# Jerte Valley A valley of terraces with more than a million and a half cherry trees, the Garganta de los Infiernos and its pools, and eleven villages along the N-110. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/extremadura/jerte-valley · Revisado: 2026-11-12 The Jerte Valley is a narrow valley in northern Cáceres, between the Sierra de Gredos and the Sierra de Tormantos, which the River Jerte runs through from north-east to south-west as far as Plasencia. Its slopes are stepped in terraces of cherry trees: the tourist office counts more than a million and a half trees, and the Regulatory Council of the Cereza del Jerte PDO speaks of two million. Eleven villages share the valley, from Navaconcejo and Valdastillas, below, to Tornavacas, at the foot of the pass, and in the sierra there are Piornal, Barrado, Cabrero, Casas del Castañar, El Torno and Rebollar. You come for three things. The cherry blossom, in late March or April. Los Pilones, the granite pools of the Garganta de los Infiernos, for swimming in summer. And the cherries and picotas from May to July. Outside those dates the valley is quiet, with good routes and the Otoñada of November. ## How do I get there from Cáceres, Salamanca or Ávila? By car, always towards Plasencia or towards El Barco de Ávila, because the valley is the N-110 road that links the two. From Cáceres it is about 116 km, a little over an hour and a half: you go up to Plasencia and take the N-110 towards Ávila. From Salamanca, along the A-66 to Béjar and then via Plasencia or via El Barco de Ávila, about two hours. From Ávila, the N-110 via El Barco takes you down over the Tornavacas pass, with the whole valley at your feet: a little over an hour and a half to Jerte. From Madrid there are two ways: the AP-6 and the N-110 via Ávila, about 220 km, or the A-5 to Navalmoral de la Mata and the motorway to Plasencia. Allow almost three hours. From Mérida, about two and a half hours. Without a car, the Plasencia bus line goes up the N-110 with stops at Navaconcejo, Cabezuela, Jerte and Tornavacas, and CEVESA reaches the valley from Madrid's Estación Sur via El Barco de Ávila. There are few services: ask for the timetables at Plasencia station. ## Where do I park for Los Pilones? In the car park beside the N-110 roundabout that leads to the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, next to the Interpretation Centre, between Jerte and Cabezuela. It is paid from mid-March to the end of October and free the rest of the year. Parking is forbidden between Jerte football ground and the campsite and on the track that climbs above, with fines. Cars do not enter the reserve: either you walk 3 km, or you go up in a 4x4 run by an authorised company. ## How much time do I need? A day covers Los Pilones in the morning, lunch and a stroll round Cabezuela or the Caozo waterfall in the afternoon. Two days allow you to add the drive through the villages of the sierra, a canyon or the long 16 km circuit of the Garganta de los Infiernos. With three, cross to La Vera along the Charles V route, the way the emperor took to Yuste in 1556. ## When is the cherry blossom? It depends on the year. In 2026 it lasted from 20 March to 3 April, more or less. The cherry trees below flower first and then those on the high slopes, so the white climbs up the valley over about two weeks. The Cherry Blossom Festival, of National Tourist Interest, opens in one village and closes in another: in 2026, Tornavacas and Casas del Castañar. The dates for 2027 have not been published. The tourist office reports on WhatsApp how the blossom is doing. ## And the rest of the year? In May the cherry harvest begins and in June that of the picota, the stalkless Jerte variety; several companies take you to pick them on an estate. July and August are months for swimming at Los Pilones, with cold water from the sierra and the car park full from mid-morning. From early November to mid-December, the Otoñada: ochre and red cherry and chestnut trees, and a programme of weekend festivals, such as the Fiesta de la Caída de la Hoja or the Imperial Market of Charles V. In January and February it is cold and the valley sleeps. ## Where do I sleep? Jerte is the best base for the reserve: it has the Junta's hospedería, in a former tannery, the adults-only hotel El Cerezal de los Sotos and, at the entrance to the gorge, the campsite, which opens from 19 March. In the lower part, next to Valdastillas, the Hotel Balneario Valle del Jerte combines rooms with a terrace and mineral-medicinal water circuits. Cabezuela del Valle, with the tourist office, is in the middle of everything. ## Dónde está - Zonas: The Central System - Cerca: Hervás and the Ambroz Valley (a 8.9 km), La Alberca and the Sierra de Francia (a 40.6 km), Monfragüe National Park (a 43.6 km), Sierra de Gredos (a 56.6 km) ## Qué hacer - **Los Pilones Trail through the Garganta de los Infiernos** (2 h · 6 km · Families · Independent · free; paid parking from March to October): What it is Los Pilones are giants' kettles: round pools that the water of the Garganta de los Infiernos has carved into the granite. It is the best-known landscape of the Jerte Valley and one of the prettiest natural swimming spots in the country. You reach it by a trail of 3 km each way, about 45 minutes and 234 m of ascent, which the tourist office rates as medium-easy. With the return the same way and a while at the top, count on two hours. The route You set off from the Nature Interpretation Centre, at the main entrance to the reserve, between Jerte and Cabezuela del Valle. The path, waymarked in white and yellow, climbs among oaks to the Chorrero de la Virgen viewpoint and carries on to the Los Pilones area. From Jerte there is another option: 4 km each way from the bridge beside El Nogalón park, waymarked in white and green. If you want more, the long 16 km loop of the gorge starts from Los Pilones. Getting there and parking Along the N-110, at the roundabout that leads to the reserve. The car park by the roundabout is paid from mid-March to late October and free the rest of the year. Do not park between Jerte's football ground and the campsite or on the track above: there are fines. You cannot enter the reserve by car. When to go In summer, to swim; the water comes down from the sierra and is cold all year. In spring, with the cherry blossom in the valley and the gorge in full flow; swimming is not a good idea then. In autumn, with the oaks and chestnuts in colour. In August and on hot weekends it fills up: arrive early. With children or a dog It is the valley walk for children who can already walk: short, with a reward at the end. Keep an eye on them on the rocks, which are slippery, and at the pools, which are deep. Dogs may come, always on a lead. - **Cherry Blossom** (4 h · Everyone · Free; the festival has some separately charged activities): What it is Every spring the cherry trees on the terraces of the Jerte Valley are covered in white blossom. The tourist office counts more than a million and a half trees. The lower ones, around Navaconcejo and Valdastillas, flower first, then those on the high slopes, so the blossom climbs up the valley over about two weeks. In 2026 it ran from 20 March to 3 April, more or less. The festival The Cherry Blossom Festival (Fiesta del Cerezo en Flor) is a Festival of National Tourist Interest and part of the Spring and Cherry Blossom programme. Each year it opens in one village and closes in another: in 2026, the opening was in Tornavacas from 27 to 29 March and the closing in Casas del Castañar on 11 and 12 April. The villages open wine cellars, forges, wine presses and traditional houses as they were more than 50 years ago, with food and traditions activities. The 2027 dates have not been announced. How to see it There are two driving routes. One, of about 30 km, along the N-110, from Navaconcejo to Cabezuela, Jerte, Tornavacas and the Tornavacas pass. The other, of about 50 km, climbs into the sierra through Valdastillas, Piornal, Barrado, Cabrero, Casas del Castañar, El Torno and Rebollar, with the widest views. On foot, the Caozo waterfall route passes between cherry orchards. When to go Go midweek if you can: on the festival weekend the roads fill up. The first signs usually appear in late February or early March; the tourist office publishes on its blog how the blossom is doing. - **Caozo Waterfall Walk from Valdastillas** (2 h 15 · 7 km · Families · Independent · free): El Caozo is the Garganta Bonal falling more than 30 metres down a wall of polished granite, among oaks, ash trees and alders. You can almost drive to it, but the way the valley's tourist office suggests seeing it is the SL-CC 32 trail: a 7 km loop that leaves Valdastillas, crosses cherry orchards and oak woods, passes the waterfall and returns to the village. Seven kilometres through terraces and oak woods The route is circular, easy, and waymarked in white and green. The climb and the descent are the same, 265 m, split between the way out and the way back, and the tourist office puts the walking time at 2 h 15 min. With a long stop at the waterfall, count on half a morning. Part of the path runs between cherry orchards, which is why it is one of the walks the office recommends for seeing the trees in blossom up close. The rest passes under oaks to the bottom of the gorge. The route has a GPX track, a leaflet and an information panel on the valley's tourism website, and the office in Cabezuela will give you the paper map. Valdastillas, the starting point Valdastillas, at 639 m, looks out over the middle stretch of the valley. Before or after the walk it is worth crossing the old centre: timber-framed houses with reddish adobe and exposed wood, some with continuous balconies linking six or more houses in a row, and the church of Santa María de Gracia, from the 16th century, with two Talavera ceramic altarpieces. Park in the village and look for the waymarks. To the foot of the falls without the walk If you don't fancy walking seven kilometres, the waterfall is about three from Valdastillas along the road to Piornal. At a sharp bend, with a well-signposted junction, a tarmac lane leaves towards Navaconcejo: after about 600 m you park beside the road and it is roughly 100 m on foot to the base. That lane is closed to buses; anyone arriving by motorhome or coach has to leave the vehicle near the junction, or on the hardstanding of a warehouse about 200 m further towards Piornal, and walk the 600 m. 1 km from the village on the road to Cabrero there is another fall, the Marta waterfall, with a picnic area. When the Bonal has water The tourist office advises going in the rainy season, when the water covers the rock face like a