A Walk with Conquistadores
Introduction
Conquistadores! The word invites divided opinion: men, heroic yet brutal, brave yet greedy, determined yet demented in their search for riches. Trujillo is forever linked with a handful of men who, five centuries ago, left their homes to conquer lands in the newly discovered Americas. Whatever judgements we may make today about their actions, one thing is clear, the looted treasures from one world built a fabulous city in another: Trujillo: City of the Conquistadores.
Trujillo has no train station but has a good bus station with links to Madrid, Cáceres and Lisbon. If arriving by bus it is a short walk to the starting point. If arriving by car, do not drive into the walled city as you will not find a parking place and at the worst you will get stuck. If coming to the city on the EX-381 from Montánchez there is free parking near the park on the right, in Avenida de Peru. There is a paying underground car park at the bottom of Calle Jacinto Ruíz de Mendoza opposite the Town Hall, the starting point for the walk.
Trujillo has excellent information boards in English at every number on the map in this book which makes this city walk extremely rewarding. It also means that the directions are just that — directions — and not long historical explanations. Most people begin to explore Trujillo from the Plaza Mayor where the tourist office is located. I think that’s a real shame and we are not going to do that. Although the office sells multi-tickets for entry to monuments my walk is structured so that you do not need a ticket for anything until after you get to the tourist office. Do not go there first. Follow the walk.
Now ... go back in time eight centuries, pick a side and attack the city properly.
Start: Town Hall, Trujillo
Finish: Town Hall, Trujillo
Time: 3 hours excluding visiting monuments and museums
Distance: 6.00km
Elevation: high: 579m, low 520m
Difficulty: low
Route: circular — map by Gisela Radant Wood
Directions
Numbers refer to the numbers on the map. All defensive arches in the old city walls originally had wooden gates. These have long gone but the arches remain. Confusingly they are known as puertas (gates). The one exception is the Arch of Triumph which is called an arch for a special reason.
Start at the Town Hall which is also known as the Alhóndiga (Public Granary). (1) Look inside for the ground floor patio, old bell from the Church of Santiago and free toilets. Go up the staircase. The bust of Diego Garcia de Parades, a local hero, is on the first landing. From there, turn right up the stairs to enter a municipal office. Ask to view the meeting room. It is probably the most beautiful in Extremadura. It is free — but only avaliable during office hours.
Leave the Town Hall and turn right. Take the first right into Calle del Pavo. Walk straight up the old cobbled road. As the road bends to the right, ahead, up a very steep hill, Cuesta de San Andrés, we can see the Gate of San Andrés. (2) Imagine fighting your way up here — at least the decisive battle for reconquest was fought in January and the armies did not have the summer heat to contend with as well as the gradient.
Just before the Gate of San Andrés, to the right, is a part of the city wall. We will come back here shortly. Walk through the gate and enter the Plaza de los Descalzos, (3) and the oldest part of Trujillo. Look left. The building painted white is the beautiful Palace of Chaves-Mendoza. (4) With the palace on the left, walk clockwise around the square. The road bears around to the right to come to two triangular parks with a path through the middle. Take this path. On the left, pass a gate for the palace, and, second left, is an imposing entrance for the Fortress of the Bejaranos. (5) Walk back from the fortress entrance and continue left. The white walls in front of us are the City of the Dead and we are in the Plaza de la Vera Cruz. Walk on and keep the fortress on the left.
Enter Calle del Arco del Triunfo. Follow around to the left, then right. Ahead is the gate the fortress defended. In 1232, during the Christian onslaught this gate was the first in the city to give way. Legend tells us that the Virgin appeared to the flagging Christian troops urging them on to ‘one last try’ and the gate gave way. The Christians entered the city triumphantly. In commemoration of this miracle the gate was renamed the Arch of Triumph (6) and an image of the Virgin was installed above the gate. She is now the Patron Saint of Trujillo and stands in a window in the castle overlooking the city. Walk through the arch to leave the city. After about 20m there is a small path to the right to walk for a short distance to look at the defensive walls (7) as an attacking army might see them. Return to the city through the arch.
