Rich in history, Extremadura is located near the center of Spain, lying on the border of Portugal. The region is split into two provinces; Cáceres to the north and Badajoz to the south. Far from Spain's beaches, Extremadura instead offers visitors an unspoilt countryside, lush forests and majestic mountains.
Extremadura is home to several areas of outstanding natural beauty and a National Park making the region a walkers' and birdwatchers' paradise. Being sparsley populated and a distance from the coast the region has not been affected by mass tourism.
Méridia is the capital of Extremadura, located in the province of Badajoz, may be small but is known for its rich Roman history; a number of monuments still exist albeit in a state of ruin, such as the theater, the amphitheater, the bridge over Guadiana and the temple of Diana amongst several others. The Roman theater and amphitheater still put on shows such as Greek dramas every July and August. Tourists not interested in Roman history though may want to travel north to the city of Cáceres in region of Cáceres which is roughly an hour away which has a larger variety of sights such as its several cathedrals, churches, museums, palaces and stately homes. Or you may want to enjoy Cáceres' festivals in which music is a popular theme among some of its festivals, including the international World of Music, Arts and Dance festival which takes place annually at the beginning of May and the San Jorge festival on 22-23 April, a tribute to St. George which has an effigy of a dragon being burnt along with fireworks. The small shops of Cáceres offer the usual tourist souvenirs but also homemade sweets and pastries.
Extremadura is famed for it's Iberian ham and traditionally-produced merino sheep's cheeses from Serena and Casar.
