This beautiful Spanish city, located just 3.7 miles away from the Portuguese border, welcomes far fewer tourists than its famous eastern neighbours and is home to architecture unlike anywhere else in the country.
Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is located on the left of the bank of the river Guadiana and is 38 miles from Mérida, 141 miles east of Lisbon and 252 miles from Madrid.
After the Reconquista, the area was disputed between Spain and Portugal for several centuries, with alternating control resulting in several wars including the Spanish War of Succession (1705), the Storming of Badajoz (1812) and the Spanish Civil War (1936).
Spanish history and the city’s turbulent past is largely reflected in the town, including the Badajoz Cathedral, built in 1238, which resembles a fortress. Three of its windows are unique – with one in Gothic style, the second in Renaissance and the third in Plateresque style (15th century).
As a result of such disputes, Badajoz’s economy was often ravaged and the people poor.
Agricultural land was not fertile, so this industry was of no major importance. Instead, the historic monuments in the city became major tourist attractions, and remain so today, leading to the growth of tourism.
The city has a degree of prestige, with the ruins of the Moorish castle Alcazaba of Badajoz overlooking the Guadiana river which flows between the castle-hill and the powerfully armed fort of San Cristobal.
It was the only important fort on the southern Portuguese frontier during the 17th and 18th centuries and controlled the routes of southern Portugal and Andalusia. It was also the staging point for invasions against Portugal.
The 30-metre Torre de Espantaperros is built of mud and mortar and provides scenic views of the countryside. The name is attributed to the sharp ringing of a bell that was once installed in the tower. The 16th century building attached to it once served as city hall, then a prison and is now the Archaeological Museum.
A well-tended garden surrounded this monument where archeological finds from the Visigothic, Roman, and other periods were found.
A walk around the historic quarter will reveal Arab walls, fascinating monuments and picturesque streets and porches.
Other notable landmarks include Plaza Alta, dating from the 15th to the 17th centuries, was recently restored and was for centuries the centre of the city. It has become one of the main tourist attractions in the capital, with white, red and black mixed with other stone materials to make it unique.
The Puerta de Palmas was built in 1551, with two cylindrical towers flanking the entrance door. It was once used as a prison, but has since undergone renovations and has been an entrance point to the city.
From here, one can travel further through the Land of Barros, Mérida and the Cornalvo Nature Reserve.
Bajazos has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, with temperatures sometimes hitting 40C or more and mild winters with average temperatures of around 9C in December and January.
Badajoz railway station, situated in the north of the city, is the only station and the last Spanish station before the Portuguese railway system. It accommodates long- and medium- distance trains and is expected to be replaced by a new facility, with high speed services run by the Southwest-Portuguese corridor and the Madrid-Lisbon line.
Badajoz Airport, is located eight miles east of the city centre and caters for two civil routes, one to Barcelona and the other to Madrid.
