What you should know before visiting the Jerte Valley

Barbecue tourism

Many people come to the Valley with friends or family and choose a casita with an outdoor patio or garden and a barbecue to grill meats, have a beer, chat and have a good time. It is a good choice. The valley is ideal for this type of tourism, as it has a good range of accommodations that meet this purpose and also have beautiful views of the landscape.
 
In this case it is VERY IMPORTANT not to forget that in certain periods, due to fire problems, barbecues are prohibited (usually from late May to mid-October, although these dates may vary if the year is being especially dry). Remember, it is not advisable to be brave (reckless), because besides being able to cause a fire, the SEPRONA can fine you.
In any case it is not bad to plan a route or walk to enjoy the scenery and help digest so much food (abuse usually accompanies these getaways).

If you are looking for activities (active tourism)

Yes, the Jerte Valley also has active tourism, and the good kind. Here you can hire horseback riding, canoeing with the whole family, 4x4 routes, canyoning(canyoning) and even a balloon ride over the Jerte Valley (this can be a great gift). We also have an adventure park with zip lines for adults and children. But we'd better show you.
 
In the activities section we propose a set of highly recommended activities. You can even book them online from here. This is another great way to make the most of your visit to the Jerte Valley and enjoy nature.

Cultural tourism

Many people are enthusiastic about visiting and learning about heritage. For these cases the location of the Jerte Valley can be a great attraction. We are going to offer you three great possibilities, each one more interesting.

Plasencia, medieval city, located right at the entrance of the Valley and also bathed by the Jerte River. Together with Cáceres and Trujillo, it is the cultural jewel of northern Extremadura. A one-morning visit will give you plenty to do. Walk through its streets, visit its double cathedral (the best in Extremadura), the impressive wall, the beautiful and authentic main square and hire a guided tour (Plasencia has a lot to see and does not disappoint). If you want to finish off, you can have a few beers and tapas in the old town (or eat, it has a great offer).

Hervás, just on the other side of the mountain (in the Ambroz Valley). Village of certain dimensions, famous for its Jewish quarter, the good atmosphere and the also good gastronomic offer. We can complete the visit by visiting the motorcycle museum, the Pérez Comendador museum or the house of the cactus (private house). Of course Hervás has much more, such as its landscapes, its greenway and the emblematic autumn (called the magical autumn). But we already told you about this in the section dedicated to the Ambroz Valley.

Yuste, and its Monastery of San Jerónimo (just on the other side, in La Vera), known as the Monastery of Yuste. This place is very famous because the Spanish-German emperor Charles V spent long periods there (suffering from gout). It is situated in a beautiful spot above the village and is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the north of Extremadura. You can book a visit to the monument (it is advisable to get tickets in advance) and ensure a guided tour of the site.

The towns

Let's be honest, unlike the towns of other nearby regions, the economic prosperity that the Valley has experienced has taken its toll on an environment that has been modernized very soon neglecting the preservation of the typical architecture. Therefore, there is no town that we are going to move expressly to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that some of them, if we are passing through, have neighborhoods or remains that can be attractive. Tornavacas, Jerte, Casas del Castañar, the Jewish quarter of Cabezuela del Valle (recognized as a Historic-Artistic Site), Piornal, Rebollar or El Torno still preserve old houses (even complete streets) very typical of the area. It is never too much to visit them.

Interpretation centers

You know, the interpretation centers show us curiosities of the life and customs of the area. The same thing happens in the valley. Also in this case perhaps they are not going to be a reason to visit, but if we approach the town where it is located and we want to know a little more.
 
1- Interpretation Center of the Natural Reserve of the Garganta de los Infiernos (located at the entrance to the reserve itself). Here you will find information about the reserve, natural values, cultural (Carlos V passed through there), ecological and we can a large diorama of the famous place of Los Pilones.
 
2- Cherry Museum, in Cabezuela del Valle. You know, the typical product of the Jerte Valley. If you want to know everything about cherries and their laborious harvesting, visit the three floors of this center, where you will find multimedia resources, recreations of environments, original objects (doodles, tendales, baskets ...) that have been used, since ancient times, in the laborious harvesting of the famous cherries of Jerte.
There is a cost. Admission: 1 euro per person
 
3- Water Interpretation Center, is one of the Interpretation Centers of the Natural Reserve of the Garganta de los Infiernos, located very close to the Tourist Office. Here we can learn a little more about the natural environment of the Jerte Valley and its ecosystem.
 
4- Salmonidae reproduction center, popularly known as "la Piscifactoria", is located about two kilometers from Jerte. In this place, the trout that will later repopulate the crystal clear waters of the Jerte River and other rivers in other regions of Extremadura are bred in captivity.
Several information panels explain in detail the whole process of breeding these fish, so you can make a self-guided visit.
No cost: If you are a group of more than 12 people it is convenient to make an appointment.
 
5- Jarramplas Visitor Center, in Piornal. A very visual and dynamic museum that shows us the meaning of this traditional and peculiar festival.
 
You will be impressed by the life-size model of this character, protagonist of the famous festival of San Sebastian, declared of National Tourist Interest. You can also see numerous objects and clothing typical of the festival, masks, costumes, drums, armor...
 
The best, the virtual reality mask, if you put it on, you can feel, in first person, the excitement and adrenaline of Jarramplas himself.
Location: Casa de Cultura

There is a cost. Admission: Adults: 1,50, Children. 1 euro. Groups (+ 20 people). Adults: 1 euro, children.0,50
 
6- School Museum, in Cabezuela del Valle. In the current Town Hall of this town (old school) it is recreated how the schools were 50 years ago, with furniture and school material of the epoch.
 
7- Ethnographic Museum Doctor Sayans (Casas del Castañar) This museum contains part of the legacy of the aforementioned doctor and researcher of the history, archaeology and ethnography of Plasencia and the Jerte Valley. About 3000 pieces, including bibliographic collections (medicine and history, mainly), archaeological remains, weapons...
 
8- Centro de Interpretacion las Cárceles (Tornavacas). It is located in the main square, in the old jail of the town, it is an interpretation center and also a visitor reception center. The different rooms host multimedia content on heritage, transhumance, popular festivals, gastronomy and, of course, the pillory of Jerte. Visitors can also discover a little about the history of this emblematic building.