on Extremadura
City Life: Muchas siestas
The sunshine state in a land that gets plenty, this uncrowded rural region gets fantastic weather when much of Europe is still shivering.
The lack of coastline has kept mass tourism at bay: this is a part of Spain where donkeys plod through quiet olive groves, and life passes slowly with the changing of the seasons. Sleepy fortified towns overlooking the Portuguese borderlands bear traces of Roman, Moorish and mediaeval glory and are graced by Conquistador mansions paid for with plundered Aztec and Inca gold. Today, the treasure troves of Pizarro and Cortés are matched by an El Dorado of regional delicacies to tempt a new breed of explorer.
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Getting There
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.
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Local Knowledge
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.
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Worth Doing
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.
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Diary
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.