a variety of architectural styles. The Church was built between the end of the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th; the present gothic Church replaced an earlier mudejar building. The statue of the Virgen dates from the 13th century. There are two beautiful cloisters, one built in the 143rd century in the mudejar style and the ins gothic, dating from the 16th century. One of the best collections of Zurbarán paintings is housed in the sacristy. Lunch, visit to the monastery and guides are all included.

As we are continuing our tour, we will next visit Trujillo. Originally the Roman town of Turgalium, Trujill o was held by the Moors for many centuries before being recovered by Christian forces in the 13th century. The town now calls itself the 'Cradle of the Conquistadors,' having been the birthplace of many men who went out to seek their fortune in the New World and conquered vast territories for Spain. Chief among them was Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of Peru, who was born in Trujillo in 1475. Other notable figures were Francisco Orellana, the first man to sail up the Amazon; Diego Garcia Paredes, the 'Samson of Extremadura,' a man strong as an ox, who founded Trujillo in Venezuela; and Nuflo de Chaves, who founded the Bolivian town of Santa Cruz. They and their descendants brought some of their wealth back to Trujillo and built great palaces which still give the town its distinctive stamp. Trujillo possesses one of the most beautiful historical complexes in Spain. Within the old walled town one can admire the main gateway which links the old quarter of 'La Villa' with the modern town (which for American historical perception is "very" old also). 'La Villa,' or the old town, conserves its 15th century urban layout, including numerous palaces and fortified houses. Adjoining 'La Villa' is the main square in which stands the commemorative statue of Francisco Pizarro. Here you can visit the Palace of the Marquis of the Conquest built in the Plateresque style with a decorative corner balcony; the Palace of Piedras Albas; the House of la Cadena; the Monasteries of the Hieronymites and of Santa Clara, both dating from the 15th century (the latter is now a Parador) and the Monastery of San Francisco where lie the mortal remains of the family of Francisco Pizarro. The Church of Santa María La Mayor was built in the 13th century in the Romanesque style. Inside is a perfectly preserved altarpiece made up of 25 panels, the work of painters from the Flemish school. In Trujillo we will be received by the Salas family and the 'Trujillo Foundation Xavier de Salas.' The stop in Trujillo includes dinner, guides and entertainment in the best known restaurant. After dinner we return to the Hotel V Centenario in Cáceres.

Friday, July 9, 1999

From Cáceres we travel north to visit Plasencia. The old-world episcopal town of Plasencia, founded by Alfonso VIII in 1159 under the name of 'Ut Deo placet' (May it please God), lies on a hill encircled by the deep gorge of the Rio Jerte, in the foothills of the Sierra de Gredos. Like all towns built during the Middle Ages, its historic quarter is surrounded by rampart. The town's most notable building is the cathedral, which consists of two parts. The original Romanesque church was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. Its most outstanding feature is the Chapel of San Pablo which has a byzantine dome, 23 meters high. The new part was begun in Gothic style in 1498 and continued in the 16th century in Plateresque style but never completed. Between the cathedral square, the Plaza de San Nicolás and the Plaza Mayor extends the old town, with beautiful churches, noble mansions and whitewashed houses with gallery-like projections on the façades. The town is surrounded by a double circuit of walls, with 68 towers, dating from the time of itsfoundation. There are fine views from the wall-walk, particularly from the north-east side. Among the town's architectural monuments, it is worth visiting the Dean's House, a 17th century palace; the 15th century Palace of the Marquis of Mirabel, which is now a Hunting Museum; the Palace of Monroy and the House of the Two Towers, the oldest mansion in Plasencia.