white mantle. With the cherry blossom, in late March or April, you get both together. Children, dogs and lunch at the spa It is a manageable route for children who can already manage two hours of walking. Dogs must be on a lead: a good part of the path crosses farmland. For lunch, the Piconegro restaurant, at the spa, is beside the N-110 at the level of the village and opens on Sunday lunchtimes. The route is the afternoon of the plan Sunday in the Jerte, which begins in the morning at Los Pilones. - **Canyoning in the Garganta de los Hoyos** (3 h · From age 10, able to swim · Desde 40 € per person): The Garganta de los Hoyos is a small stream that runs down into the Papúos one above the village of Jerte, among alders. Its channel is gentler than that of other canyons in the valley, and that is why it is the one used for beginners: the difficulty lies more in how slippery the rock is than in the moves. You go down it with a guide, in a wetsuit and helmet, and move from one pool into the next for about three hours. Five abseils between two bridges The descent runs from one bridge to the other. It starts with rock slides that you let yourself drop down into the water, continues with some simple down-climbing and small jumps, and has five abseils already equipped. The valley's tourist office gives their heights: 13, 16, 10, 11 and 6 metres. The guide teaches you how to use the descender before the first one and goes down with you; no previous experience is required. The length changes with the group. The company reckons about two hours if there are two of you and up to three with a group of eight, which is the maximum number of clients per qualified guide. Also count the time to change before and after. From the lower bridge to the upper one You park next to the lower bridge and walk up to the upper one, where the canyon begins: about 15 minutes' approach. If you want to lengthen the morning you can walk up from the village of Jerte itself. At the end, the channel brings you back to where you left the car, so there is no long walk back. What the company provides and what you bring In Jerte it is run by Garganta de los Infiernos, the same company that runs the 4x4 up to Los Pilones, at €40 per person. The price includes wetsuit, helmet, harness, descender and the rest of the technical equipment. Anyone over 10 can go, with under-18s accompanied by an adult, and everyone must be able to swim. You provide what goes under the wetsuit: swimwear or leggings and a lycra T-shirt. Footwear must be trainers or hiking shoes that can get wet; sandals and water shoes are not allowed. Also bring a full change of clothes and other footwear for afterwards, and sun cream. The tourist office mentions a second company that guides this canyon, Gecko Turismo Activo (661 093 233): ask there about price and conditions. If you want more: Los Papúos The same company goes down Los Papúos, the canyon that Los Hoyos flows into, of medium-high level and with a 30 m abseil. It takes about six hours and costs from €60. It is the logical next step if you enjoyed the first canyon and are already comfortable with a rope. A swim without a harness at Los Pilones The water comes down from the sierra cold in any season. The company offers it all year, but the first canyon is enjoyed more when it is warm out of the wetsuit, from late spring to early autumn. If afterwards you want a swim without a harness, Los Pilones are a few kilometres away, and for lunch in Jerte there is Las Tenerías, next to the village's natural pool. - **Garganta de los Infiernos Circular Walk** (6 h · 16 km · Experienced in the mountains · Independent · free): The short trail in the Garganta de los Infiernos ends at Los Pilones and goes back the way it came. This route carries on: from the pools it follows the gorge upstream, crosses two stone bridges, climbs to one of its best viewpoints and returns through a chestnut forest. It is 16 km and about six hours, with 718 m of climbing and the same of descent, and it shows you the reserve beyond its most photographed corner. The same first 3 km You set off from the Nature Interpretation Centre, at the main entrance to the reserve, between Jerte and Cabezuela del Valle, next to the roundabout car park on the N-110, which is paid from mid-March to late October. The first 3 km are the trail to Los Pilones: they climb among oaks to the Chorrero de la Virgen viewpoint and reach the potholes. The waymarks are white and yellow along the whole route. You can also start from the village of Jerte. Along the shady side of the Risco Encinoso From Los Pilones the route runs along the valley on the shady side of the Risco Encinoso, named for the many holm oaks growing there, towards the meeting of the Tres Cerros stream with the Collado de las Yeguas gorge, above the Puente del Sacristán. Taking the climb to the right, it follows the valley upstream with open views as far as the Puente del Carrascal. Zarzalones and the Charles V bridge On the other side of the gorge the path climbs westward, to the Zarzalones sheepfolds, and turns at a viewpoint that the tourist office counts among the best in the reserve. Then it descends through oaks to the Puente Nuevo, also called the Charles V bridge, over the Tres Cerros stream, at 880 m altitude. The Charles V route, the path the emperor took towards Yuste, crosses this same bridge. Cuerda de los Lobos and the descent through Monte Reboldo One last climb remains, to the Cuerda de los Lobos. From there you descend through the chestnut trees of Monte Reboldo towards the village of Jerte and the river, and before reaching them the path turns down the valley and brings you back to the start. Six hours, not officially approved The tourist office rates it medium-easy, but it is six hours of walking with almost 720 m of cumulative climb: you need to be used to walking all day. It is not officially approved (homologated), though it is waymarked; on the valley's tourism website you will find the map, the GPX and the leaflet. There is nowhere on the way to buy food or drink. The reserve rises from about 600 m to above 2,000, and in winter there is often snow on the summits: check the forecast before setting out. Dogs may enter, always on a lead. For questions about the state of the paths, the interpretation centre can be reached on 927 014 936 and 927 472 053. Save the swim for the end If the day is hot, leave the swim at Los Pilones for the return: you are 3 km from the car. For sleeping beside the start, Camping Valle del Jerte is right at the entrance to the reserve. - **Driving Route through the Sierra Villages** (3 h · 50 km · Everyone · Free): The floor of the Jerte Valley can be seen from the N-110, but the cherry terraces make sense from above. This loop of about 50 km, which the tourist office suggests for the blossom, climbs the slope of the Sierra de Tormantos and goes from village to village: Valdastillas, Piornal, Barrado, Cabrero, Casas del Castañar, El Torno and Rebollar, and returns to the river along the N-110. The roads are narrow and winding between orchards; with stops, count on three hours, or the whole day if you have lunch in one of the villages. Valdastillas and the climb to Piornal You begin in Valdastillas, at 639 m, above the spa on the N-110. Its old centre has timber-framed houses with reddish adobe and continuous balconies linking six or more houses. About 3 km on, already on the way to Piornal, is the turn-off to the Caozo waterfall, a drop of more than 30 m reached by a short walk from the car. Piornal, at 1,175 m, is the highest village in Extremadura and takes its name from the broom (piorno) of its sierra. It lies between the Jerte and La Vera, with views over both valleys. Its architecture is mountain style, austere, with granite ashlar; on some streets water runs along the gutter, and of the old church of San Juan Bautista the Gothic tower remains. The Jarramplas festival is held here on 19 and 20 January, and there is a museum devoted to it and a viewpoint, A Ras del Cielo. Barrado and Cabrero, the shepherds' villages Barrado, at 796 m, began as a shepherds' settlement between the Jerte and La Vera and is the only one of the valley's sierra villages with the title of villa, from the 17th century. Its church of San Sebastián, high up, can be seen from afar by the pyramidal capital of its tower, and the hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Viso stands on a lookout that faces La Vera. Cabrero, at 739 m, was also a shepherds' hamlet and depended on Piornal for centuries. Its old centre is a labyrinth of sloping alleys; for the view, look for the Mirador de la Cabra. Casas del Castañar and El Torno, the long views Casas del Castañar, at 675 m, looks modern from the road, but if you go down any of its streets you enter a cluster of very tall timber-framed houses, with sun galleries at the top for drying peppers, figs or peaches. It has remarkable chestnut trees, such as the one at Condelobo or Escondelobo, the Ethnographic Museum of Dr Sayans and the Mirador de la Era de San Bernabé. El Torno, at 769 m, calls itself the Mirador del Valle (Valley Viewpoint). 