Discover Cheles through several distinctive highlights: the beach on the Alqueva Reservoir, routes through the Dehesa landscape and buildings with a long history. There is also traditional cuisine featuring ingredients from the surrounding landscape, the Extremaduran Dehesa and the Río Guadiana. When planning your trip, you can weigh up whether water, landscape, local history or regional cuisine should take priority.

Beach and water at Alqueva

Playa de Cheles lies on the Alqueva Reservoir, about five kilometres from the town, and is surrounded by typical Extremaduran Dehesa landscape. Beach facilities include grassy and sandy areas, a bathing area, vehicle parking, a children’s playground, sunshades, picnic areas and a beach bar. Seasonal beach conditions and the beach bar’s opening may vary; check local information before your visit.

The Embarcadero de Cheles is another point of reference on the water. It has berths for boats and, following the course of the reservoir, lies about two kilometres south of the beach area. Berth availability and access arrangements may vary. If you include both the beach and the Embarcadero in your plans, their distance apart and these differing conditions are useful distinctions to bear in mind.

Circular route, Dehesa and nature watching

BTT Route 4 Dehesas de Cheles is a 14.28-kilometre circular route that starts and ends in Cheles; it is rated easy. Check trail conditions locally before setting out. The route passes through the Dehesa Boyal and the Dehesa de Mirleo. In Cheles, Route 3 also connects with Route 4.

Along the way, there are views of the confluence of the Arroyo de Valcuervo, the Ribera de Táliga and the Río Guadiana, dammed by the Alqueva Reservoir. Aromatic plants such as thyme, mint, oregano and Rosa de Alejandría, also known as Rosa Albardeira, can be observed along the route. Birds that can be spotted there include golden eagles, Bonelli’s eagles, cranes and black storks. Bird sightings are seasonal and not guaranteed.

For an alternative route, a BTT route connects Alconchel with Cheles and leads to the Embalse de Alqueva; check trail conditions and signage before setting out. The Camino Natural del Guadiana leads to Cheles, its beach and the Embarcadero, before reaching Villanueva del Fresno. You should also check current conditions before setting out on this route. The EX-315 runs near the municipality to the Gran Lago de Alqueva, the largest artificial lake in Western Europe; check road conditions before travelling.

Church, chapel and palace

The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción was built in the first third of the 16th century, when Cheles was relocated to its present site. Its entrance staircase is made of marble from the neighbouring Portuguese town of Villaviciosa. The church has three masonry naves with rib vaults; the main chapel is also topped by a Gothic rib vault.

The Ermita del Cristo de la Paz is a small, simple building in a vernacular style. Whitewashed walls and a large, distinctive dome covered with tiles on the outside are among its defining features. Construction is thought to have begun after the Portuguese Restoration War, in the last quarter of the 17th century. The Palacio de los Condes de Cheles o Vía Manuel was also built in the late 17th century, after the castle was destroyed during that war. The palace retains a stone tower and an archway, or passage, above Calle de Guadalupe. The passage once connected the residence to its private gardens.

Traditional cuisine and a historic festival

Cheles’ traditional cuisine includes 61 recipes across several categories: soups and other bread-based dishes, vegetables and pulses, meat, butchery dishes, game and fish, as well as desserts and pastries. The range of categories gives a concrete impression of how extensively the culinary tradition draws on ingredients from the landscape and river area.

At a festival held in late October 2019, people from Spain and Portugal came together to sample typical fish from Cheles. The festival combined food, sporting and musical events. If you would like to plan your trip around this occasion, check the latest dates and programme in advance.

Discover more destinations: Los Santos De Maimona, Guadiana del Caudillo, La Roca De La Sierra, La Zarza, Salvaleón, Torremejía, Orellana La Vieja, Jerez De Los Caballeros.

For the wider travel overview: Badajoz.