A Renaissance organ with 54 keys, a church begun in the Middle Ages and protected wetlands: Navalmoral de la Mata offers a very diverse range of discoveries. For planning, it helps to decide on your main interest first—local history, museums and festivals, or nature and outdoor activities.
Churches, squares and civic history
Construction of the Iglesia de San Andrés began in the 15th century and was completed in the 16th. Among its distinctive features is a gilded wooden altarpiece in the Renaissance style, dating from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The organ dates from 1778 and has 54 keys and 16 stops. The building’s history, altarpiece and instrument thus represent several successive periods in art history.
The Ermita de las Angustias offers a different historical connection: it stands outside the town, in open countryside beside the old royal road. It is thought to have been originally built in the 15th or 16th century; the chapel houses the Virgen de las Angustias, patron saint of Navalmoral de la Mata. The Rollo, or Picota, is also important to the town’s history. The monument, dating from 1637, symbolizes the administration of justice and municipal autonomy of its time. Plaza Vieja, meanwhile, dates from the 17th century and, together with the adjoining streets, formed the original town centre.
Casa Comillas also brings together the history of a building and its uses. The 18th-century building was constructed to administer the El Espadañal estate. Today it houses the UNED, the municipal library and spaces for annual cultural events. A green counterpart to the historic buildings is the one-hectare Parque Municipal Casto Lozano. Inaugurated in 1940, the park is a place to relax and is located near the railway station.
Museums and festival dates
The Museo del Carnaval is located on the second and third floors of the Centro Cultural «La Gota». Costumes, photographs and special objects give visitors a glimpse of the local Carnival. The Carnavales moralos have held the designation Fiesta de InterĂ©s TurĂstico Regional since 1986. Their dates each year follow the Easter calendar—useful to bear in mind if you want to plan your trip around the festival.
Another cultural event is the San Miguel festivities, held on the weekend closest to 29 September. The recurring programme includes, among other things, an agricultural and food fair, a horse fair, parades, concerts, street performances and sporting events. The specific programme may vary from year to year, so if you are visiting for the festivities, it is worth checking the dates and current programme.
The Museo Arqueológico looks beyond the town: its collection comprises around 800 objects from the regions of Campo Arañuelo, La Jara and Los Ibores. It spans the period from the beginning of the Palaeolithic to Islamic culture, and includes, among other things, the Iron Age and the Roman and Visigothic periods. The museum thus focuses on a long period of history, while the Carnival museum explores a specific local tradition.
Wetlands and an outdoor route
For nature enthusiasts, two wetlands within the municipality offer distinct points of interest. The Ejido Nuevo lagoon complex is a ZEPA Special Protection Area for birds and consists of four ponds. It is home to a concentration of aquatic birdlife considered internationally important under the criteria of the Ramsar Convention. Charca Dehesa Boyal Navalmoral is also designated as a ZEPA wetland; its aquatic birdlife is likewise considered internationally important according to these criteria. The information makes the differences between the sites clear: Ejido Nuevo is characterized by its four ponds, while Charca Dehesa Boyal is distinguished by its designated wetland status.
If you would like to include some outdoor activity in your plans, the Ruta de las Fuentes is a 4.5-kilometre route. It leads to the various springs in Berrocal moralo and offers views of the comarca. Its stated length is a concrete planning guide; no information is available here about its difficulty or walking time.
Getting there and choosing your focus
Navalmoral de la Mata is connected by the A-5 and A-EXA1 motorways. The A-EXA1 in turn connects the town to the A-66 Ruta de la Plata. The town also lies on the Madrid–Badajoz railway line. If you plan to arrive by train, check the appropriate timetable before travelling; for a car journey, check current road conditions.
Whether you plan your stay around art and local history, festivals, or nature and outdoor activities, each theme offers a different focus without prescribing a set sightseeing itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Collado, Hervás, Torrecillas De La Tiesa, MembrĂo, Santa Ana, Jerte, Malpartida De Plasencia, Puerto De Santa Cruz.
For the broader travel overview: Cáceres.