2 km from the village, the Mirador de la Memoria has a set of sculptures by Francisco Cerdenilla Carrasco and views of the whole valley. In its old quarter, the streets Portugal and Barrio del Castillo hold houses with sun galleries. Rebollar and the return to the river Rebollar, at 622 m, is the last: very narrow, sloping alleys, eaves that almost touch and the two Casas del Canchal, built on masses of granite as if they were hanging. From there you drop down to the N-110 to close the loop. Blossom in March, ochres in November With the cherry blossom, between late March and mid-April depending on the year, is when it makes most sense: the blossom starts low and climbs, so on the slope there may still be flowers when the valley floor is over. The office advises going midweek. In the Otoñada (autumn colour season), from early November to mid-December, the cherry and chestnut trees turn ochre, red and yellow, and at weekends there are activities in the villages. If you don't want so many bends, the other route the office suggests follows the river along the N-110: about 30 km from Navaconcejo to Cabezuela, Jerte, Tornavacas and the Tornavacas pass. Both routes are part of the spring getaway from Madrid. - **Cherry Picking on a Jerte Farm** (4 h · Families · Desde 50 € per person): This activity puts you into the harvest that keeps the valley alive: a morning on a cherry farm with a guide who explains how the trees are grown on terraces, how and when the fruit is picked, and then lets you pick your own straight from the tree. It only exists while the season lasts, from late spring to high summer. A farm inside the reserve The Garganta de los Infiernos version, the company based in Jerte, has one particular feature: the farm lies inside the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, where few cherry plantations remain. After the picking, the morning continues at Los Pilones, the granite pools of the gorge, with a swim if the weather allows. In all it takes about four hours and the level is beginner: you don't need to know anything about farming or be fit. Two kilos each and a country-style aperitif It costs €50 per person. It includes about 2 kg of cherries that you pick and take home, an explanation of the cultivation and harvest, a country-style aperitif with a tasting of the valley's liqueurs, the visit to Los Pilones, the official guide and third-party liability insurance. The website does not publish a child price or minimum age: ask when booking if you are coming as a family. Bring comfortable clothes and footwear, hiking or sports shoes, suited to the weather that day, and a small bottle of water per person. If you plan to swim at Los Pilones, add swimwear and a towel. Cherries first, picotas after The valley's harvest begins in May with the cherries and continues in June and July with the picotas, the emblem of the Cereza del Jerte PDO: they come away from the tree on their own and come without a stalk, smaller and dark red. Certification of the picotas usually starts in mid-June. The company places the activity in late spring and summer, and the exact dates depend on each year and on when the farm's fruit ripens: confirm them when booking. ValleAventura, the other option ValleAventura, from Cabezuela del Valle, organises visits to cherry farms with an explanation of production and picking: you learn to tell varieties apart and take home the cherries you pick. It does not publish a price, duration or dates; book by phone on 636 631 182, or at info@valleaventura.com. They go ahead even if it rains With Garganta de los Infiernos your place is not confirmed until you pay the full amount. If you cancel, they keep 15% with more than 30 days' notice, 40% with less than 30, 60% at 15 days or less and 100% at 7 days or less. Departures are not cancelled for rain. Dogs can come if you put it in the booking notes. If you want to know more about the fruit, the Cherry Museum in Cabezuela explains the valley's varieties and the garabato, each picker's basket. And if you want to sleep among cherry trees, El Cerezal de los Sotos, in Jerte, lets its guests, if they ask, pick cherries on its own farm. - **4x4 Tour through the Garganta de los Infiernos** (2 h · Everyone · Desde 20 € per person): Private cars are not allowed into the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve: only a few companies have permission to take their customers along the tracks. Going up with them in a four-wheel drive is a way to reach Los Pilones without doing the trail, or to travel through the gorge with someone who tells you what you are seeing. It suits anyone who cannot or does not want to walk an hour uphill, and anyone who wants to understand the place as well as swim in it. Two hours in a Land Rover and 300 metres on foot The short route from Garganta de los Infiernos, the company based in Jerte, lasts about two hours. You travel in a Land Rover along the middle stretch of the gorge, using low range for the stone crossings, and at the end you get out and walk about 300 metres to Los Pilones. There the water has carved eight large potholes into the bedrock along about 150 metres of riverbed. In summer there is time to get in them. It costs €20 for those over 10 and €15 for under-10s. It includes an official nature guide, third-party liability and accident insurance and, except in summer, binoculars and a telescope to share. The website says the 4x4 routes through the gorge leave from their base at calle del Cristo, 31, in Jerte; confirm this when you book. More hours in the reserve If two hours feels too short, the same company has half-day outings: Waterfalls and Pilones (Cascadas y Pilones) and Paradise Swimming Spots (Baños paradisíacos), of about four hours, from €45, and Water Paths (Caminos del Agua), of five to six hours, from €55. The website does not detail their routes: ask where they go before choosing. ValleAventura, from Cabezuela ValleAventura, from Cabezuela del Valle, also runs a four-wheel-drive route through the reserve: it stops at Los Pilones, follows tracks among oaks and chestnut trees with views over the valley, stops at several viewpoints, and its guides explain the geology and wildlife, from birds of prey to the otter. It does not publish a price or duration: ask on 636 631 182 or at info@valleaventura.com. Full payment and a tiered cancellation policy With Garganta de los Infiernos your place is not confirmed until you pay 100%. If you cancel, they keep 15% with more than 30 days' notice, 40% with less than 30, 60% at 15 days or less and everything at 7 days or less. Departures are not cancelled for rain. Dogs can come if you say so when booking; families with a dog ride in the back seats. Bring comfortable clothes and footwear, hiking or sports shoes, and a small bottle of water per person; in summer, also swimwear, a towel, a cap and sun cream, preferably eco-friendly. Coming back on foot another day If you want to return to Los Pilones on your own another day, the trail to Los Pilones leaves from the Interpretation Centre, next to the reserve car park. The same company runs the cherry picking in season, which also ends at the pools. - **Cabezuela del Valle, the Jewish Quarter and the Cherry Museum** (1 h 30 · Everyone · The walk is free; the Cherry Museum, €1): Cabezuela del Valle is halfway up the valley, at 515 m, and is its largest village. From the N-110 you see a row of new houses, but the old town, a historic-artistic ensemble since 1998, lies behind: narrow streets that go up and down, shaded alleys and half-timbered houses with wooden balconies. It is explored in an hour and a half unhurriedly, and longer if you go into the Cherry Museum. La Aldea, the hill where the village began The village was born on top of a small hill, the district still called La Aldea, and gradually came down the slope until it stopped at the bank of the Jerte. That is why its plan is triangular and not elongated like those of the other villages in the valley. The Jewish community lived in those streets: the documents cited by the tourist office say that in the late 15th century the Catholic Monarchs allowed it to enlarge the Jewish quarter, and that within a year it had to leave the newly bought houses because of the expulsion decree of 1492. Look for names such as the calleja de la Cárcel or the Portal Viejo; they are the ones that best keep the medieval layout. San Miguel, on the former synagogue The church of San Miguel Arcángel was built on the site of the synagogue, which the Crown handed over to the council in 1494. It has a single nave with four bays and five buttresses outside, and its bell tower is older than the rest of the church. Inside, the Baroque high altarpiece, all gilded, was carved by the Castilian Juan de Arenas between 1681 and 1683. The main street runs parallel to the river in three stretches: Calle del Puente, the Plaza and Calle del Hondón. On it are the ashlar façades with coats of arms, the former town hall with the bust of the philanthropist José María Muñoz in a niche and a bell gable with a clock, and, at the end, the wayside cross. The chapels are Baroque, from the 18th century; the best loved in the village is that of the Virgen de Peñas Albas, the patron saint. Three floors of cherry on Calle Hondón The Cherry Museum is at number 58 Calle Hondón, in a traditional valley house. Over three floors it shows how cherries are grown on terraces, the valley's varieties with the picota at the head, the health of the tree and the garabato, the basket each picker makes to his own measure. On the third floor is the School Museum, a classroom from more than fifty years ago with its desks and materials. It opens Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 and is closed on Sunday and Monday; admission costs €1. It is closed from 8 to 12 October. Telephone: 636 731 862; email: museocereza@gmail.com. Friday arcades and the Night of the Judas On Fridays there is a street market under the arcades on one side of the square. On 25 March is the feast of the Virgen de Peñas Albas, and at midnight on Holy Saturday the Judas is burned, a straw figure with gunpowder and firecrackers that is paraded through the village and burns on the bank of the Jerte. In summer, by the river there are several natural pools: La Pesquerona, La Picaza, El Vao and El Simón. The car, below next to Peñas Albas The old town is not made for cars: leave yours below and walk up. The valley tourist office is at the entrance, in the Peñas Albas area, and about 300 m from the village there is an area for four motorhomes, between the office and the Water Interpretation Centre. For a meal in the centre, Judería Valle del Jerte is right next to San Miguel. The walk is one of the stops of the spring getaway from Madrid. - **Charles V Trail from Tornavacas to Jarandilla** (9 h · 27.7 km · Experienced walkers · Independent · free): In 1556 Charles V had just landed at Laredo on his way to his retreat at Yuste. To avoid going around the sierra for days, the local people advised him to cross it on foot: he climbed from the Jerte Valley to the Collado de las Yeguas, at 1,475 m, and descended to Jarandilla de la Vera, where he slept in the castle of the Counts of Oropesa, now a Parador. That path is now the PR-CC 1, the most substantial and best-known crossing between the Jerte and La Vera: 27.7 km one way, about nine hours and 1,145 m of climbing, of medium-hard difficulty and waymarked in white and yellow. Tornavacas, Monte Reboldo and the Collado de las Losas You set off from Tornavacas, at about 860 m, the last village in the valley before the pass. The route goes down beside the Jerte river through La Vega, along its left bank, and leaves it by climbing through the Reboldo chestnut wood. It crosses the Cuerda de los Lobos by the Collado de las Losas, at about 963 m, and descends to cross the Tres Cerros stream by the Puente Nuevo, or Charles V bridge. A good part of the route runs through the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, and this bridge is also a waypoint on the gorge circular walk. The long climb to the Collado de las Yeguas From the bridge, at 880 m, the real climb begins: almost 600 m of continuous ascent to the Collado de las Yeguas, at 1,475 m, first through oak and holm oak woods