Follow the road left, then right, where, on the left is a metal gate. This is the Gate of Vera Cruz. (8) If the gate is open, and it is locked at night, go through and walk along the city walls using the handrails. Return to the gate. Continue with the City of the Dead on the left. Walk straight ahead down tiny Calle de los Naranjos. Turn first right down another tiny lane to walk along Calle Alberca and to see the Roman bath, La Alberca. (9) This is picturesque with water but more interesting when the water level is low and you can see the steps going down and inscribed stones near the bottom. Walk with the baths on the right and ahead is the Church of Vera Cruz. (10) Leave this pretty but ancient area by walking around the left of the church. The Gate of San Andrés is ahead. On the left, pass the Stronghold of the Escobars. (11) Walk through the Gate of San Andrés and immediately turn left to walk along the old city wall. (12) It has not changed in centuries. Ahead are views of buildings surrounding the Plaza Mayor. To the left, above our heads, is the impressive Alcazarejo de los Altamiranos. (27)
At a Y junction take the left turning. Within 50m come to the magnificent Palace of Juan Pizarro de Orellana. (13) Continue with the palace on our left to turn left at the end of the road. Walk along Canon de la Charcel under the half arch and follow the tiny lane around to the right, through a small tunnel which throws us out, impressively, into the main square dominated by a statue of Pizarro. (14) Pause a moment and take in the whole square, one of the largest in Europe.
Running all the way around are arched porticos. These were each assigned to a different trading activity in medieval times. There are decorative plaques on the walls naming each area. Look up to the left at the walls of the castle. In the central window sits the statue of Our Lady of Victory. The walk has probably already taken an hour and it may be time to stop, take refreshment, visit the tourist office, where there is usually someone who speaks English and buy multi-tickets to enter monuments. Continue our walk from that point.
With our back to the tourist office walk anticlockwise around the square. Starting on the right, the third building along from the right is the Palace of Quintanilla or the House of the Royal Weight. It was in this building that market produce was weighed in the event of a dispute and scales were checked. (15) The Old Town Hall (16) is next in the corner. Coming around to the next side of the square, after the arch, is a bare, old courtyard with government offices. Descend the few steps to walk under the arched portico of the magnificent Palace of the Marquis of the Conquest — the Palace of the Pizarro family. (17) Continue around the square while looking around. The best views of what we are passing so closely actually come later by looking back from the other side of the square.
Pass Calle de las Tiendas on the right. Continue to the next corner of the square and the side of the Palace of Piedras Albas. (18) The tower with the scallop shells, denotes that someone who lived here had been on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Turn the corner to walk under the arches along the front of the palace to find the information board. Continue to the next corner and the Palace of the Dukes of San Carlos. (19) This is now a convent. If you ring the bell before 13.00 and pay €1.00 a nun will allow you to visit the courtyard, chapel and main staircase where you can see the Vargas-Carvajal coat-of-arms painted on the staircase ceiling. You can also buy biscuits. Opposite the palace is the austere-looking Church of San Martín. (20) Do not miss going upstairs and on to the balcony for a view of the square.
In front of the church is the huge bronze statue of Pizarro. (21) This statue was given to the city by the widow of the sculptor, Charles Rumsey, an American. An identical stature stands in Lima, the city Pizarro founded in Peru and where he is buried. Look across for views of the opposite side of the square.
It is time to leave the square. Go up the steps just after the statue of Pizarro with the Church of San Martín behind. Walk along the small road with the Palace of Chaves-Orellana, the House of the Chain, (22) on the right. Behind the palace is the Tower of the Pin with the Chavez-Orellana coat-of-arms. (39) We pass it later. The road goes up slightly. On the right, pass the Solar de Chaves-Sotomayor (23) with its beautiful facade. As the walled city became full, and there was no room left on which to build, noble families started to build outside the city walls. However, by this time the threat of Moorish re-reconquest had long passed. Continue up the hill, the Cuesta de la Sangre, to the Church of the Precious Blood of Christ. (24) The road narrows and continues up. Directly in front we can see an imposing gateway with a huge heraldic device. Behind is an impressive building with a short tower on the left and an irregularly-shaped high tower on the right. This is the Stronghold of Luis Chaves, ‘The Old’. (25) After reading the information board, follow the road as it goes around to the right. At the T junction with Calle de los Ballesteros go left towards the Gate of Santiago. (26) The return will be back through this gate and right.
