Page 410 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

408  CENTR AL SP AIN

3 Hervás
Cáceres. * 4,200. n Calle Braulio
Navas 6, 927 47 36 18. ( Sat. _ Las
Ferias Cristo de la Salud (14–16 Sep).
∑ turismodehervas.com
Sitting at the top of the Valle del
Ambroz, Hervás is known for its
medieval Jewish quarter, with
its whitewashed, half-timbered
The Melero Meander of the Alagón River, in Las Hurdes houses. The tiny streets, dotted
with taverns and craft work-
1 Las Hurdes 2 Sierra de Gata shops, slope down towards the
Río Ambroz. Just off the main
Cáceres. @ Pinofranqueado, Cáceres. @ Cáceres. n San Martín
Caminomorisco, Nuñomoral. de Trevejo, 927 51 45 85. plaza is the Museo Pérez
n Caminomorisco, 927 43 53 29 or ∑ sierradegata.org Comendador-Leroux, named
927 43 52 12. ∑ todohurdes.com after the town’s noted 20th-
There are 21 hamlets in the century sculptor and his wife,
Las Hurdes’ slate mountains and Sierra de Gata, scattered whose work is exhibited here.
goats were memorably caught in between olive groves, orchards The next town up towards
the 1932 Luis Buñuel film Tierra and fields. The area has the Béjar pass is Baños de
sin Pan (Land without Bread). The retain ed its charm by Montemayor, whose
area’s poverty disappeared with con serving hunters’ name comes from its
the arrival of roads in the 1950s, paths for woodland sulphurous baths,
but the black slopes, riverbeds walk ing, and its local which date back to
and hill terraces remain. crafts, most notably Roman times. These
A rural gem, this area is great lace-making. In were revived in the
for trekking, with mountain Valverde del Fresno, early 1900s and are
viewpoints and the Melero Eljas and San Martín open to the public. At
Meander formed by the Alagón de Trevejo, the local Cáparra, south west of
River. From Pinofranqueado, dialect, a fala, is still Hervás, four triumphal
roads climb past picturesque spoken. On the arches stand on the
“black” vill ages like Batuequilla, higher slopes, Gata Coat of arms on a house Roman road, the Vía
Fragosa and El Gasco, which sits and Villamiel have front in Acebo de la Plata (see p356).
under an extinct volcano. The remains of medieval
Lower Hurdes area, crossed by fortresses. The old granite E Museo Pérez
the Río Hurdano and the main houses have family crests Comendador-Leroux
access route (EX204), is dotted on the front and distinctive Calle Asensio Neila 5. Tel 927 48 16 55.
with camp sites and restaurants. outside staircases. Open Tue–Fri; am only Sat & Sun. &

Traditional lace-making in one of the villages of the Sierra de Gata
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p571 and p597

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