and then among heather and broom. At the top the view opens towards La Vera, the Tiétar valley and the Campo Arañuelo, on the other side of the Sierra de Tormantos. The descent to Jarandilla The longest descent of the day remains, to be taken patiently: you first cross the Yedrón gorge and then the Jaranda gorge, down to the little over 600 m of Jarandilla de la Vera. In all, 1,145 m of climbing and the same of descent. One car at each end The route does not return to the starting point. You need two cars, one at each end, or someone to pick you up in Jarandilla; by road, getting back to Tornavacas means going around the sierra. Set out very early: nine hours of walking plus stops fill any day, and in autumn or winter the light runs out sooner. Carry all the water and food for the day. In the reserve section dogs must be on a lead. The valley's tourist office has the GPX track and two pages of its guide devoted to the route, and in Tornavacas there is the Las Cárceles Interpretation and Visitor Reception Centre. If nine hours is too many For experienced walkers in good shape, used to long mountain days. If you want to sample the atmosphere without the nine hours, the Garganta de los Infiernos circular walk takes you to the same bridge in six, and the trail to Los Pilones can be done in a morning. The night before, a dinner and a bed in Jerte, at the Hotel Valle del Jerte, leave you a few minutes' drive from Tornavacas. ## Dónde comer - **Piconegro Restaurant** (Restaurant, Valdastillas, €€€). Qué pedir: anything with picota or valley cherries in season, and an Extremadura wine from its list - **Judería Valle del Jerte Restaurant** (Restaurant, Cabezuela del Valle, €€). Qué pedir: the patatas revolconas with La Vera paprika and the acorn-fed Iberian abanico with sweet-and-sour cherry sauce - **Flor del Cerezo Restaurant** (Restaurant, Jerte, €€€). Qué pedir: the five-course game menu while the season lasts; the rest of the year, the Extremaduran gastronomic menu - **Las Tenerías Restaurant** (Restaurant, Jerte, €€). Qué pedir: the boned, confit suckling pig or the lamb stuffed with spring garlic, mushrooms and shallots, the two dishes the Repsol Guide highlights ## By car: The N-110 Runs the Length of the Valley By car you have everything within half an hour: the N-110 runs up the valley floor from Plasencia to the Tornavacas pass and the roads to the sierra villages branch off it. The only thing that needs care is parking at the Garganta de los Infiernos. Presupuesto orientativo: 60–110 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Balneario Valle del Jerte** (Spa hotel): A spa in the lower part of the valley The Hotel Balneario Valle del Jerte is beside the N-110, at the level of Valdastillas, among cherry trees and about 15 minutes from Cabezuela del Valle. It has four stars and 77 rooms, and its centre is the Patio de Aguas (Water Courtyard), an area of natural and mineral-medicinal waters. It is the valley's accommodation for anyone who wants a walk in the morning and hot water in the afternoon. The Patio de Aguas It is done in 90-minute circuits. The Basic Path (Senda Básica) brings together the active pool, with swan-neck jet, waterfall, air beds and jets, the jacuzzi, aromatic showers and dry and steam saunas. The Aromas Path adds a peeling and an infusion or juice; the Thermal Path, a circular shower with mineral-medicinal water and a peeling of Dead Sea salt and eucalyptus. Guests get a 10% discount on individual treatments. The rooms They are standard doubles, with or without a terrace; superior doubles with views over the valley and the garden, also with a private terrace; four junior suites with a separate sitting room and terrace, and attic-style deluxe rooms with a terrace over the garden, the river and the valley. All have heating and air conditioning. The online booking admits one child aged 0 to 11 per room. Eating Three dining rooms: Piconegro, serving Extremaduran cooking, closed on Mondays and Sunday evenings; El Asador, from March to September, with rice dishes at lunchtime and chargrilled food in the evening; and a buffet. Guests get a 10% discount at Piconegro and El Asador. - **Hotel Valle del Jerte (Hospedería de Extremadura)** (Hotel, desde 75 € / night): The Hotel Valle del Jerte is one of the four-star hotels of Hospederías de Extremadura, the regional government's network. It is in the village of Jerte, on calle Ramón Cepeda, the street of ashlar buildings with 18th-century coats of arms and dates on the lintels, beside the river. It has 28 rooms, the Flor del Cerezo restaurant and a café with a terrace over the water, and the entrance to the Garganta de los Infiernos is a few minutes' drive away. From tannery to oil mill to hospedería The building was put up for tanning hides and in the 20th century became an oil mill, taking advantage of the nearby river. The renovation kept a good part of the original structure and added new facilities. One of the two junior suites is in the old building, facing the entrance. Twenty-eight rooms, four of them over the river All have air conditioning and heating, a safe, a pillow menu, hairdryer, television, wifi and room service. The standard doubles have modern, functional decor, with a full bathroom with shower; one of them is adapted. The four superior doubles face the river: three with a double bed and one with two beds. And the two junior suites, more spacious, have a double bed; one overlooks the entrance and the other the garden. The network publishes rates from €74.95 a night. Its Gastronomic Break (Escapada Gastronómica), valid until 30 December 2026, costs from €199 for two people and includes a standard double room, breakfast, a plate of Iberian cold cuts with a bottle of the house wine and dinner with the gastronomic menu at Flor del Cerezo, with drinks. In high season the package rises to €219. Guests over 60 get a 15% discount on the official rate. The infinity pool, closed until 2027 The garden, with the panoramic pool over the valley, is the hotel's most special area, but the network says it is closed until the start of the 2027 season. If you are travelling in spring and the pool is your reason, confirm beforehand that it has opened. In the meantime there are the Río Jerte social lounge, with sofas, two computers and a large screen, and the garden terrace beside the river. Flor del Cerezo and La Picota Flor del Cerezo serves breakfasts, lunches and dinners, with a set menu of the day, Extremaduran gastronomic, vegan and children's menus and, this autumn, a game menu from €55. The La Picota café, on the ground floor next to reception, has two levels and an open-air terrace beside the river. Families and cancellation On the gastronomic break children aged 3 to 12 pay €33 and those aged 13 or over, €65, in the same room; under-3s do not pay. The network's standard policy allows free cancellation up to 3 days before arrival; after that 25% of the total is charged as a deposit, which is not refunded if you cancel or don't show up. The website does not say whether dogs are admitted: ask on 927 470 101 or at the central reservations line, 900 101 462. On foot around Jerte From the hotel you walk through the village to the natural pool and El Nogalón park, where the path to Los Pilones from Jerte starts, 4 km each way waymarked in white and green. The reserve's Interpretation Centre, with the main trail to Los Pilones, is 1.5 km from the village. Jerte has a stop on the Plasencia bus, and the spring getaway from Madrid suggests sleeping two nights in the village. - **El Cerezal de los Sotos Rural Hotel** (Small hotel, desde 115 € / night): El Cerezal de los Sotos is a rural hotel with seven rooms, for adults only, on a cherry orchard estate inside the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, 600 metres from the village of Jerte. The house is made of stone and wood and was renovated in 1999. It is run by Toñi and Gabri, who take the bookings themselves, and in the kitchen is Toñina, with vegetables from their own garden. Six hundred metres above Jerte The distance to the village takes under ten minutes on foot, so you can have dinner in Jerte and come back without the car. El Nogalón natural pool is about 500 metres away. And from the door paths lead into the reserve: walking or mountain biking routes towards Los Pilones, the pools, the Charles V Bridge and quieter trails. The estate has cherry trees, fruit trees, meadows and streams. Three attic-style rooms, three rates All the rooms are upstairs, with sloping wooden ceilings, picture windows onto the reserve, television, minibar, wifi, heating, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, and a bathroom with a shower tray and a separate toilet. The standard has 20 m² and a 1.50 m bed, with two armchairs; it costs €115 a night with breakfast, or €100 for single use. The superior with sitting room, of 27 m² and a 1.80 m bed, has a living area with a work table, for €130. The deluxe measures 50 m² and adds a 20 m² terrace with awning, sun loungers, table and chairs, for €150. These are the 2027 rates, with VAT and breakfast included. The minimum stay is two nights; check-in is from 15:00 and check-out before 12:00. Toñina's cooking and their own vegetable garden The restaurant is for guests only and by reservation. It serves breakfasts and dinners à la carte, in the indoor dining room or on the porch, with home-style local dishes made with their own organic and nearby produce, and a selection of local wines. At lunchtime there are rice dishes and, if you ask, a picnic to take on your walk. There is also a café service. What there is on the estate On the ground floor, a reception with an information corner and maps of the area, a lounge with a log fire and reading area, and the dining room. Outside, the porch, a garden of aromatic and native plants with reading corners and sensory paths, a badminton court among the cherry trees and the pool, enclosed from the outside, with lawn, sun loungers, parasols and views of the valley, open until midnight. Each room has a covered parking space within the grounds, and bikes are kept under lock and key. In spring, the estate's cherry trees blossom; in the cherry season, if you ask, you can pick the fruit and eat it from the tree. They also set up a portable bird-watching hide on request and, for those who want to, let you lend a hand in the vegetable garden. Phone, Bizum and full payment By phone only (607 752 197), email (reservas@elcerezaldelossotos.net) or WhatsApp; there is no online booking. You pay 100% when booking, by card or Bizum. If you cancel or change with more than 30 days' notice, you get everything back; with more than 15, half; with less, or if you don't show up or leave early, nothing. Children are not admitted. The website says nothing about pets: ask beforehand. If you are travelling as a family, the Hotel Valle del Jerte, in the same village, does admit children. - **Camping Valle del Jerte** (Campsite, desde 15 € / pitch): Camping Valle del Jerte is beside the N-110, between Cabezuela del Valle and the village of Jerte, at the foot of the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve. It is the accommodation closest to the reserve entrance: the trail to Los Pilones leaves from the Interpretation Centre, a short walk away, and you don't need to move the car to start walking. It is closed right now; the 2027 season starts on 19 March, and bookings open in January. At the door of the Garganta de los Infiernos Its location is what sets it apart. The track linking the N-110 with the campsite and with Jerte is open to traffic, but the tourist office prohibits parking between Jerte's football ground and the campsite, and in season the roundabout car park is paid. If you sleep here, you leave the car on your pitch and save yourself both. For the trail to Los Pilones and the gorge circular walk you set out on foot. Jerte and Cabezuela are a few kilometres away, and the Puerto de Honduras, the pass towards the Ambroz Valley and Hervás, is nearby. 