The Gate of Santiago is extremely old with heraldic devices on both side. Legend has it that the Christian army were led by St. James riding a white horse, in the thick of battle. After the victory, St. James became known in Spain as Matamoros (Moor Slayer). On the left of the gate is the tower of Luis Chaves’s stronghold and on the right, the other tower that guarded the gate, now incorporated into the Church of Santiago. (38) Pass through the gate, past a doorway on the left with wonderful little carvings of faces, and come to a multiple junction. Take the turning first left — we will come back to the Church of Santiago later.
Walk straight ahead on Calle Altamirano. The forbidding-looking fortress high on the left is the other side of the Altamirano (27) which we saw from the city walls earlier. Walk ahead to come into Plazuela de los Altamirano. Follow the hill down to the right to come to the Aljibe, the Moorish cistern. (28) At a T junction just after the Aljibe, turn left then first right into Calle las Palomas, a pretty 15th century street. On the right is the House of Rol-Zárte y Züiga. (29) On the left is the old Palace of Chaves, now a small hotel. (30) Higher up on the left is the House of Orellana. (31) At the top of the street, up a few steps, is Plaza de los Moritos and, left, the Church of Santa María la Mayor. (32) If you want to visit, go inside now. The altar-piece depicting scenes from Mary’s life is beautiful and there are various tombs of past nobles. The best bit is the view from the top of the tower and if you think the last staircase is a bit insubstantial you should have seen it before it was renovated.
On leaving the church, turn right back to Plaza de los Moritos. There is a decorated doorway to the church on the right and a covered reservoir and a bronze bust of Francisco Orellana on the left. Orellana was the discoverer and first navigator of the Amazon. Extremadura’s extensive canal system, that irrigates so much of the agriculture, is named after him. Walk straight on to Calle de la Puerta de Coria. Follow the sign for the Universidad Popular de Coria, also known as the Museum. Walk straight ahead, ignoring the turning on the left, to come to the University on the left. (33) It is the partly restored Convent of San Francisco, but now houses the Xavier de Salas Foundation which fosters links with Central and South America. Enter during office hours to look at the displays (Spanish only).
Walk along Calle de la Puerta de Coria to reach the Gate of Coria, left. There is a viewing platform to the right of the gate. Continue along Calle el Terrero to the top of Plaza de los Moritos and the back of Santa María la Mayor. Turn left up Calle de Academia. On the left is the beautiful Palace of the Marquis of Lorenzana. (34) To the right is the Convent of St. Mary Magdalena of Jerome. (35) With the Palace of Lorenzana on the left walk up Calle de los Martires. The next building, also left, is the House of Pizarro. (36) Inside is a museum with information in good English. On leaving the museum, turn left to walk straight up the small road to the Castle. (37) On the left are viewing platforms out over the surrounding plain. On the right is the castle and this deserves to be explored thoroughly, inside and outside. The walk along the castle walls gives extensive views in all directions. Take care, however, as the walls do not have rails or much to stop you walking straight off them and the floors, especially the steps, are uneven. The underground cistern and the Chapel which houses Our Lady of Victory are especially noteworthy. Outside it is possible to walk along the right side of the castle to overlook the city below. Surprisingly, because Trujillo is a city, this is an excellent birdwatching site.
Once ready to leave, turn right from the castle entrance, to walk towards the walled garden ahead. The towers of Santa María la Mayor are ahead and slightly left. Turn left to walk down Calle de Mirador de las Monjas. As we walk down the hill, on the left, is an opening on to a patio. This is the Mirador de las Monjas (The View of the Nuns) restaurant. I can recommend sitting in the patio, sipping something nice while looking at the castle and the food is excellent.
Continue down the hill to Plaza de Santiago and Calle de la Victoria. On the left is the Church of Santiago. (38) Turn left to walk through the Gate of Santiago and walk straight ahead, ignoring the turning right. Walk down the hill. At a Y junction with a restaurant at the centre take the right turning to continue downwards. On the right is the Tower of the Pin, (39) seen earlier in the walk from the square. There is an interpretation centre in the tower open during office hours. Further down on the left is a hotel which was the Palace of the Houses of Bejaranos. (40) At the end of the lane we come back to the Church of San Martín and the square.
