Church in Caceres
Also known as Concatedral de Santa Maria; Iglesia de Santa Maria la Mayor
Partly free, partly paidSome of it costs nothing, some of it charges.
The Co-cathedral of Santa Maria is the principal church of Caceres and the religious heart of the UNESCO-listed old town. Built mainly in Gothic-transitional style between the 15th and 16th centuries, it stands on the Plaza de Santa Maria, surrounded by noble palaces. Inside, a carved Renaissance cedar altarpiece and choir stalls reward a slow look.
For budget travelers, the value is the bell tower. Stepping into the church costs little, and climbing the tower adds only a small extra fee for one of the widest views over the towers and tiled roofs of the walled city. Both are cheap by Spanish standards, and Extremadura’s prices sit well below the national average.
The Co-cathedral anchors the medieval quarter alongside the Plaza Mayor de Caceres and the Arco de la Estrella, so it falls on the natural walking route through the old town. For a free viewpoint instead, climb to the Church of San Mateo at the highest point of the quarter, though the Santa Maria bell tower gives the fuller panorama.
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Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
The 12th-century Almohad defensive wall that rings the old town of Caceres, the structure that encloses the entire UNESCO-listed medieval quarter. Surviving stretches of the rammed-earth and stone ramparts reveal the Moorish layer beneath the later medieval cityscape, and they are free to walk and view from the surrounding streets.
18th-century arch serving as the main entrance from Plaza Mayor de Caceres into the walled medieval old town. Free to walk through at any hour, with no ticket and no gate to close.
The only surviving Roman-era gate in the walls of Caceres, set in the quieter eastern stretch of the old town near the river. Free to walk through at any time.
A Renaissance palace inside the walled old town of Caceres that now houses the Provincial Museum of Caceres. The reason to climb up here is underneath the building: an 11th-century Almohad cistern, or aljibe, with a forest of horseshoe arches and one of the best-preserved water systems of its kind anywhere in Spain.
Romanesque-origin parish church just outside the walled old town of Caceres, with a distinctive tower. Entry is free or low-cost, making it an easy addition to a budget walking route.
Gothic church at the highest point of the old town in Caceres, built on the site of the former main mosque. It stands on the Plaza de San Mateo, one of the quietest and most atmospheric squares in the walled quarter, and entry is generally free.
Working out what Caceres costs?
The whole of Caceres