Casa Herrera Basilica and Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalup

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Casa Herrera Basilica

   Just north of Mérida, among cereal fields and holm oak, lie the quiet remains of the Casa Herrera basilica, an early Christian and Visigothic church that most visitors to the city never see. It is a modest site, low walls and foundations rather than soaring arches, and that is part of its charm. The surrounding countryside is typical of Extremadura: wide, open, lightly farmed, with big skies, storks nesting on pylons and the smell of dry grass and sheep.

   Read the complete Casa Herrera Basilica write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Casa Herrera Basilica is where the day begins. Next is Old Town of Cáceres.

2. 2. Old Town of Cáceres

   Cáceres has an old town so complete that film crews treat it as a ready-made set, and walking its streets at dusk, when the stone glows amber and the crowds have gone, you can see why. Inside the walls, built largely by the Almohads in the twelfth century, are dozens of fortified mansions, towers, churches and palaces, many built by noble families who made their fortunes in the conquest of the Americas. The towers once had battlements, but Queen Isabella ordered most of them cut down to curb the nobles' power. UNESCO listed the old town in 1986.

   Read the complete Old Town of Cáceres write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Old Town of Cáceres comes up about 77 km into the recorded legs. Next is Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalup.

3. 3. Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalup

   Planning note

   about 214 km into the recorded legs you reach Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalup. Next is back through Old Town of Cáceres.

4. 4. back through Old Town of Cáceres

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Old Town of Cáceres write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Old Town of Cáceres, late in the day. Next is Casa Herrera Basilica.

5. 5. Casa Herrera Basilica

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Casa Herrera Basilica write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Casa Herrera Basilica. That is the ride.