If you stop for refreshments, continue afterwards by walking along the street between the church, on the left, and the Palace of the Dukes of San Carlos, on the right. Take the first right, Calle de San José. Take the first left into Calle San Pedro. At the top, on the left is the little Franciscan Convent of San Pedro. (41) Also on the left is a small lane with a series of buttresses from the convent creating half arches. Walk up this lane and reach Plaza de San Judas. It is very quiet — an old part of an old part — but with some lovely buildings. Ignore turnings left and right, and leave the square by Calle de Santa Clara, opposite where we came in. Ahead is the Convent of Santa Clara. (42) Turn left to walk around into Calle Santa Beatriz de Silva. On the left is the convent of today, (43) because, on the right the old convent is now a Parador. Enter the courtyard to have a look. Turn left on leaving the parador, back into Calle de Santa Clara. Turn left at the T junction with the parador on the left. Walk down the little lane ahead. It bears left around the parador. Turn right into a much wider road going down. In Plazuela de Quiroga there are some lovely old houses. Look back for a view of the unusual bell towers of the convent.
Walk straight down the small road. Ignore the turning left but bear right to see restored houses on the left. We have now walked in a circle because the Convent of San Pedro is before us once more. Turn left to go down Calle de San Pedro. At the T junction, turn left. At the next T junction the main square is right but we are going left. Take the first right to Plazuelo del Altozano and a multiple junction with a main road. Cross the road and take Calle de Sofraga. At the bottom, on the left, is the Palace of the Marquisof Sofraga, notable for its corner balcony with Corinthian columns. (44) It is in the little Plaza de San Miguel and lies opposite a Dominican Convent of San Miguel. (45) Hostel Blazon, open all the time, is a good place to stop for a drink.
With the convent in front, turn right down Calle de San Miguel. Ignore all turnings until we get to a wide Y junction. Turn right. Within 20m turn left. Walk down a few steps into Plazuelo de Licenciado de Burgos. Walk straight ahead to leave the square through a tiny lane. This comes out at the side of the Church of San Francisco. (46) Turn right, then left, to stand in front of the facade of this magnificent church in Plaza de San Francisco. With our backs to the church facade, walk straight ahead down Calle de San Francisco. Keep walking. On the left is the Gabriel y Galán Theatre. Continue ahead. On the left is the Palace of Juan Pizarro de Aragon. (47) On the right, our walk ends as we are back at the Town Hall once more.
Conquistadores! The word invites divided opinion: men, heroic yet brutal, brave yet greedy, determined yet demented in their search for riches. Trujillo is forever linked with a handful of men who, five centuries ago, left their homes to conquer lands in the newly discovered Americas. Whatever judgements we may make today about their actions, one thing is clear, the looted treasures from one world built a fabulous city in another: Trujillo: City of the Conquistadores.
Trujillo has no train station but has a good bus station with links to Madrid, Cáceres and Lisbon. If arriving by bus it is a short walk to the starting point. If arriving by car, do not drive into the walled city as you will not find a parking place and at the worst you will get stuck. If coming to the city on the EX-381 from Montánchez there is free parking near the park on the right, in Avenida de Peru. There is a paying underground car park at the bottom of Calle Jacinto Ruíz de Mendoza opposite the Town Hall, the starting point for the walk.
Trujillo has excellent information boards in English at every number on the map in this book which makes this city walk extremely rewarding. It also means that the directions are just that — directions — and not long historical explanations. Most people begin to explore Trujillo from the Plaza Mayor where the tourist office is located. I think that’s a real shame and we are not going to do that. Although the office sells multi-tickets for entry to monuments my walk is structured so that you do not need a ticket for anything until after you get to the tourist office. Do not go there first. Follow the walk.
Now ... go back in time eight centuries, pick a side and attack the city properly.
Start: Town Hall, Trujillo
Finish: Town Hall, Trujillo
Time: 3 hours excluding visiting monuments and museums
Distance: 6.00km
Elevation: high: 579m, low 520m
Difficulty: low
Route: circular — map by Gisela Radant Wood
Directions
Numbers refer to the numbers on the map. All defensive arches in the old city walls originally had wooden gates. These have long gone but the arches remain. Confusingly they are known as puertas (gates). The one exception is the Arch of Triumph which is called an arch for a special reason.
Start at the Town Hall which is also known as the Alhóndiga (Public Granary). (1) Look inside for the ground floor patio, old bell from the Church of Santiago and free toilets. Go up the staircase. The bust of Diego Garcia de Parades, a local hero, is on the first landing. From there, turn right up the stairs to enter a municipal office. Ask to view the meeting room. It is probably the most beautiful in Extremadura. It is free — but only avaliable during office hours.
