Discover Guadalupe

Guadalupe offers a range of options for a stay: the Real Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe with its Mudéjar architecture, historic buildings and trails, each with its own destination. You can plan your visit around the features that interest you most.

Monastery, art and architectural history

The Real Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Its features include a Mudéjar church and a Mudéjar cloister dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. The sacristy is known for a series of paintings by Zurbarán. Several museums are also associated with the monastery: the Museo de Bordados is housed in the former refectory and displays part of the extensive collection of sacred ornaments. Most of these pieces were made in the monastery workshops during the Hieronymite period. The Museo de Miniados is located in the north wing of the Mudéjar cloister. The Museo de Pintura y Escultura is housed in the former wardrobe; its works include eight small paintings by Zurbarán, Goya’s “Confesión en la cárcel” and three paintings by El Greco. If you plan to visit a museum, check opening hours in advance.

Other buildings tell the story of different eras and uses. The Arco del Tinte is a Mudéjar gate that once led to the dye works and formed part of the medieval fortifications. The Arco de Sevilla belonged to the monastery’s first defensive belt, built in the 16th century; it is known for its floral decoration and the traditional architecture around it. The Iglesia Nueva o de la Santísima Trinidad was built between 1730 and 1736 and has a Baroque portal.

The architectural styles along the streets and squares also offer insight into local history. The traditional, two-storey Casas Porticadas have chestnut-wood beams; their arcades are associated with trade shaped by pilgrimage. The Galería Mudéjar, also known as the former houses of the chaplains, is an arcaded gallery dating from the 15th century. Calle de Ruperto connects the Fuente de los Tres Chorros with the Arco de las Eras and is lined with serrano-style architecture featuring wooden arcades. In the Plazuela de los Tres Chorros stands a 15th-century fountain that was once connected to the Arca del Agua water supply network.

The Casa de Gil Cordero is part of local tradition. It is traditionally believed to be the home of the shepherd to whom the Virgin Mary is said to have first appeared in the late 13th or early 14th century. The Mirador del Parque Constitución offers views of the monastery and its church.

Choose trails and landscapes to suit your interests

The Ruta del Humilladero Altamira starts at the Plaza de Santa María de Guadalupe. It follows an old pilgrimage route from Castile, known as the Camino del Agua, and offers panoramic views of Guadalupe and its surroundings. The Ruta de los Molinos has a different focus: it starts at the Plaza Mayor and follows the Río Guadalupe to the Molino de la Herrería. River fishing for trout and tench is mentioned as an activity along this route. These details help distinguish a route with panoramic views from one that follows the river to a mill.

The Ruta de las Ermitas forms part of the Camino Natural de las Villuercas. It leads to a Gothic hermitage, built in the 15th century and restored in 1945. Another landscape feature is the Río Guadalupejo: it runs as a protected ecological and biodiversity corridor within the Natura 2000 network. The Camino Real de Guadalupe is a distinct 62.9-kilometre route through the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark.

The Arca del Agua is a seven-century-old waterworks structure in the area around Guadalupe. Access is via the road from Guadalupe to Navalmoral de la Mata, followed by a forest track that branches off from the pass by the Ermita del Humilladero. Check the trail conditions locally. A visit to the Plazuela de los Tres Chorros offers another perspective on the historic water supply: its fountain was once connected to the Arca del Agua network.

More experiences for your stay

Activities related to honey production, visits to a honey farm and visits to beehives are offered in Guadalupe. These include an experience as a beekeeper for a day. If you are considering such an activity, check the operator’s details before booking. This lets you consider cultural visits, trails and a possible honey experience as separate parts of your stay, without combining them into a single itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Valdencín, Piornal, Berzocana, Carbajo, Abadía, Descargamaría, Villasbuenas de Gata, Trujillo.

Go to the main travel overview: Cáceres.