EXTREMADURA

Extremadura is an untouched and little known area of Spain where for centuries it's mountainous terrain and fertile valleys witnessed the passing of the Romans, the Visigoths, the Moors and the Knight Templers. It also the land of the Conquistadors and the "Guerilleros" who, with Wellington's help, forced the French out of Spain. Not only is it awash with treasures left by these cultures but it is also the largest 'green' region in Western Europe and contains one of the richest ecological systems. There is an impressive list of rare fauna and flora such as the Golden Eagle, the Black Stork, the secretive Iberian Lynx and over 40 different varieties of wild orchids.
The landscape has a mixed array of well-spaced trees, mainly holm-oak and cork-oak, which together with the wild grasses constitute the vegetation known as dehesa.

With its fantastically rich and varied landscape and the dense concentration of human monuments, Extremadura is a far cry from contemporary Europe.