Leave the Town Hall and turn right. Take the first right into Calle del Pavo. Walk straight up the old cobbled road. As the road bends to the right, ahead, up a very steep hill, Cuesta de San Andrés, we can see the Gate of San Andrés. (2) Imagine fighting your way up here — at least the decisive battle for reconquest was fought in January and the armies did not have the summer heat to contend with as well as the gradient.
Just before the Gate of San Andrés, to the right, is a part of the city wall. We will come back here shortly. Walk through the gate and enter the Plaza de los Descalzos, (3) and the oldest part of Trujillo. Look left. The building painted white is the beautiful Palace of Chaves-Mendoza. (4) With the palace on the left, walk clockwise around the square. The road bears around to the right to come to two triangular parks with a path through the middle. Take this path. On the left, pass a gate for the palace, and, second left, is an imposing entrance for the Fortress of the Bejaranos. (5) Walk back from the fortress entrance and continue left. The white walls in front of us are the City of the Dead and we are in the Plaza de la Vera Cruz. Walk on and keep the fortress on the left.
Enter Calle del Arco del Triunfo. Follow around to the left, then right. Ahead is the gate the fortress defended. In 1232, during the Christian onslaught this gate was the first in the city to give way. Legend tells us that the Virgin appeared to the flagging Christian troops urging them on to ‘one last try’ and the gate gave way. The Christians entered the city triumphantly. In commemoration of this miracle the gate was renamed the Arch of Triumph (6) and an image of the Virgin was installed above the gate. She is now the Patron Saint of Trujillo and stands in a window in the castle overlooking the city. Walk through the arch to leave the city. After about 20m there is a small path to the right to walk for a short distance to look at the defensive walls (7) as an attacking army might see them. Return to the city through the arch.
Follow the road left, then right, where, on the left is a metal gate. This is the Gate of Vera Cruz. (8) If the gate is open, and it is locked at night, go through and walk along the city walls using the handrails. Return to the gate. Continue with the City of the Dead on the left. Walk straight ahead down tiny Calle de los Naranjos. Turn first right down another tiny lane to walk along Calle Alberca and to see the Roman bath, La Alberca. (9) This is picturesque with water but more interesting when the water level is low and you can see the steps going down and inscribed stones near the bottom. Walk with the baths on the right and ahead is the Church of Vera Cruz. (10) Leave this pretty but ancient area by walking around the left of the church. The Gate of San Andrés is ahead. On the left, pass the Stronghold of the Escobars. (11) Walk through the Gate of San Andrés and immediately turn left to walk along the old city wall. (12) It has not changed in centuries. Ahead are views of buildings surrounding the Plaza Mayor. To the left, above our heads, is the impressive Alcazarejo de los Altamiranos. (27)
At a Y junction take the left turning. Within 50m come to the magnificent Palace of Juan Pizarro de Orellana. (13) Continue with the palace on our left to turn left at the end of the road. Walk along Canon de la Charcel under the half arch and follow the tiny lane around to the right, through a small tunnel which throws us out, impressively, into the main square dominated by a statue of Pizarro. (14) Pause a moment and take in the whole square, one of the largest in Europe.
Running all the way around are arched porticos. These were each assigned to a different trading activity in medieval times. There are decorative plaques on the walls naming each area. Look up to the left at the walls of the castle. In the central window sits the statue of Our Lady of Victory. The walk has probably already taken an hour and it may be time to stop, take refreshment, visit the tourist office, where there is usually someone who speaks English and buy multi-tickets to enter monuments. Continue our walk from that point.
With our back to the tourist office walk anticlockwise around the square. Starting on the right, the third building along from the right is the Palace of Quintanilla or the House of the Royal Weight. It was in this building that market produce was weighed in the event of a dispute and scales were checked. (15) The Old Town Hall (16) is next in the corner. Coming around to the next side of the square, after the arch, is a bare, old courtyard with government offices. Descend the few steps to walk under the arched portico of the magnificent Palace of the Marquis of the Conquest — the Palace of the Pizarro family. (17) Continue around the square while looking around. The best views of what we are passing so closely actually come later by looking back from the other side of the square.
