Two days amongst dolmens, border villages and landscapes that learnt centuries ago that a border can also bring people together.
There are borders that divide. And then there is La Raya, where, for centuries, the Portuguese and the Spanish have learnt to live whilst looking at one another from either side of the same line.
This getaway enters the region via Valencia de Alcántara, taking in medieval streets, Sephardic culture, dolmens and pasturelands, before continuing towards the Tagus and its border villages.
There’s no need to rush here. The road winds its way through holm oaks, the walls begin to tell their stories, and the landscape, little by little, comes into view.
Two days, lots of rocks, plenty of yellow and green, and the odd reason to get out of the car.
There are journeys that begin on a road and end in a landscape. This one begins in Alcántara, amongst rocks that have been here for centuries, and ends in Monfragüe, where it’s worth looking up. Or in every direction.
Along the way, you’ll come across dolmens, castles, rivers, pastures and border villages. The road shifts from history to the countryside almost without warning. And when you reach the Tagus, it’s time to change pace: walk, sail, look up.
There are journeys that take you across a land. And then there are those that span millions of years.
It begins amongst holm oaks and cork oaks, with birds of prey soaring over the pastureland and the Tagus still close by. Then the road begins to climb, the mountains fold in on themselves and the landscape becomes a sort of life-size geology textbook.
You don’t need to know the names of all the synclines, anticlines and ichnofossils. You just need to look. And stop. And look again.
Two days to discover how the mountains were formed, how the first settlers arrived, and why even a stone here has a story to tell. First came the earth. Then we arrived.
Because the night belongs to us, let’s go on a night-time getaway – what do you reckon? Many places in UNESCO Territories are ideal for stargazing due to their low light pollution; in fact, both the Monfragüe Biosphere Reserve and the Villuercas Ibores Jara Geopark have been awarded the Starlight Destination quality label. But we’re suggesting something different: a journey into the depths of the night on the border with Portugal – stargazing, wild nature and some of the region’s most iconic landmarks. Let’s go.
We’re suggesting a very rocky getaway – the sort that leaves its mark, in this case in the form of fossils. Whether you’re into geology or not, the spectacular landscapes along this route through the Villuercas Ibores Jara Geopark will take your breath away: synclines, anticlines, quartzite ridges, scree slopes and fossils everywhere, all washed by the crystal-clear waters of the rivers that rise in these mountain ranges and surrounded by stunning forests of cork oaks, Pyrenean oaks and chestnut trees.
Let’s say you love birds, or that you’d like to take up birdwatching to observe these magnificent creatures. The UNESCO Territories offer unrivalled opportunities to do so, but this getaway we’re suggesting brings together the very best of the more than 250 species found there: great eagles, falcons, vultures, black storks and a host of smaller birds await you amidst stunning rocky and wooded landscapes.
Do you like dolmens? Well, this getaway is the perfect way to enjoy a day packed with megaliths in the Tajo Internacional Cross-Border Biosphere Reserve.
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GETTING AWAY 1 (TWO DAYS) – WHERE THE MAP ENDS
Two days amongst dolmens, border villages and landscapes that learnt centuries ago that a border can also bring people together.
There are borders that divide. And then there is La Raya, where, for centuries, the Portuguese and the Spanish have learnt to live whilst looking at one another from either side of the same line.
This getaway enters the region via Valencia de Alcántara, taking in medieval streets, Sephardic culture, dolmens and pasturelands, before continuing towards the Tagus and its border villages.
Read more
GETTING AWAY 2 (TWO DAYS) – THERE ARE STILL DAYS LEFT AT THE TAJO INTERNACIONAL
There’s no need to rush here. The road winds its way through holm oaks, the walls begin to tell their stories, and the landscape, little by little, comes into view.
Two days, lots of rocks, plenty of yellow and green, and the odd reason to get out of the car.
Read more
GETTING AWAY 3 (TWO DAYS) – WHERE THE TAJO MEETS MONFRAGÜE
There are journeys that begin on a road and end in a landscape. This one begins in Alcántara, amongst rocks that have been here for centuries, and ends in Monfragüe, where it’s worth looking up. Or in every direction.
Along the way, you’ll come across dolmens, castles, rivers, pastures and border villages. The road shifts from history to the countryside almost without warning. And when you reach the Tagus, it’s time to change pace: walk, sail, look up.
Read more
GETTING AWAY 4 (TWO DAYS) – THE APALACHIAN JOURNEY
There are journeys that take you across a land. And then there are those that span millions of years.
It begins amongst holm oaks and cork oaks, with birds of prey soaring over the pastureland and the Tagus still close by. Then the road begins to climb, the mountains fold in on themselves and the landscape becomes a sort of life-size geology textbook.
You don’t need to know the names of all the synclines, anticlines and ichnofossils. You just need to look. And stop. And look again.
Read more
GETTING AWAY 5 (TWO DAYS) – JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH
Two days to discover how the mountains were formed, how the first settlers arrived, and why even a stone here has a story to tell. First came the earth. Then we arrived.
Read more
GETTING AWAY 9 – BECAUSE OF THE NIGHT
Because the night belongs to us, let’s go on a night-time getaway – what do you reckon? Many places in UNESCO Territories are ideal for stargazing due to their low light pollution; in fact, both the Monfragüe Biosphere Reserve and the Villuercas Ibores Jara Geopark have been awarded the Starlight Destination quality label. But we’re suggesting something different: a journey into the depths of the night on the border with Portugal – stargazing, wild nature and some of the region’s most iconic landmarks. Let’s go.
Read more
GETTING AWAY 8 – ROCK & ROCK
We’re suggesting a very rocky getaway – the sort that leaves its mark, in this case in the form of fossils. Whether you’re into geology or not, the spectacular landscapes along this route through the Villuercas Ibores Jara Geopark will take your breath away: synclines, anticlines, quartzite ridges, scree slopes and fossils everywhere, all washed by the crystal-clear waters of the rivers that rise in these mountain ranges and surrounded by stunning forests of cork oaks, Pyrenean oaks and chestnut trees.
Read more
GETTING AWAY 7 – BIRDS, BIRDS… AND MORE BIRDS
Let’s say you love birds, or that you’d like to take up birdwatching to observe these magnificent creatures. The UNESCO Territories offer unrivalled opportunities to do so, but this getaway we’re suggesting brings together the very best of the more than 250 species found there: great eagles, falcons, vultures, black storks and a host of smaller birds await you amidst stunning rocky and wooded landscapes.
Read more
GETTING AWAY 6 – THE ECHO OF THE DOLMENS
Do you like dolmens? Well, this getaway is the perfect way to enjoy a day packed with megaliths in the Tajo Internacional Cross-Border Biosphere Reserve.