Mérida, Spain + Add a trip

Automobiles

Roads are of a high quality, and driving is the only practical way to see the region in a short space of time. When you hire a car, make sure you ask for a map, or fork out the extra for GPS.

Planes

The region has very few international airports. The nearest are Seville, Madrid and Lisbon.

Trains

Badajoz is on the Madrid-Lisbon train line. Infrequent express trains stop at Cáceres, Mérida and Badajoz.

Dialing

Country code for Spain: 34. Badajoz: 924.

Reads

The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico by Miguel León-Portilla; Don Quixote by Cervantes.

Do go / Don't Go

You get really good weather from April to October - July and August are not crowded (because everyone has headed for the sea) but might be too hot for some people. Winters are generally mild with some snow in the hills.

Cuisine

Extremadura's cooking is almost mediaeval: roast suckling pig, game (especially in autumn), and wild frog all feature on menus in the region. There's also a good range of local gazpacho recipes, sheep's-milk cheese and cured ham, including jamón de bellota, made from acorn- and herb-fed pigs. Yemas (candied egg yolks) and licor de cereza (cherry liqueur) are delicious if you have a sweet tooth. Ribera del Guadiana whites are the region's most famous wines.

Taxis

Best to ask your hotel to order one.

Tipping

Ten per cent is normal. Be aware: in 'local' places the waiters often do the sums in their head and you won't get a written bill.

Currency

Euro.

Packing

The strong sunshine means it's wise to bring a hat.

Arts

Over the centuries, Extremadura's harsh and impoverished environment has produced some of Spain's toughest and most famous adventurers, such as Pizarro and Cortés. The new MEIAC Museum of Contemporary Art in Badajoz explores the region's relationship with the Americas. Many local towns and villages have familiar namesakes on the other side of the Atlantic.

And...

Shopping

You won't be browsing designer-label boutiques here, but Extremadura is an excellent place to pick up cheeses, smoked ham and good-value wine. Keep an eye out for traditional leather, pottery and linen items, too.

Viewpoint

The towering Castillo de la Luna in Albuquerque, north of Badajoz, was once the centrepiece of a network of border defences and has wonderful views over the Portuguese frontier.

Something

The town of Zafra, southeast of Badajoz, is nicknamed Little Seville; its beautiful whitewashed Old Town has a distinctly Andalucian feel. It is an agreeable place for an idle wander.

Semana Santa aka Easter Week is one of the year's biggest and most colourful festivals. In Cáceres you can see penitents walking through the streets dragging logs. 24 June The week-long Feria de San Juan is the biggest festival in Badajoz, with fireworks, fairs and celebrations. July-August Mérida hosts a classical theatre festival, with plays staged nightly in the Roman amphitheatre (www.festivaldemerida.es). August Albuquerque's Mediaeval Folk Festival features costumes, music and drama. First week of September Mérida hosts its own lively festival with funfairs and cultural events.