Pass Calle de las Tiendas on the right. Continue to the next corner of the square and the side of the Palace of Piedras Albas. (18) The tower with the scallop shells, denotes that someone who lived here had been on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Turn the corner to walk under the arches along the front of the palace to find the information board. Continue to the next corner and the Palace of the Dukes of San Carlos. (19) This is now a convent. If you ring the bell before 13.00 and pay €1.00 a nun will allow you to visit the courtyard, chapel and main staircase where you can see the Vargas-Carvajal coat-of-arms painted on the staircase ceiling. You can also buy biscuits. Opposite the palace is the austere-looking Church of San Martín. (20) Do not miss going upstairs and on to the balcony for a view of the square.
In front of the church is the huge bronze statue of Pizarro. (21) This statue was given to the city by the widow of the sculptor, Charles Rumsey, an American. An identical stature stands in Lima, the city Pizarro founded in Peru and where he is buried. Look across for views of the opposite side of the square.
It is time to leave the square. Go up the steps just after the statue of Pizarro with the Church of San Martín behind. Walk along the small road with the Palace of Chaves-Orellana, the House of the Chain, (22) on the right. Behind the palace is the Tower of the Pin with the Chavez-Orellana coat-of-arms. (39) We pass it later. The road goes up slightly. On the right, pass the Solar de Chaves-Sotomayor (23) with its beautiful facade. As the walled city became full, and there was no room left on which to build, noble families started to build outside the city walls. However, by this time the threat of Moorish re-reconquest had long passed. Continue up the hill, the Cuesta de la Sangre, to the Church of the Precious Blood of Christ. (24) The road narrows and continues up. Directly in front we can see an imposing gateway with a huge heraldic device. Behind is an impressive building with a short tower on the left and an irregularly-shaped high tower on the right. This is the Stronghold of Luis Chaves, ‘The Old’. (25) After reading the information board, follow the road as it goes around to the right. At the T junction with Calle de los Ballesteros go left towards the Gate of Santiago. (26) The return will be back through this gate and right.
The Gate of Santiago is extremely old with heraldic devices on both side. Legend has it that the Christian army were led by St. James riding a white horse, in the thick of battle. After the victory, St. James became known in Spain as Matamoros (Moor Slayer). On the left of the gate is the tower of Luis Chaves’s stronghold and on the right, the other tower that guarded the gate, now incorporated into the Church of Santiago. (38) Pass through the gate, past a doorway on the left with wonderful little carvings of faces, and come to a multiple junction. Take the turning first left — we will come back to the Church of Santiago later.
Walk straight ahead on Calle Altamirano. The forbidding-looking fortress high on the left is the other side of the Altamirano (27) which we saw from the city walls earlier. Walk ahead to come into Plazuela de los Altamirano. Follow the hill down to the right to come to the Aljibe, the Moorish cistern. (28) At a T junction just after the Aljibe, turn left then first right into Calle las Palomas, a pretty 15th century street. On the right is the House of Rol-Zárte y Züiga. (29) On the left is the old Palace of Chaves, now a small hotel. (30) Higher up on the left is the House of Orellana. (31) At the top of the street, up a few steps, is Plaza de los Moritos and, left, the Church of Santa María la Mayor. (32) If you want to visit, go inside now. The altar-piece depicting scenes from Mary’s life is beautiful and there are various tombs of past nobles. The best bit is the view from the top of the tower and if you think the last staircase is a bit insubstantial you should have seen it before it was renovated.
On leaving the church, turn right back to Plaza de los Moritos. There is a decorated doorway to the church on the right and a covered reservoir and a bronze bust of Francisco Orellana on the left. Orellana was the discoverer and first navigator of the Amazon. Extremadura’s extensive canal system, that irrigates so much of the agriculture, is named after him. Walk straight on to Calle de la Puerta de Coria. Follow the sign for the Universidad Popular de Coria, also known as the Museum. Walk straight ahead, ignoring the turning on the left, to come to the University on the left. (33) It is the partly restored Convent of San Francisco, but now houses the Xavier de Salas Foundation which fosters links with Central and South America. Enter during office hours to look at the displays (Spanish only).