150 pitches of 60 m² and what they cost The pitches are 60 m², with plenty of shade and electricity, and suit a tent, caravan or motorhome. Prices include VAT. In low season: a pitch with a tent or caravan and one vehicle, €15; each adult, €6.30; each child aged 2 to 10, €5.80; electricity, €6; a dog, €4; an extra tent or car, €6.30; a motorbike, €5.50; and a motorhome or camper car, €13. In high season, which is Easter, July and August, they rise to €17, €7.20 per adult, €6.70 per child, €7.20 per extra tent or car, €6 per motorbike and €15 for the motorhome; electricity and the dog stay at €6 and €4. So two adults with a tent, a car and electricity pay €33.60 a night in low season. Check-in is from 12:00 and check-out before 12:00. Bungalows for two to eight people Inside the site there are equipped bungalows for 2/3, 2/3/4, 3/4/5, 4/5 and up to 6/7/8 people. Those for 2 or 3 people are adapted for people with reduced mobility. Children from 2 years old count as a place. The website does not publish bungalow prices: ask when booking, and there are special rates for groups and for the full season. Pool, shop and restaurant on site Swimming pool, children's playground, sports court, supermarket, barbecue, car washing, toilets and washrooms, reception, a café-bar with terrace and a restaurant with set menu and à la carte that is open to non-guests too. Four euros per dog Dogs are admitted on pitches and in bungalows, on a lead and supervised; on a pitch they pay €4 a night. In the nature reserve they must always be on a lead, as on the campsite. A fixed five euros on cancellation If you cancel, the campsite keeps a fixed €5 and also part of the deposit depending on how far ahead you cancel: 5% with more than 30 days, 40% between 30 and 16 days, 60% between 15 and 8, and 100% with 7 days or less. - **Las Palomas Rural Complex** (Apartment): Las Palomas is a complex of tourist apartments and rural apartment-houses at the Las Gallardas spot in Jerte, among cherry orchards. It is one kilometre from the village and a kilometre and a half from the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, with views of the hills and the valley. It is a base for those who prefer to cook at home and move around at their own pace, not a hotel with service. Las Gallardas, one kilometre from Jerte That kilometre leaves you close to everything in the village, with shops, bars and El Nogalón natural pool, and a few minutes' drive from the main entrance to the reserve, where the trail to Los Pilones starts. Paths among the cherry trees also begin at the door: in spring, with the cherry blossom, you have the trees in flower all around the house. Ten apartments with fireplaces The website speaks of ten accommodations: eight for two people and two for two to four. The rural apartment-houses, for 2 to 4 people, combine double and single beds depending on the layout, and have a private terrace. The tourist apartments are for two, with a double bed and balcony. All have a fireplace, wifi, a kitchen with utensils and a washing machine, and views of the hills. The website does not publish prices: ask for availability on its booking page, by phone on 927 470 204 or by WhatsApp on 689 282 116. Pool, stone barbecue and viewpoint What is shared: a large garden, an outdoor pool with sun loungers and parasols, a stone barbecue to cook alongside other guests and a viewpoint over the valley. Parking is free for guests. As these are apartments with kitchens, you organise your own meals; if you prefer someone to cook for you, in Jerte there is Flor del Cerezo, the hospedería's restaurant, and beside the river Las Tenerías. No pets, and check-out at 14:00 Pets are not admitted: the website itself explains this by allergies and hygiene. Check-in is at 12:00 and check-out at 14:00. To cancel you must give seven days' notice. Payment is in cash or by bank transfer, and you can extend your stay if there is room, by calling beforehand. If you travel with a dog, Camping Valle del Jerte, at the entrance to the reserve, admits dogs on pitches and in bungalows. Your own kitchen and no reception For couples or small families who want several days in Jerte with their own kitchen, a fireplace for the Otoñada evenings and a pool in summer, and who don't need a reception or a restaurant in the same building. With a car you can reach all the villages in the valley; without one, the kilometre to the village is walkable. ### Servicios - **Garganta de los Infiernos Car Park**: Car park beside the N-110 roundabout that leads to the reserve · paid from mid-March to late October ## Car-free: By Bus to Jerte, Then on Foot You can manage without a car, with patience: the Plasencia bus line stops at Navaconcejo, Cabezuela, Jerte and Tornavacas, and CEVESA reaches the valley from Madrid via El Barco de Ávila. There are few services a day. Stay in Jerte: from the village the 4 km walk to Los Pilones starts on foot. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–120 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Hotel Valle del Jerte (Hospedería de Extremadura)** (Hotel, desde 75 € / night): The Hotel Valle del Jerte is one of the four-star hotels of Hospederías de Extremadura, the regional government's network. It is in the village of Jerte, on calle Ramón Cepeda, the street of ashlar buildings with 18th-century coats of arms and dates on the lintels, beside the river. It has 28 rooms, the Flor del Cerezo restaurant and a café with a terrace over the water, and the entrance to the Garganta de los Infiernos is a few minutes' drive away. From tannery to oil mill to hospedería The building was put up for tanning hides and in the 20th century became an oil mill, taking advantage of the nearby river. The renovation kept a good part of the original structure and added new facilities. One of the two junior suites is in the old building, facing the entrance. Twenty-eight rooms, four of them over the river All have air conditioning and heating, a safe, a pillow menu, hairdryer, television, wifi and room service. The standard doubles have modern, functional decor, with a full bathroom with shower; one of them is adapted. The four superior doubles face the river: three with a double bed and one with two beds. And the two junior suites, more spacious, have a double bed; one overlooks the entrance and the other the garden. The network publishes rates from €74.95 a night. Its Gastronomic Break (Escapada Gastronómica), valid until 30 December 2026, costs from €199 for two people and includes a standard double room, breakfast, a plate of Iberian cold cuts with a bottle of the house wine and dinner with the gastronomic menu at Flor del Cerezo, with drinks. In high season the package rises to €219. Guests over 60 get a 15% discount on the official rate. The infinity pool, closed until 2027 The garden, with the panoramic pool over the valley, is the hotel's most special area, but the network says it is closed until the start of the 2027 season. If you are travelling in spring and the pool is your reason, confirm beforehand that it has opened. In the meantime there are the Río Jerte social lounge, with sofas, two computers and a large screen, and the garden terrace beside the river. Flor del Cerezo and La Picota Flor del Cerezo serves breakfasts, lunches and dinners, with a set menu of the day, Extremaduran gastronomic, vegan and children's menus and, this autumn, a game menu from €55. The La Picota café, on the ground floor next to reception, has two levels and an open-air terrace beside the river. Families and cancellation On the gastronomic break children aged 3 to 12 pay €33 and those aged 13 or over, €65, in the same room; under-3s do not pay. The network's standard policy allows free cancellation up to 3 days before arrival; after that 25% of the total is charged as a deposit, which is not refunded if you cancel or don't show up. The website does not say whether dogs are admitted: ask on 927 470 101 or at the central reservations line, 900 101 462. On foot around Jerte From the hotel you walk through the village to the natural pool and El Nogalón park, where the path to Los Pilones from Jerte starts, 4 km each way waymarked in white and green. The reserve's Interpretation Centre, with the main trail to Los Pilones, is 1.5 km from the village. Jerte has a stop on the Plasencia bus, and the spring getaway from Madrid suggests sleeping two nights in the village. - **El Cerezal de los Sotos Rural Hotel** (Small hotel, desde 115 € / night): El Cerezal de los Sotos is a rural hotel with seven rooms, for adults only, on a cherry orchard estate inside the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, 600 metres from the village of Jerte. The house is made of stone and wood and was renovated in 1999. It is run by Toñi and Gabri, who take the bookings themselves, and in the kitchen is Toñina, with vegetables from their own garden. Six hundred metres above Jerte The distance to the village takes under ten minutes on foot, so you can have dinner in Jerte and come back without the car. El Nogalón natural pool is about 500 metres away. And from the door paths lead into the reserve: walking or mountain biking routes towards Los Pilones, the pools, the Charles V Bridge and quieter trails. The estate has cherry trees, fruit trees, meadows and streams. Three attic-style rooms, three rates All the rooms are upstairs, with