Between ancient walls and Renaissance palaces, Cáceres holds much older secrets: a splendid Roman past y prehistoric footprints that make this World Heritage city a veritable open book of history.

CROSSROADS: CÁCERES

Founded in 1st century BC As a military camp, Roman Cáceres flourished as a strategic enclave:

  • Cáceres el Viejo CampOne of the best preserved from the Republican period, with 4-metre high walls.
  • Roman archaeological remains under the Palace of MayoralgoRemains of roads, baths and mosaics under this impressive palace in the Monumental City.
  • Museum of Cáceres: It houses the gold-plated torso of an equestrian statue and luxury ceramics imported from Rome.

Before the Romans, other settlers left their mark. Extremadura is a hot spot in terms of the prehistoric past. The Maltravieso Cave and its Interpretation Centre, just a 15-minute walk from the historic centre, is an ideal place to discover this manifestation. In addition, within a small radius of Cáceres you can discover many places with artistic manifestations of our ancestors.

  • Hands without little finger66,000 years old, a ritual enigma still undeciphered from the world's oldest paintings
  • Schematic artThe figures of animals and symbols engraved in the rock.

RELATED ROUTES:

Prehistoric Cave Art in Extremadura

Vía de la Plata Route

EXPERIENCES

Why is Cáceres unique?

Cáceres is a journey to the origins. The Maltravieso Cave, with its mysterious prehistoric hands, connects you with the first inhabitants of Europe. A few steps away, the Roman traces of Norba Caesarina emerge among millenary stones. To visit it is to walk among eras, where every corner tells a story that deserves to be discovered.

Flavours with a long history

  • Torta del CasarNatural cheese made from sheep's milk and thistle. The Romans considered goat's or sheep's milk superior to cow's milk; it was used to make various types of cheese,
  • Iberian HamCured with ancestral techniques. During the Roman period, Iberian ham began to gain recognition and its consumption spread throughout the Roman Empire.
  • Ribera del Guadiana D.O. winesWine was a drink deeply rooted in the daily life of the ancient Romans.