Extremadura Guide Eng 2016

esting colonies of monk vultures nest. Therefore, we can find the favourite and protected place for birds in the ZEPA Sierra Grande of Hornachos , a real paradise for the or- nithology ´s lovers with an exceptional landscape. Beyond a doubt, during the Roman domination these re- gions will have the highest historical flowering and mean- ing, whose lands would belong then either to the Roman province of the Lusitania or the Bética, both of them linked with each other by the important Roman paved road of the so-called Via de la Plata . This important paved road passes through Contributa Iulia Ugulyuniacum , the current Medina de las Torres; Restituta Iulia Imperial , the current Zafra; Segeda Au- gurian , Los Santos de Maimona; or the Roman “mansio” of Perceina in Villafranca de los Barros, among other important Roman centres. Numerous villages and valuable discoveries date back to this time, standing out the beautiful Spa of Alange , a mar- vellous thermal place that, together with the Spa of El Ra- poso , which stands close to Puebla de Sancho Pérez, show the magnificent health tourist offered in the zone.

The access to these regions has as main route the old, Ro- man itinerary of Via de la Plata, the N-630 which links An- dalusia with these Extremaduran regions in its way towards Mérida, turned into a carriageway A-66 today when passing through these localities and that links with the A-5 , the Madrid- Lisbon carriageway, in Mérida. Other main road is the N-432 that links the capital Badajoz with Zafra and passes through the regions of Tierra de Barros and Zafra-Río Bodión. Grapevines and olive trees are the base of the main in- dustries, and in the case of Tierra de Barros, the fact of be- ing regarded as one of the most important wine lands of Ex- tremadura and the Iberian Peninsula, without forgetting about the very common oil in these regions, appreciated due to its excellent quality and the neatly done production. As regards its gastronomy , mostly based in some of the main agricultural and cattle products, the abundant and esteemed hunting and the Iberian pig breeding, some au- tochthonous dishes such as the the “migas”, the ratatoulle, the lamb stew, the cheap stew, the hare, rabbit or partridge stews and over all, the excellent hams, cold meat and pork are well-known. The virgin olive oil from these regions is really appreciated due to its flavour and quality, as well as the excellent wines with Guarantee of Origin andQuality Ribera del Guadiana . Furthermore, there are abundant wineries in the localities where very appreciated spirits and aniseeds are also made. The most important festivities are The commemoration of the Albuera Battle , in this locality of Badajoz, Las Candelas inAlmendralejo, La Vendimia in Villafranca de los Barros, De La Luna al Fuego in Zafra and Cruz de Mayo in Feria, all of them declared as Tourist Interest Festivity of Extremadura. When talking about the history of these regions, the abundance of the schematic, cave paintings in Hornachos, Alanage, La Zarza and Oliva de Mérida really stand out. It is in these places where numerous birds of prey and inter-

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“Salón del Vino”. Almendralejo

General Aspects

Art and History

Natural Spaces

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