sloping wooden ceilings, picture windows onto the reserve, television, minibar, wifi, heating, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, and a bathroom with a shower tray and a separate toilet. The standard has 20 m² and a 1.50 m bed, with two armchairs; it costs €115 a night with breakfast, or €100 for single use. The superior with sitting room, of 27 m² and a 1.80 m bed, has a living area with a work table, for €130. The deluxe measures 50 m² and adds a 20 m² terrace with awning, sun loungers, table and chairs, for €150. These are the 2027 rates, with VAT and breakfast included. The minimum stay is two nights; check-in is from 15:00 and check-out before 12:00. Toñina's cooking and their own vegetable garden The restaurant is for guests only and by reservation. It serves breakfasts and dinners à la carte, in the indoor dining room or on the porch, with home-style local dishes made with their own organic and nearby produce, and a selection of local wines. At lunchtime there are rice dishes and, if you ask, a picnic to take on your walk. There is also a café service. What there is on the estate On the ground floor, a reception with an information corner and maps of the area, a lounge with a log fire and reading area, and the dining room. Outside, the porch, a garden of aromatic and native plants with reading corners and sensory paths, a badminton court among the cherry trees and the pool, enclosed from the outside, with lawn, sun loungers, parasols and views of the valley, open until midnight. Each room has a covered parking space within the grounds, and bikes are kept under lock and key. In spring, the estate's cherry trees blossom; in the cherry season, if you ask, you can pick the fruit and eat it from the tree. They also set up a portable bird-watching hide on request and, for those who want to, let you lend a hand in the vegetable garden. Phone, Bizum and full payment By phone only (607 752 197), email (reservas@elcerezaldelossotos.net) or WhatsApp; there is no online booking. You pay 100% when booking, by card or Bizum. If you cancel or change with more than 30 days' notice, you get everything back; with more than 15, half; with less, or if you don't show up or leave early, nothing. Children are not admitted. The website says nothing about pets: ask beforehand. If you are travelling as a family, the Hotel Valle del Jerte, in the same village, does admit children. - **Camping Valle del Jerte** (Campsite, desde 15 € / pitch): Camping Valle del Jerte is beside the N-110, between Cabezuela del Valle and the village of Jerte, at the foot of the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve. It is the accommodation closest to the reserve entrance: the trail to Los Pilones leaves from the Interpretation Centre, a short walk away, and you don't need to move the car to start walking. It is closed right now; the 2027 season starts on 19 March, and bookings open in January. At the door of the Garganta de los Infiernos Its location is what sets it apart. The track linking the N-110 with the campsite and with Jerte is open to traffic, but the tourist office prohibits parking between Jerte's football ground and the campsite, and in season the roundabout car park is paid. If you sleep here, you leave the car on your pitch and save yourself both. For the trail to Los Pilones and the gorge circular walk you set out on foot. Jerte and Cabezuela are a few kilometres away, and the Puerto de Honduras, the pass towards the Ambroz Valley and Hervás, is nearby. 150 pitches of 60 m² and what they cost The pitches are 60 m², with plenty of shade and electricity, and suit a tent, caravan or motorhome. Prices include VAT. In low season: a pitch with a tent or caravan and one vehicle, €15; each adult, €6.30; each child aged 2 to 10, €5.80; electricity, €6; a dog, €4; an extra tent or car, €6.30; a motorbike, €5.50; and a motorhome or camper car, €13. In high season, which is Easter, July and August, they rise to €17, €7.20 per adult, €6.70 per child, €7.20 per extra tent or car, €6 per motorbike and €15 for the motorhome; electricity and the dog stay at €6 and €4. So two adults with a tent, a car and electricity pay €33.60 a night in low season. Check-in is from 12:00 and check-out before 12:00. Bungalows for two to eight people Inside the site there are equipped bungalows for 2/3, 2/3/4, 3/4/5, 4/5 and up to 6/7/8 people. Those for 2 or 3 people are adapted for people with reduced mobility. Children from 2 years old count as a place. The website does not publish bungalow prices: ask when booking, and there are special rates for groups and for the full season. Pool, shop and restaurant on site Swimming pool, children's playground, sports court, supermarket, barbecue, car washing, toilets and washrooms, reception, a café-bar with terrace and a restaurant with set menu and à la carte that is open to non-guests too. Four euros per dog Dogs are admitted on pitches and in bungalows, on a lead and supervised; on a pitch they pay €4 a night. In the nature reserve they must always be on a lead, as on the campsite. A fixed five euros on cancellation If you cancel, the campsite keeps a fixed €5 and also part of the deposit depending on how far ahead you cancel: 5% with more than 30 days, 40% between 30 and 16 days, 60% between 15 and 8, and 100% with 7 days or less. ### Servicios - **Plasencia Bus to the Jerte Valley**: Line along the N-110 with stops at Navaconcejo, Cabezuela, Jerte and Tornavacas · CEVESA from Madrid via El Barco de Ávila ## Luxury: Spa, Pool over the Valley and Seven Rooms The valley has no grand luxury hotels, but it does have three four-star places with something of their own: mineral-medicinal waters, an adults-only house with a vegetable garden and a tannery with an infinity pool. Presupuesto orientativo: From €120 por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir in style - **Hotel Balneario Valle del Jerte** (Spa hotel): A spa in the lower part of the valley The Hotel Balneario Valle del Jerte is beside the N-110, at the level of Valdastillas, among cherry trees and about 15 minutes from Cabezuela del Valle. It has four stars and 77 rooms, and its centre is the Patio de Aguas (Water Courtyard), an area of natural and mineral-medicinal waters. It is the valley's accommodation for anyone who wants a walk in the morning and hot water in the afternoon. The Patio de Aguas It is done in 90-minute circuits. The Basic Path (Senda Básica) brings together the active pool, with swan-neck jet, waterfall, air beds and jets, the jacuzzi, aromatic showers and dry and steam saunas. The Aromas Path adds a peeling and an infusion or juice; the Thermal Path, a circular shower with mineral-medicinal water and a peeling of Dead Sea salt and eucalyptus. Guests get a 10% discount on individual treatments. The rooms They are standard doubles, with or without a terrace; superior doubles with views over the valley and the garden, also with a private terrace; four junior suites with a separate sitting room and terrace, and attic-style deluxe rooms with a terrace over the garden, the river and the valley. All have heating and air conditioning. The online booking admits one child aged 0 to 11 per room. Eating Three dining rooms: Piconegro, serving Extremaduran cooking, closed on Mondays and Sunday evenings; El Asador, from March to September, with rice dishes at lunchtime and chargrilled food in the evening; and a buffet. Guests get a 10% discount at Piconegro and El Asador. - **Hotel Valle del Jerte (Hospedería de Extremadura)** (Hotel, desde 75 € / night): The Hotel Valle del Jerte is one of the four-star hotels of Hospederías de Extremadura, the regional government's network. It is in the village of Jerte, on calle Ramón Cepeda, the street of ashlar buildings with 18th-century coats of arms and dates on the lintels, beside the river. It has 28 rooms, the Flor del Cerezo restaurant and a café with a terrace over the water, and the entrance to the Garganta de los Infiernos is a few minutes' drive away. From tannery to oil mill to hospedería The building was put up for tanning hides and in the 20th century became an oil mill, taking advantage of the nearby river. The renovation kept a good part of the original structure and added new facilities. One of the two junior suites is in the old building, facing the entrance. Twenty-eight rooms, four of them over the river All have air conditioning and heating, a safe, a pillow menu, hairdryer, television, wifi and room service. The standard doubles have modern, functional decor, with a full bathroom with shower; one of them is adapted. The four superior doubles face the river: three with a double bed and one with two beds. And the two junior suites, more spacious, have a double bed; one overlooks the entrance and the other the garden. The network publishes rates from €74.95 a night. Its Gastronomic Break (Escapada Gastronómica), valid until 30 December 2026, costs from €199 for two people and includes a standard double room, breakfast, a plate of Iberian cold cuts with a bottle of the house wine and dinner with the gastronomic menu at Flor del Cerezo, with drinks. In high season the package rises to €219. Guests over 60 get a 15% discount on the official rate. The infinity pool, closed until 2027 The garden, with the panoramic pool over the valley, is the hotel's most special area, but the network says it is closed until the start of the 2027 season. If you are travelling in spring and the pool is your reason, confirm beforehand that it has opened. In the meantime there are the Río Jerte social lounge, with sofas, two computers and a large screen, and the garden terrace beside the river. Flor del Cerezo and La Picota Flor del Cerezo serves breakfasts, lunches and dinners, with a set menu of the day, Extremaduran gastronomic, vegan and children's menus and, this autumn, a game menu from €55. The La Picota café, on the ground floor next to reception, has two levels and an open-air terrace beside the river. Families and cancellation On the gastronomic break children aged 3 to 12 pay €33 and those aged 13 or over, €65, in the same room; under-3s do not pay. The network's standard policy allows free cancellation up to 3 days before arrival; after that 25% of the total is charged as a deposit, which is not refunded if you cancel or don't show up. The website does not say whether dogs are admitted: ask on 927 470 101 or at the central reservations line, 900 101 462. On foot around Jerte From the hotel you walk through the village to the natural pool and El Nogalón park, where the path to Los Pilones from Jerte starts, 4 km each way waymarked in white and green. The reserve's Interpretation Centre, with the main trail