Walk along Calle de la Puerta de Coria to reach the Gate of Coria, left. There is a viewing platform to the right of the gate. Continue along Calle el Terrero to the top of Plaza de los Moritos and the back of Santa María la Mayor. Turn left up Calle de Academia. On the left is the beautiful Palace of the Marquis of Lorenzana. (34) To the right is the Convent of St. Mary Magdalena of Jerome. (35) With the Palace of Lorenzana on the left walk up Calle de los Martires. The next building, also left, is the House of Pizarro. (36) Inside is a museum with information in good English. On leaving the museum, turn left to walk straight up the small road to the Castle. (37) On the left are viewing platforms out over the surrounding plain. On the right is the castle and this deserves to be explored thoroughly, inside and outside. The walk along the castle walls gives extensive views in all directions. Take care, however, as the walls do not have rails or much to stop you walking straight off them and the floors, especially the steps, are uneven. The underground cistern and the Chapel which houses Our Lady of Victory are especially noteworthy. Outside it is possible to walk along the right side of the castle to overlook the city below. Surprisingly, because Trujillo is a city, this is an excellent birdwatching site.
Once ready to leave, turn right from the castle entrance, to walk towards the walled garden ahead. The towers of Santa María la Mayor are ahead and slightly left. Turn left to walk down Calle de Mirador de las Monjas. As we walk down the hill, on the left, is an opening on to a patio. This is the Mirador de las Monjas (The View of the Nuns) restaurant. I can recommend sitting in the patio, sipping something nice while looking at the castle and the food is excellent.
Continue down the hill to Plaza de Santiago and Calle de la Victoria. On the left is the Church of Santiago. (38) Turn left to walk through the Gate of Santiago and walk straight ahead, ignoring the turning right. Walk down the hill. At a Y junction with a restaurant at the centre take the right turning to continue downwards. On the right is the Tower of the Pin, (39) seen earlier in the walk from the square. There is an interpretation centre in the tower open during office hours. Further down on the left is a hotel which was the Palace of the Houses of Bejaranos. (40) At the end of the lane we come back to the Church of San Martín and the square.
If you stop for refreshments, continue afterwards by walking along the street between the church, on the left, and the Palace of the Dukes of San Carlos, on the right. Take the first right, Calle de San José. Take the first left into Calle San Pedro. At the top, on the left is the little Franciscan Convent of San Pedro. (41) Also on the left is a small lane with a series of buttresses from the convent creating half arches. Walk up this lane and reach Plaza de San Judas. It is very quiet — an old part of an old part — but with some lovely buildings. Ignore turnings left and right, and leave the square by Calle de Santa Clara, opposite where we came in. Ahead is the Convent of Santa Clara. (42) Turn left to walk around into Calle Santa Beatriz de Silva. On the left is the convent of today, (43) because, on the right the old convent is now a Parador. Enter the courtyard to have a look. Turn left on leaving the parador, back into Calle de Santa Clara. Turn left at the T junction with the parador on the left. Walk down the little lane ahead. It bears left around the parador. Turn right into a much wider road going down. In Plazuela de Quiroga there are some lovely old houses. Look back for a view of the unusual bell towers of the convent.
Walk straight down the small road. Ignore the turning left but bear right to see restored houses on the left. We have now walked in a circle because the Convent of San Pedro is before us once more. Turn left to go down Calle de San Pedro. At the T junction, turn left. At the next T junction the main square is right but we are going left. Take the first right to Plazuelo del Altozano and a multiple junction with a main road. Cross the road and take Calle de Sofraga. At the bottom, on the left, is the Palace of the Marquisof Sofraga, notable for its corner balcony with Corinthian columns. (44) It is in the little Plaza de San Miguel and lies opposite a Dominican Convent of San Miguel. (45) Hostel Blazon, open all the time, is a good place to stop for a drink.
With the convent in front, turn right down Calle de San Miguel. Ignore all turnings until we get to a wide Y junction. Turn right. Within 20m turn left. Walk down a few steps into Plazuelo de Licenciado de Burgos. Walk straight ahead to leave the square through a tiny lane. This comes out at the side of the Church of San Francisco. (46) Turn right, then left, to stand in front of the facade of this magnificent church in Plaza de San Francisco. With our backs to the church facade, walk straight ahead down Calle de San Francisco. Keep walking. On the left is the Gabriel y Galán Theatre. Continue ahead. On the left is the Palace of Juan Pizarro de Aragon. (47) On the right, our walk ends as we are back at the Town Hall once more.