Our next stop is the Jerte Valley. The river Jerte is confined between the steep sides of a narrow valley, formed by two high mountain ranges, 'Tras la Sierra' and 'Sierra de Tormantos.' The towns and villages, situated on the banks of the river are cut into the valley slopes at different altitudes and have many common characteristics, although each of them has a certain unique personality. The pattern of the landscape is like a mosaic, made up of evergreen oaks, on the upper slopes, fields of cherry trees, planted on hillside terraces, and closer to the valley basin, oak trees. There is water everywhere, gushing from the numerous gullies and streams which flow down to the river below. Close by are the two highest peaks of the Gredos mountains, 'Almanzor' and 'Cavitero.' We will have lunch at Regino's Restaurant. Meeting Regino will be a special treat, he a typical representative of the valley, very, very peculiar.

Continuing on after lunch, we come to Navaconcejo. It is a real delight to explore the narrow streets of this town, lined with houses built of adobe and wooden timbers. Some of them have large, protruding wooden balconies. You can visit the 16th century Church of the Assumption and a renaissance building called the 'Syales Factory,' which is protected as a building of special interest to tourists.

Our journey then takes us to the highest town in Extremadura, El Piornal. Here you will get panoramic views of both the Valley of the Jerte and, on the opposite side, the Valley of Tietar. In this picturesque locality, the famous festival of 'jarramplas' is celebrated on the 20th of January. The town is also well-known for its sau-sages and salamis, and above all for the hams, cured and aged in mountain air.

Our last stop for the day (before leaving Extremadura) is Jarandilla de la Vera. Here you can visit the 15th century castle which once belonged to the count of Oropesa (it is now a Parador). Examples of traditional architecture include the Church of Santa María de la Torre and the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Sopetrán. Nearby, within he township of Losar de la Vera, are the gorges of Vadillos and Cuartos, superb spots for bathing. After Jarandilla de la Vera it is adiós (good bye) Extremadura, buenas tardes (hello) Toledo.

Saturday, July 10, 1999

We will spend the day in Toledo. With its unique location, its picturesque town scape and its magnificent old buildings, Toledo, chief town of its province and the see of an archbishop, the Primate of Spain, is one of the great tourist cities of Spain, an essential goal for every visitor interested in art and history. Toledo has long been famed for its sword blades and its gold and silver inlay work, a craft tradition brought in by the Moors.

Toledo is one of the oldest towns in Spain. The capital of an Iberian tribe, the Carpetani, it was captured by the Romans in 192 B.C. and given the name Toletum. Under the Visigoths, between 534 and 712, it again enjoyed the status of a capital and was the meeting place of many church councils. In 1087 Toledo became the residence of the kings of Castile and the ecclesiastical centre of the whole of Spain. The Cardinal Archbishops of Toledo - Mendoza, Jiménez, Albornoz and others - were involved in all the great events of their period. In the reigns of Ferdinand III and Alfonso X (the wise), T oledo became a centre of learning, notable for the mutual tolerance of the three great religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The Jewish community of Toledo was the largest in the Iberian peninsula. The mid 14th century saw the first pogroms, followed in the subsequent decades by others; and with the establishment of the Inquisition in Spain in 1485 and the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, the heyday of Jewry in Spain came to an end.

The revolt of the Comuneros in the 16th century began in Toledo. With the transfer of the capital to Madrid by Philip II (who resided in Toledo between 1559 and 1561) the town lost all political importance. During the Civil War, Republic forces laid siege to the Alcázar , which was totally destroyed.

Our day in Toledo includes a guided city tour, plenty of time to explore the city on your own or to go shopping (ir a comprar) and dinners at the Hotel.

Sunday, July 11, 1999

Early morning transfer by bus to Barajas international airport in Madrid or mid-morning departure to return to Cáceres.

Flamenco

Dinner, Entertainment

Where? When?

Wednesday at 'Hotel V Centenario'

For Wednesday night, we have a big surprise in store for you. An optional fare-well Dinner will be served in the Grand Hotel gardens at pool side. There we will enjoy, with Ricardo and Teresa, magnificent food and be participants in a Flamenco Celebration. We will learn how to dance "Sevillanas." A group of singers and dancers will join us at dinner and will invite us to dance.