The best traffic-free bike rides around Cañamero

El Alto del Humilladero and Pico Villuercas, near Guadalupe (Cáceres), form one of the most spectacular mountain routes in Extremadura, within the Villuercas‑Ibores‑Jara UNESCO Geopark. It is the highest summit in Extremadura accessible by road.

During the twenties and thirties of the last century, a railway route was approved that was intended to connect Badajoz, Madrid, and Huelva, passing through Villanueva de la Serena and Talavera de la Reina. The rugged foothills of the Villuercas proved to be an insurmountable obstacle, leading to the project's abandonment three decades after its inception. As a reminder of that ill-fated project, today we are left with a grandiose viaduct at the gates of Guadalupe, crossing the broken valley of the Guadalupejo from end to end.

Gives the feeling of being on a film set or somewhere in Mexico. Perhaps not so strange, because the Virgin of Guadalupe is the patroness of Mexico. In the hills, the virgin is said to have been found seven centuries ago. Strictly forbidden to take photos inside the walls, monks walk with the group...

An impressive piece of civil engineering from the 20th century. With a length of 274 meters and a maximum height of 58 meters, the bridge stands out with its large arches. Originally, the bridge was intended for the railway line, but the project was halted and the bridge was never put into use.

The Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe is a 14th-century monastery located in the Spanish town of Guadalupe, in the province of Cáceres. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Inside, you can appreciate Gothic, Mudéjar, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical architectural styles. A place with a rich history and breathtaking architectural beauty! 🌟🏰

Alto del Humilladero is a short but intense mountain pass, where the road climbs steeply through curves that test your legs. From its summit, you have a wide panoramic view that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

The route enters the Vegas del Jarama Greenway, and the journey takes on a completely new emotional state thanks to the serenity of the environment and the comfort of the road surface. The route of the old mining train runs through the dehesas or rañas of the Ruecas River valley, undisturbed, passing over several viaducts that span the river's meanders. From time to time, the old stations and halts appear, half-ruined and abandoned. The villages are off the track, and to get supplies or water, you have to detour several kilometers. Madrigalejo is the closest and most recommended town; it is three kilometers from the old local station and has shops and all kinds of services. The Greenway gradually enters a new landscape. The meadows of the Vegas Altas fade, and the curious "Appalachian" reliefs of Las Villuercas emerge, shaped by parallel ridges of slate and schist that appear to have been pounded and kneaded by a geological sculptor. Some authors have compared them to the Appalachian Mountains of North America and declared the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Global Geopark by UNESCO. The Greenway ends at the old Logrosán station, and a new section of the Las Villuercas Nature Trail GR-116 begins, leading to La Puebla de Guadalupe. The pedaling pace slows due to the condition of the road surface, but it remains an impeccable cycle route. From Logrosán onward, the original route of the old railway is no longer maintained; the trail markers appear on rural roads and on some isolated stretches of the old railway used by local farmers. The Camino reaches the hamlet of Cañamero via the Santa Ana chapel and runs through the town center, famous for its Vegas del Guadiana Designation of Origin wines, made from mountain vines grown on rugged slate slopes. The exit from Cañamero is spectacular and somewhat unsettling, following the path of the Ruecas canyon. Pay attention on the descent; there's a short trial. It then continues along farm roads to the climb to the Martín Blasco pass, a good stretch before tackling the final stretch of the day through the solitary mountains of Las Villuercas and ending in Guadalupe, passing once again through the arch of the old mining railway, the last reminder of a project that confounded the era; it was built almost a hundred years before it was used.

Cañamero, in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, is a charming destination that combines history, culture and nature. You can explore the church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán and the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Belén, which are examples of local religious architecture.