Elegant Zafra, a “mini Seville”

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How to get there: From Merida, take the E-803 (A-66) highway in the direction of Seville. Close to Zafra, turn right on the N-432 motorway. The whole trip will take you less than one hour.

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Zafra is a very beautiful small town with both white-washed and brightly colored houses and lovely courtyards (see one pictured on the right), quite Andalusian in character. The Plaza Grande and accompanying smaller Plaza Chica form the heart of the old town with many bars and restaurants. A large part of the center is reserved for pedestrians; we loved wandering through the streets of this atmosphere-rich town.

The large Iglesia de la Candelaria (visible on the picture in the middle) is well worth a visit to see the Zubaran paintings. One of the main attractions of the town is the impressive 15th century Alcazar de los Duques de Feria (castle of the Duke of Feria), a fortress with a gorgeous courtyard (pictured on the left) and nine massive towers.

To the south-west of Zafra are two white templar towns, once part of the domain of the Order of the Knights Templar. Their impressive templar fortresses can still be visited:

• Jerez de los Caballeros
From far, you already notice the many towers of Jerez de los Caballeros. This is a town with a rich history, which is evident from its varied architecture with a strong emphasis on Gothic and Baroque influences. This is also a culinary center; Jamon Iberico (Iberian ham) is produced from mostly free-range, acorn-fed Iberico pigs. An expensive delicacy to be enjoyed with a good glass of wine or sherry in Bar La Ermita.

• Fregenal de la Sierra
The old town is picturesque with white houses in narrow streets, a pretty Plaza Major, and several churches and convents. Interesting to see a bullring inside the templar fortress!

Where to stay and dine in Zafra
The Parador de Zafra is in a superb location; it is in the actual Alcazar de los Duques de Feria (see above). Most rooms overlook the Plaza Santa Marina and the town (the picture in the middle above was made from our hotel room). The restaurant is quite intimate and serves very tasty dishes. Breakfast is served in the beautifully restored courtyard.

Shopping tip: Across from the parador (on the other side of Plaza Santa Marina) is a ceramics shop where you‘ll find work from local artisans at incredibly good prices.

A good place for home-made tapas is the very tiny and old fashioned Bar Tini on Plaza Grande. This place has a very “1960 atmosphere” with pictures of musicians on the walls. The owner used to play in a band and now serves behind the bar; his wife makes the tapas in a very, very small kitchen. Another good place for tapas is Bar Monreal on Plaza Chica.

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What to do next: return to Madrid or continue to Sevilla for a tour of Andalusia (under development on this site).

To return from Zafra to Madrid, travel the E-803 (A-66) highway to Merida. Then, get on the A-5 highway (the Carretera de Extremadura) to Madrid. Set aside 4 hours for travel plus time to rest or have lunch. Oropesa, about half-way to Madrid, is a pretty medieval village for a stop.

Return from Zafra to Merida

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