# Extremadura: vultures, conquistadors and Roman Mérida

> 4-day road trip of about 332 km (206 mi) with 6 stops, from Plasencia to Roman theatre of Mérida. About 4 h 35 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-extremadura/

**At a glance:** 4-day road trip of about 332 km (206 mi) with 6 stops, from Plasencia to Roman theatre of Mérida. About 4 h 35 min of driving in total. Monfragüe’s cliffs, the towns of the conquistadors, a monastery in the hills and the best Roman theatre in Spain.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 332 km (206 mi) |
| Driving | 4 h 35 min |
| Suggested days | 4 |
| Stops | 6 |
| Route | Plasencia → Roman theatre of Mérida |
| Countries | Spain |
| Updated | August 18, 2026 |

## Route description

Start in Plasencia, a walled town with two cathedrals joined together, then take the EX-208 south into Monfragüe National Park. At the Salto del Gitano viewpoint griffon vultures nest on a cliff above the Tagus; climb to the castle ruin for the wider view over the dehesa of holm oaks.

Continue to Trujillo, the home town of Francisco Pizarro, whose statue stands in one of Spain’s most handsome main squares under a hilltop castle. From here a quiet road leads east through cork and oak pasture and into the Villuercas hills to Guadalupe, where the royal monastery rises over a village of timbered houses.

Return west to Cáceres, whose walled old town of towers and palaces is almost untouched since the sixteenth century; it is a World Heritage Site and very atmospheric at night. Then take the A-66 (E-803) south to Mérida, where the Roman theatre, amphitheatre and a long Roman bridge over the Guadiana remain from the capital of Lusitania.

Spring, with green pastures and storks nesting on every tower, is the best time. July and August are very hot, often above 40 °C. Distances are modest and the roads empty, but fuel stations are sparse between Trujillo and Guadalupe.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Plasencia** (Spain)
2. **Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe** (Villarreal de San Carlos, Spain): A quartzite cliff above the Tagus where griffon vultures nest and black storks and imperial eagles are often seen. The viewpoint is right by the EX-208 through Monfragüe National Park, so bring binoculars.
3. **Trujillo** (Spain)
4. **Royal Monastery of Guadalupe** (Guadalupe, Spain): A fortress-like monastery in the Villuercas hills, long one of Spain’s great pilgrimage sites, with a Mudéjar cloister and paintings by Zurbarán. The drive in from Trujillo crosses empty oak pasture and quiet sierra.
5. **Cáceres** (Spain)
6. **Roman theatre of Mérida** (Mérida, Spain): The best-preserved monument of Augusta Emerita, a Roman capital, with its two-storey stage front still standing next to the amphitheatre. In summer it hosts a classical theatre festival.