Orellana La Vieja: Water, Culture and Festivals

Orellana La Vieja offers something for a range of travel interests: nature watching at Laguna del Santo, water sports at Playa de Orellana, historic buildings and traditional festivals. Wildlife and biodiversity, activities on the water, architectural history and festival dates each offer a different focus.

Nature, Water and Getting Your Bearings

At Laguna del Santo, you can easily observe numerous bird species, including ducks, as well as amphibians in particular. The lagoon is well equipped for visitors and allows for longer stays surrounded by its biodiversity. This is a different focus from Playa de Orellana, where you can go windsurfing, sailing and canoeing. Playa de Orellana is also known as Playa Costa Dulce.

The Centro de Interpretación Bandera Azul provides information about the Blue Flag programme, as well as general tourist information about the beach, routes and sightseeing. Puerto Deportivo Bandera Azul de Orellana is an inland marina with berths for leisure boats. Club Ibérico de Vela is based at the municipal nautical facilities, which have been made available for sailing.

Architectural History and Culture

The Convento de San Benito is now used as a cultural centre. If you are interested in a particular event, check the programme in advance. The convent was founded by Teresa de Meneses. In 1528, she and her daughters sought permission in Rome to establish a convent in Orellana.

At the Palacio de los Orellana, part of the wall and two towers remain: one square and one round. Documents from 1340 refer to the palace as “mi casa fuerte” (“my fortified house”). The Bishop of Plasencia commissioned the construction of the Iglesia de la Inmaculada at the end of the 16th century. Known as the Iglesia de Salón, it has a large rectangular single-nave interior and a semicircular apse.

Festivals and Local Food

The Noche de los Jaramagos is a recurring Holy Week tradition. On the night between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday, the Calle Real, between Plaza de España and the corner of Calle Convento, is decorated with collected plants. After the decorations are put up, people eat traditional migas. The exact annual programme may vary, so check the specific event dates for the year of your trip.

For the Fiesta de San Sebastián, a recurring festival, people gather in Plaza de San Sebastián after the religious celebrations to enjoy Sangría Orellanense and typical local sweets. San Isidro is also celebrated annually in Orellana La Vieja on 15 May; San Isidro is considered the patron saint of farmers. These events provide different points of reference in the calendar: Holy Week for the Noche de los Jaramagos, 15 May for San Isidro, and the schedule of religious celebrations for San Sebastián.

Discover more destinations: Casas de Don Pedro, Puebla de Obando, Puebla De Sancho Pérez, Cheles, Talarrubias, Puebla De Alcocer, La Garrovilla, Benquerencia De La Serena.

For the broader travel overview: Badajoz.