© ParadoresHotelParador de Zafra
Why we like it: Parador in the 15th-century alcázar of the Dukes of Feria, with nine towers, a marble patio, a seasonal pool and pets welcome.
Duration1 night in Zafra
From SevilleA little over 1 h 30 by car
KilometresAbout 140 via the A-66
Best timeOctober – May
Getting thereCar via the A-66
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Seville on Saturday at 9:00 and sleep one night in Zafra. Book Saturday's lunch at Acebuche, the spa and Sunday's guided visit in Jerez beforehand.
Saturday
- 110:45Plaza Grande and Plaza Chica
Park in the Plaza de España and walk into the old town. Look for the measuring rod on a column in the Plaza Chica.
- 211:30Santa Clara Museum
The Poor Clares' enclosed convent, free. On Saturday it opens from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 19:00.
- 313:30Lunch at Acebuche
A Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand, with Extremaduran and Argentine cooking and half portions. Open Saturday at midday; book on 924 553 320.
- 416:30Thermal circuit at El Raposo
Heated pool at 32.8 °C, saunas and heated loungers. Passes with circuit from €55; book by phone.
- 521:00Dinner and night at the Parador
Dinner in the Feria alcázar, from 20:30 to 23:00, and a night in the palace.
Sunday
- 110:45Jerez de los Caballeros
Forty minutes away. A guided visit with Tour Extremadura from the Plaza de España, through the Templar alcazaba, the wall and the churches of San Miguel and San Bartolomé, for €11. Book beforehand.
- 212:30Museum of Sacred Art
Jerez's Holy Week on display all year. On Sunday, until 14:00.
- 314:00Lunch and the drive back
At Restaurante Santa María, next to the alcazaba, open Sunday at midday. Leave for Seville at 16:30: you arrive around 18:45.
Zafra is about 140 km from Seville, a little over an hour and a half along the A-66, the Ruta de la Plata. It is the short getaway to southern Extremadura: a white town of arcaded squares and a ducal palace, a spa a quarter of an hour away and, forty minutes off, Jerez de los Caballeros, the Templar town. One night is enough; two, if you want to make more of the spa.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Where | Who for |
|---|---|---|
| Parador de Zafra | In the alcázar of the Dukes of Feria | For sleeping in a 15th-century palace, with a seasonal pool and pets accepted |
| Hotel Las Palmeras | Under the arcades of the Plaza Grande | A manor house on the square, with family rooms and pets accepted |
| Hotel Balneario El Raposo | In the countryside, a quarter of an hour away | Four stars attached to the spa, for those who come to rest |
How to get there from Seville?
Take the A-66 towards Mérida, exit Zafra. It is about 140 km and a good hour and three-quarters with the outbound traffic. On Sunday, from Jerez to Seville it is a little over two hours.
And with children?
Zafra is pedestrian and Santa Clara has ramps and a lift; Jerez has an alcazaba, a wall and a tower with a legend, and under-12s do not pay for the guided visit. The spa is for adults: with children, swap Saturday afternoon for the Candelaria collegiate church and the Zafra Única route.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Zafra, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Zafra
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
The Base for Southern Badajoz
Zafra lies beside the A-66, 60 km from Mérida, 73 from Badajoz and 141 from Seville. The old town is pedestrianised and seen on foot; the car is for the El Raposo Spa and for continuing to Jerez de los Caballeros, less than an hour to the west.
60–120 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayParador de Zafra, in the…
- Getting aroundPark on the Plaza de…
- EatingParador restaurant, also on Sunday
- ServicesTourist office on the Plaza…
Where to stay
- Parador de Zafra, in the alcázar
- Hotel Las Palmeras, on the Plaza Grande
- Hotel Balneario El Raposo, in the countryside, a quarter of an hour away
Getting around
- Park on the Plaza de España, the Plaza de los Escudos or the Ferial
- To Jerez de los Caballeros, by car to the south-west
Eating
- Parador restaurant, also on Sunday
- Acebuche and La Rebotica, on weekdays and Saturday
Services
- Tourist office on the Plaza de España
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights1
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
© ParadoresHotel
Hotel Las Palmeras
Why we like it: Restored manor house under the arcades of the Plaza Grande, with rustic rooms, some vaulted, a patio, family rooms and pets welcome.
Hotel
Hotel Huerta Honda
Why we like it: Hotel next to the alcázar of the Dukes of Feria, on Calle López Asme, with its own restaurant, five minutes' walk from the Plaza Grande.
Hotel Balneario El Raposo
Why we like it: Four-star hotel attached to a natural-mud spa, in the countryside a quarter of an hour from Zafra, with a thermal pool and half-board breaks.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Plaza Grande and Plaza Chica | Hotel on the square, terraces and restaurants | |
| Next to the alcázar | The parador and hotels five minutes from the squares | |
| El Raposo | Spa with a hotel in the countryside, a quarter of an hour away |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Zafra
© ParadoresParador de Zafra Restaurant
What to order: lamb caldereta (D.O. Corderex) or salt cod casserole with Extremaduran pisto; convent sweets for dessert
Acebuche
What to order: Argentine empanadita, lamb sorrentino or sweetbreads to share, and the grilled Iberian bondiola; chocotorta for dessert
La Rebotica
What to order: the Iberian trilogy of presa, tenderloin and secreto, or the retinto
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
If you go in July, check the dates of Jerez's Templar Festival: four days of medieval market and theatre in the castle.
We'd skip it
Doing it the other way round, with Zafra on Sunday: Acebuche and La Rebotica close that day.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Seville to Zafra?
A little over an hour and a half by car, some 140 km along the A-66.
Where to sleep in Zafra?
At the Parador, in the Feria alcázar; at Hotel Las Palmeras, on the Plaza Grande; or at the El Raposo spa.
Is Jerez de los Caballeros far from Zafra?
About forty minutes by car.
Do I need to book?
Yes: lunch at Acebuche, the spa circuit and the guided visit in Jerez.