Why Cáceres, Spain, Is a Foodie’s Delight

In mid-March, the air still holds a slight chill in Cáceres, amplifying the heady scent of cherry blossoms. The trees, with their delicate white blooms, carpet this landscape in the heart of Spain’s Extremadura region, an expansive agricultural landscape punctuated by charming medieval towns.

A three-hour drive west of Madrid, the mountain slopes in the Jerte Valley in Northern Cáceres cradle 2 million cherry trees that produce the sweet, reddish-purple Picota cherries, grown here since the 17th century and protected by Denomination of Origin (DO) status. Unlike the ornamental pink trees of Japan, this variety is cultivated in Spain for its fruit. Farmers pluck the cherries from the trees by hand, one by one, nestling them into chestnut baskets, as has been done for generations.

I pull myself away from the window of my hotel and head outside toward another appealing aroma. Brewing coffee mingled with the scent of baked butter and sugar draws me to Pasteleía Isa to grab hot café con leche and a mojicón. Locals dunk the biscuity, orange-scented pastry in milk, creating a tres leches cake moistness, but I dip mine in coffee, lending it a tiramisu-like flavor. Sated for the moment, I meet my tour group and our guide for the day, Marco Mangut. He grew up here and knows this city’s hidden treasures.

History unfolds

After a short walk through the restaurant-lined Plaza Mayor, we climb the Bujaco Tower. Inside, explanatory panels, photographs and artwork reveal the town’s past. I crest the top stair, where I’m treated to a panoramic view of the plaza, truncated tower tops dotted with giant stork nests, and church steeples in the Old Town abutting the lush countryside where flocks of sheep and Iberian pigs roam the fertile pasturelands. 

Cáceres is known for its Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, a premium ham from pigs allowed to roam free while feeding on acorns that lend a nutty flavor and rich texture ribboned with umami-laden fat to the meat. Like the cherries, it is another protected product of this region.

On ground level once more, Mangut ushers our small group tour to Plaza de Santa Maria, where a statue of San Pedro de Alcántara, the saint of night watchmen and patron saint of Cáceres, stands. Its bronze feet are worn by passersby rubbing them, a local tradition said to ensure luck in love. I can’t resist giving them a stroke. 

We navigate the city’s labyrinthine cobblestone streets to the Cáceres Museum. Inside, Roman mosaics, pre-Christian statues, Visigothic headstones and Islamic pillars tell the narrative of the city’s conquerors.

We climb yet more stairs to reach the Convento de San Pablo, a 15th-century convent of cloistered nuns. 

Mangut presses an intercom button near a small sign that reads Se Venden Dulces Artesanos (Sale of Artisan Sweets). Mangut prompts me to say Ave María Purísima (Holy Mary, most pure), to which a nun responds, Sin pecado concebida (conceived without sin). The door swings open to a darkened room where a list of sweets hangs next to an antique wooden turnstile. We announce our choice—the perrunillas, sweet biscuits that soften in your mouth like powder—through a second intercom and deposit eight euros on the lazy Susan. Seconds later, it rotates, delivering the cookies.

Nibbling on our treats before our group parts ways, I’m awed by the architectural beauty surrounding us, but the bevy of nationally protected foods and award-winning restaurants housed in their walls cement my plans for my remaining day and a half here before I move on to Lisbon.

Culinary classics

After a brief siesta, I head to Atrio, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant inside a 15th-century palace that’s been on my bucket list for almost a decade. Dinner begins with an egg poached with olive oil, served with wild mushrooms and asparagus. Next is the main dish I’ve been dreaming about: lomo doblado, a regional specialty of Ibérico pork loin folded in half and then cured, the compression of the meat lending a buttery texture that melts in my mouth. Atrio’s finale offers a playful twist on the protected fruit. Biting into the shiny “cherry” served atop a marble pillar, I’m treated to a sweet, cherry-flavored gelée that dissolves in my mouth, a fitting end to my first day here. 

After a deep sleep, I’m ready to consume more of Cáceres’ culinary treasures. I can’t ignore the pull of fried dough, so I head to Churreria San Blas. The line already snakes around the block, but 10 minutes later, I have a golden churro and fresh-squeezed orange juice. It’s the ideal complement to fuel my day exploring the Helga de Alvear Museum of Contemporary Art’s collection, which includes works by Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee.

Soon enough, rumbling hunger pangs remind me it’s time for lunch. La Cacharreria, a tapería, buzzes with patrons. I nab a patio table and order the salmorejo, a traditional creamy tomato soup topped with boiled egg and Ibérico ham bits. Stuffed, I amble back to the hotel for the daily siesta, a Spanish ritual I am growing used to.

Later, an eight-minute walk delivers me to alBalat Restaurant. I gravitate to the bar, take a look at the menu and go straight for the Iberian pork shoulder. Paired with a glass of delicious local red wine Habla del Silencio, it’s a savory, unctuous symphony. I can’t leave without trying the restaurant’s famous La Torrija alBalat. The traditional Spanish-style “French” toast soaked in citrus-infused custard and then fried, is the stuff of bread pudding dreams. The soft, delicate interior juxtaposed with the crispy, golden outside still lingers on my tongue as I tuck into bed for my final night.

Before leaving town, I dip into El Siglo market for a few snacks for the road. As Cáceres fades in my rearview mirror, I recall my exquisite  dining experiences, the centuries-old buildings and spectacular views, and the perfume of the ubiquitous cherry blossoms.

Where to stay

NH Collection Cáceres Palacio de Oquendo

Within walking distance of the ancient wall surrounding Cáceres’ Old Town, this converted 16th-century palace delivers a luxury stay in a neighborhood of bakeries, taparías and boutiques.

Parador de Cáceres

Two palaces featuring Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture transformed into a state-owned luxury hotel, this Parador hotel is one of seven in Extremadura.

Daytripping

From your base in Cáceres, you can visit Trujillo and Mérida, both about a 30-minute drive.

Medieval churches and palaces encircle the Plaza Mayor in Trujillo, with the bronze statue of conquistador and native son Francisco Pizarro anchoring the space. Wide stairs lead to a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys climbing to Trujillo Castle, the highest point in town and a popular attraction. After a day of wandering the old town, head to Alberca, an old stone house that’s now a Michelin-recognized restaurant, for a modern take on traditional dishes cooked over coal fires.

Mérida, Extremadura’s capital and home to a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological collection offers a wealth of intact Roman ruins, including a theater built between 16 and 15 BC that still hosts performances such as the annual Mérida Classical Theater Festival held every summer since 1953. The Temple of Diana, built in the 1st century AD, has survived the passage of time as well. Tuétano, a Michelin-recognized grill-focused restaurant in the city’s center, rests atop Roman remains, visible through the glass-floor dining room.