to Los Pilones, is 1.5 km from the village. Jerte has a stop on the Plasencia bus, and the spring getaway from Madrid suggests sleeping two nights in the village. - **El Cerezal de los Sotos Rural Hotel** (Small hotel, desde 115 € / night): El Cerezal de los Sotos is a rural hotel with seven rooms, for adults only, on a cherry orchard estate inside the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, 600 metres from the village of Jerte. The house is made of stone and wood and was renovated in 1999. It is run by Toñi and Gabri, who take the bookings themselves, and in the kitchen is Toñina, with vegetables from their own garden. Six hundred metres above Jerte The distance to the village takes under ten minutes on foot, so you can have dinner in Jerte and come back without the car. El Nogalón natural pool is about 500 metres away. And from the door paths lead into the reserve: walking or mountain biking routes towards Los Pilones, the pools, the Charles V Bridge and quieter trails. The estate has cherry trees, fruit trees, meadows and streams. Three attic-style rooms, three rates All the rooms are upstairs, with sloping wooden ceilings, picture windows onto the reserve, television, minibar, wifi, heating, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, and a bathroom with a shower tray and a separate toilet. The standard has 20 m² and a 1.50 m bed, with two armchairs; it costs €115 a night with breakfast, or €100 for single use. The superior with sitting room, of 27 m² and a 1.80 m bed, has a living area with a work table, for €130. The deluxe measures 50 m² and adds a 20 m² terrace with awning, sun loungers, table and chairs, for €150. These are the 2027 rates, with VAT and breakfast included. The minimum stay is two nights; check-in is from 15:00 and check-out before 12:00. Toñina's cooking and their own vegetable garden The restaurant is for guests only and by reservation. It serves breakfasts and dinners à la carte, in the indoor dining room or on the porch, with home-style local dishes made with their own organic and nearby produce, and a selection of local wines. At lunchtime there are rice dishes and, if you ask, a picnic to take on your walk. There is also a café service. What there is on the estate On the ground floor, a reception with an information corner and maps of the area, a lounge with a log fire and reading area, and the dining room. Outside, the porch, a garden of aromatic and native plants with reading corners and sensory paths, a badminton court among the cherry trees and the pool, enclosed from the outside, with lawn, sun loungers, parasols and views of the valley, open until midnight. Each room has a covered parking space within the grounds, and bikes are kept under lock and key. In spring, the estate's cherry trees blossom; in the cherry season, if you ask, you can pick the fruit and eat it from the tree. They also set up a portable bird-watching hide on request and, for those who want to, let you lend a hand in the vegetable garden. Phone, Bizum and full payment By phone only (607 752 197), email (reservas@elcerezaldelossotos.net) or WhatsApp; there is no online booking. You pay 100% when booking, by card or Bizum. If you cancel or change with more than 30 days' notice, you get everything back; with more than 15, half; with less, or if you don't show up or leave early, nothing. Children are not admitted. The website says nothing about pets: ask beforehand. If you are travelling as a family, the Hotel Valle del Jerte, in the same village, does admit children. ## On foot: From the Gorge to the Sierra de Tormantos The valley has 30 waymarked routes on its tourist office website, from two-hour walks to high-mountain crossings. The natural base is Jerte, beside the entrance to the Garganta de los Infiernos. Presupuesto orientativo: 40–90 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're on foot - **Hotel Valle del Jerte (Hospedería de Extremadura)** (Hotel, desde 75 € / night): The Hotel Valle del Jerte is one of the four-star hotels of Hospederías de Extremadura, the regional government's network. It is in the village of Jerte, on calle Ramón Cepeda, the street of ashlar buildings with 18th-century coats of arms and dates on the lintels, beside the river. It has 28 rooms, the Flor del Cerezo restaurant and a café with a terrace over the water, and the entrance to the Garganta de los Infiernos is a few minutes' drive away. From tannery to oil mill to hospedería The building was put up for tanning hides and in the 20th century became an oil mill, taking advantage of the nearby river. The renovation kept a good part of the original structure and added new facilities. One of the two junior suites is in the old building, facing the entrance. Twenty-eight rooms, four of them over the river All have air conditioning and heating, a safe, a pillow menu, hairdryer, television, wifi and room service. The standard doubles have modern, functional decor, with a full bathroom with shower; one of them is adapted. The four superior doubles face the river: three with a double bed and one with two beds. And the two junior suites, more spacious, have a double bed; one overlooks the entrance and the other the garden. The network publishes rates from €74.95 a night. Its Gastronomic Break (Escapada Gastronómica), valid until 30 December 2026, costs from €199 for two people and includes a standard double room, breakfast, a plate of Iberian cold cuts with a bottle of the house wine and dinner with the gastronomic menu at Flor del Cerezo, with drinks. In high season the package rises to €219. Guests over 60 get a 15% discount on the official rate. The infinity pool, closed until 2027 The garden, with the panoramic pool over the valley, is the hotel's most special area, but the network says it is closed until the start of the 2027 season. If you are travelling in spring and the pool is your reason, confirm beforehand that it has opened. In the meantime there are the Río Jerte social lounge, with sofas, two computers and a large screen, and the garden terrace beside the river. Flor del Cerezo and La Picota Flor del Cerezo serves breakfasts, lunches and dinners, with a set menu of the day, Extremaduran gastronomic, vegan and children's menus and, this autumn, a game menu from €55. The La Picota café, on the ground floor next to reception, has two levels and an open-air terrace beside the river. Families and cancellation On the gastronomic break children aged 3 to 12 pay €33 and those aged 13 or over, €65, in the same room; under-3s do not pay. The network's standard policy allows free cancellation up to 3 days before arrival; after that 25% of the total is charged as a deposit, which is not refunded if you cancel or don't show up. The website does not say whether dogs are admitted: ask on 927 470 101 or at the central reservations line, 900 101 462. On foot around Jerte From the hotel you walk through the village to the natural pool and El Nogalón park, where the path to Los Pilones from Jerte starts, 4 km each way waymarked in white and green. The reserve's Interpretation Centre, with the main trail to Los Pilones, is 1.5 km from the village. Jerte has a stop on the Plasencia bus, and the spring getaway from Madrid suggests sleeping two nights in the village. - **El Cerezal de los Sotos Rural Hotel** (Small hotel, desde 115 € / night): El Cerezal de los Sotos is a rural hotel with seven rooms, for adults only, on a cherry orchard estate inside the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, 600 metres from the village of Jerte. The house is made of stone and wood and was renovated in 1999. It is run by Toñi and Gabri, who take the bookings themselves, and in the kitchen is Toñina, with vegetables from their own garden. Six hundred metres above Jerte The distance to the village takes under ten minutes on foot, so you can have dinner in Jerte and come back without the car. El Nogalón natural pool is about 500 metres away. And from the door paths lead into the reserve: walking or mountain biking routes towards Los Pilones, the pools, the Charles V Bridge and quieter trails. The estate has cherry trees, fruit trees, meadows and streams. Three attic-style rooms, three rates All the rooms are upstairs, with sloping wooden ceilings, picture windows onto the reserve, television, minibar, wifi, heating, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, and a bathroom with a shower tray and a separate toilet. The standard has 20 m² and a 1.50 m bed, with two armchairs; it costs €115 a night with breakfast, or €100 for single use. The superior with sitting room, of 27 m² and a 1.80 m bed, has a living area with a work table, for €130. The deluxe measures 50 m² and adds a 20 m² terrace with awning, sun loungers, table and chairs, for €150. These are the 2027 rates, with VAT and breakfast included. The minimum stay is two nights; check-in is from 15:00 and check-out before 12:00. Toñina's cooking and their own vegetable garden The restaurant is for guests only and by reservation. It serves breakfasts and dinners à la carte, in the indoor dining room or on the porch, with home-style local dishes made with their own organic and nearby produce, and a selection of local wines. At lunchtime there are rice dishes and, if you ask, a picnic to take on your walk. There is also a café service. What there is on the estate On the ground floor, a reception with an information corner and maps of the area, a lounge with a log fire and reading area, and the dining room. Outside, the porch, a garden of aromatic and native plants with reading corners and sensory paths, a badminton court among the cherry trees and the pool, enclosed from the outside, with lawn, sun loungers, parasols and views of the valley, open until midnight. Each room has a covered parking space within the grounds, and bikes are kept under lock and key. In spring, the estate's cherry trees blossom; in the cherry season, if you ask, you can pick the fruit and eat it from the tree. They also set up a portable bird-watching hide on request and, for those who want to, let you lend a hand in the vegetable garden. Phone, Bizum and full payment By phone only (607 752 197), email (reservas@elcerezaldelossotos.net) or WhatsApp; there is no online booking. You pay 100% when booking, by card or Bizum. If you cancel or change with more than 30 days' notice, you get everything back; with more than 15, half; with less, or if you don't show up or leave early, nothing. Children are not admitted. The website says nothing about pets: ask beforehand. If you are travelling as a family, the Hotel Valle del Jerte, in the same village, does admit children. - **Camping Valle del Jerte** (Campsite, desde 15 € / pitch): Camping Valle del Jerte is beside the N-110, between Cabezuela del Valle and the village of Jerte, at the foot of the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve. It is the accommodation closest to the reserve entrance: the trail to Los Pilones leaves from the Interpretation Centre, a short walk away, and you don't need to move the car to start walking. It is closed right now; the 2027 season starts on 19 March, and bookings open in January. At the door of the Garganta de los Infiernos Its location is what sets it apart. The track linking the N-110 with the campsite and with Jerte is open to traffic, but the tourist office prohibits parking between Jerte's football ground and the campsite, and in season the roundabout car park is paid. If you sleep here, you leave the car on your pitch and save yourself both. For the trail to Los Pilones and the gorge circular walk you set out on foot. Jerte and Cabezuela are a few kilometres away, and the Puerto de Honduras, the pass towards the Ambroz Valley and Hervás, is nearby. 150 pitches of 60 m² and what they cost The pitches are 60 m², with plenty of shade and electricity, and suit a tent, caravan or motorhome. Prices include VAT. In low season: a pitch with a tent or caravan and one vehicle, €15; each adult, €6.30; each child aged 2 to 10, €5.80; electricity, €6; a dog, €4; an extra tent or car, €6.30; a motorbike, €5.50; and a motorhome or camper car, €13. In high season, which is Easter, July and August, they rise to €17, €7.20 per adult, €6.70 per child, €7.20 per extra tent or car, €6 per motorbike and €15 for the motorhome; electricity and the dog stay at €6 and €4. So two adults with a tent, a car and electricity pay €33.60 a night in low season. Check-in is from 12:00 and check-out before 12:00. Bungalows for two to eight people Inside the site there are equipped bungalows for 2/3, 2/3/4, 3/4/5, 4/5 and up to 6/7/8 people. Those for 2 or 3 people are adapted for people with reduced mobility. Children from 2 years old count as a place. The website does not publish bungalow prices: ask when booking, and there are special rates for groups and for the full season. Pool, shop and restaurant on site Swimming pool, children's playground, sports court, supermarket, barbecue, car washing, toilets and washrooms, reception, a café-bar with terrace and a restaurant with set menu and à la carte that is open to non-guests too. Four euros per dog Dogs are admitted on pitches and in bungalows, on a lead and supervised; on a pitch they pay €4 a night. In the nature reserve they must always be on a lead, as on the campsite. A fixed five euros on cancellation If you cancel, the campsite keeps a fixed €5 and also part of the deposit depending on how far ahead you cancel: 5% with more than 30 days, 40% between 30 and 16 days, 60% between 15 and 8, and 100% with 7 days or less. - **Las Palomas Rural Complex** (Apartment): Las Palomas is a complex of tourist apartments and rural apartment-houses at the Las Gallardas spot in Jerte, among cherry orchards. It is one kilometre from the village and a kilometre and a half from the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, with views of the hills and the valley. It is a base for those who prefer to cook at home and move around at their own pace, not a hotel with service. Las Gallardas, one kilometre from Jerte That kilometre leaves you close to everything in the village, with shops, bars and El Nogalón natural pool, and a few minutes' drive from the main entrance to the reserve, where the trail to Los Pilones starts. Paths among the cherry trees also begin at the door: in spring, with the cherry blossom, you have the trees in flower all around the house. Ten apartments with fireplaces The website speaks of ten accommodations: eight for two people and two for two to four. The rural apartment-houses, for 2 to 4 people, combine double and single beds depending on the layout, and have a private terrace. The tourist apartments are for two, with a double bed and balcony. All have a fireplace, wifi, a kitchen with utensils and a washing machine, and views of the hills. The website does not publish prices: ask for availability on its booking page, by phone on 927 470 204 or by WhatsApp on 689 282 116. Pool, stone barbecue and viewpoint What is shared: a large garden, an outdoor pool with sun loungers and parasols, a stone barbecue to cook alongside other guests and a viewpoint over the valley. Parking is free for guests. As these are apartments with kitchens, you organise your own meals; if you prefer someone to cook for you, in Jerte there is Flor del Cerezo, the hospedería's restaurant, and beside the river Las Tenerías. No pets, and check-out at 14:00 Pets are not admitted: the website itself explains this by allergies and hygiene. Check-in is at 12:00 and check-out at 14:00. To cancel you must give seven days' notice. Payment is in cash or by bank transfer, and you can extend your stay if there is room, by calling beforehand. If you travel with a dog, Camping Valle del Jerte, at the entrance to the reserve, admits dogs on pitches and in bungalows. Your own kitchen and no reception For couples or small families who want several days in Jerte with their own kitchen, a fireplace for the Otoñada evenings and a pool in summer, and who don't need a reception or a restaurant in the same building. With a car you can reach all the villages in the valley; without one, the kilometre to the village is walkable. ### Servicios - **Garganta de los Infiernos Car Park**: Car park beside the N-110 roundabout that leads to the reserve · paid from mid-March to late October ## As a family: Pools, Cherries and a 4x4 for Non-Walkers The valley works well with children of any age: short walks with water at the end, cherries picked from the tree in June and small villages with no traffic. ### What works best Los Pilones: 45 minutes each way and pools to swim in during summer The Caozo waterfall, a 7 km loop among cherry trees Cherry picking, from May to July, with 2 kg to take home The 4x4 to Los Pilones, 2 hours from €20, for those who don't walk ### Where to sleep Camping Valle del Jerte: pool, playground and bungalows for up to 8 Hotel Balneario Valle del Jerte, with one child aged 0 to 11 per room on the online booking ### Where to eat Las Tenerías, in Jerte, with a terrace and high chairs Campsite restaurant, with set menu of the day ### Good to know The granite slabs at Los Pilones are slippery and the pools are deep The water is cold all year El Cerezal de los Sotos is for adults only ### Qué hacer as a family - Los Pilones Trail through the Garganta de los Infiernos - Cherry Blossom - Caozo Waterfall Walk from Valdastillas - Driving Route through the Sierra Villages - Cherry Picking on a Jerte Farm - 4x4 Tour through the Garganta de los Infiernos - Cabezuela del Valle, the Jewish Quarter and the Cherry Museum ## With teenagers: Canyons, Icy Pools and Six Hours in the Hills From the age of 10 the valley gets interesting: canyons with jumps and slides, and long walks with a swim at the end. ### What works best Los Hoyos canyon: from age 10, 3 h, from €40 The 16 km circular walk of the Garganta de los Infiernos Los Pilones with a swim in summer For the more seasoned, the Charles V trail to Jarandilla ### Where to sleep Camping Valle del Jerte, with a sports court and pool Las Palomas, apartments with a pool in Jerte ### Where to eat Picnic on the trail and dinner in Jerte Campsite restaurant ### Good to know In the canyon you need to be able to swim and wear sports shoes, not sandals Los Papúos, with a 30 m abseil, is medium-hard level ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Los Pilones Trail through the Garganta de los Infiernos - Canyoning in the Garganta de los Hoyos - Garganta de los Infiernos Circular Walk - Cherry Picking on a Jerte Farm - 4x4 Tour through the Garganta de los Infiernos - Charles V Trail from Tornavacas to Jarandilla ## With a dog: A Nature Reserve That Admits Dogs on a Lead The Garganta de los Infiernos admits dogs, always on a lead, and the valley tourist office publishes a list of more than fifty accommodations that accept them, almost all rural houses. ### Walks Los Pilones, 3 km each way, on a lead The gorge circular walk, 16 km The Caozo waterfall from Valdastillas The old quarter of Cabezuela del Valle ### Beaches and swimming At Los Pilones, keep an eye on your dog on the slabs and pools: the water runs fast in spring ### Where to sleep Camping Valle del Jerte: pitches and bungalows, €4 a night on a pitch Hotel Balneario Valle del Jerte: only dogs under 5 kg ### Good to know In the reserve, always on a lead Judería admits dogs in its gastrobar area; Flor del Cerezo and Las Tenerías do not Ask the tourist office for the list of dog-friendly accommodation ### Qué hacer with a dog - Los Pilones Trail through the Garganta de los Infiernos - Caozo Waterfall Walk from Valdastillas - Garganta de los Infiernos Circular Walk - Cherry Picking on a Jerte Farm - 4x4 Tour through the Garganta de los Infiernos - Cabezuela del Valle, the Jewish Quarter and the Cherry Museum - Charles V Trail from Tornavacas to Jarandilla ### Dónde dormir with a dog - Hotel Balneario Valle del Jerte: Only dogs under 5 kg - Camping Valle del Jerte: On a lead; €4 a night on a pitch ## Consejos ### Go midweek for the blossom On the festival weekend the valley roads fill up; on a Tuesday you see it without queues. ### Reach Los Pilones before 10 In summer the car park fills early and the path becomes a procession. ### The office closes Mondays and Fridays It is open Tuesday to Thursday from 9:00 to 15:30 and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### When is the best time to go to the Jerte Valley? Between late March and mid-April to see the cherry blossom; from May to July for the cherries and swimming; in November for the Otoñada. ### How long does it take to get to Los Pilones? About 45 minutes each way from the Interpretation Centre, 3 km with 234 m of ascent. From the village of Jerte it is 4 km. ### Can you go with a dog? Yes. In the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve dogs must be on a lead. The tourist office has a list of accommodation that admits them. ### Do you have to pay to enter the Garganta de los Infiernos? No. Only the car park at the entrance is paid, from mid-March to the end of October. ### Can you go without a car? Yes, by bus from Plasencia or from Madrid with CEVESA, with few services a day. Sleep in Jerte and walk up to Los Pilones. ### Where are the cherry blossoms best seen? On the drive of about 50 km through the villages of the sierra, from Valdastillas to Rebollar, and on foot on the Caozo waterfall route.