How to get here
Extremadura is not exactly on the way to anywhere but to find us just go west of Madrid and stop before you get to Portugal.
By air
Extremadura has no international airport.
Madrid has the biggest choice of U.K. links, carriers and times. It has road, rail and bus links to Extremadura.
Lisbon has a good choice of U.K. links, carriers and times. If you are continuing your journey here by car the main Portuguese toll road can add €50.00 to the cost of getting here. The non-toll road (busier) runs more-or-less alongside the toll road.
Seville airport has a more limited choice but can be a good option depending on where you are starting from. It has an excellent road link, the Ruta de la Plata no less, and a good bus service to Mérida.
By train
From the London terminals to Paris, Gard du Nord. Take the metro to the Gare d’Austerlitz. Get on the overnight train to Madrid. You will arrive in Charmartin Station. Take the City Metro to Atocha Cercanías. Get the Cáceres-Mérida-Badajoz train from Atocha Cercanías. Get off at Navalmoral de la Mata or Plasencia for the north. Get off at Monfragüe for the National Park. Get off at Cáceres for the Sierra de Montánchez. (Yes. You’ve guessed. I’ve actually done this journey myself and it takes about 24 hours from London — plus connection times.)
By ferry
Brittany Ferries sail from Plymouth to Santander. P&O European Ferries sail from Portsmouth to (near) Bilbao. From both ports to Extremadura is just down the Burgos, Valladolid, Salamanca route. Pretty easy — but it’s a long, long drive.
By car
If you are driving you will enter Spain from the north through France. Depending on where, exactly, you enter Spain make for Burgos (via Biarritz, San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz or Pamplona and Logroño). From Burgos travel via Valladolid, Salamanca and straight down to Cáceres for the Sierra de Montánchez. For the Sierra de Gata and walking in the north go via Salamanca and stop at Plasencia to cross west to Coria, Moraleja and beyond. Road numbering can be confusing. Some roads seem to have a variety of numbers. Aim for the next city on the route and use its bypass.
By bus
I haven’t done the journey by bus from the U.K. It must be possible.
By bicycle or on foot
If you have the time - why not do it this way?
Car hire
All the big car rental companies are available from all three airports. The main roads in Extremadura are new, big and empty. Driving is easy. It is about 3-4 hours drive from both Madrid and Lisbon. Less from Seville. If you are planning on visiting villages hire a small car. Some villages have tiny streets, are medieval or have no car access at all. (In which case leave the car outside and explore on foot, much the best way anyway.) Car hire is also available in Mérida and from Cáceres bus station.
Once in Extremadura
However you got here it’s quite possible to do most of the internal journeys by train and bus. Buses between the cities run regularly. Buses to smaller places and more remote villages do run. However, these can be infrequent or only run once a day — miss the bus and you are stuck. The buses will need careful forward planning. The renfe train link is fairly easy to use. The bus link is more problematic — even for people who understand Spanish. However, these are improving all the time and I have put links in English on the links page.
Personal note: I have flown in and out of all three airports. Madrid is the easiest for me because of the train link to Cáceres. Lisbon is the most spectacular airport to fly into. Seville is the quickest by road. All three are perfectly fine. Choose the best for you.
See the 'links' page for transport web sites.
Top photo: Group meeting around the map in the rain in March between Robledillo de Gata and Ovejuela
Extremadura is not exactly on the way to anywhere but to find us just go west of Madrid and stop before you get to Portugal.
By air
Extremadura has no international airport.
Madrid has the biggest choice of U.K. links, carriers and times. It has road, rail and bus links to Extremadura.
Lisbon has a good choice of U.K. links, carriers and times. If you are continuing your journey here by car the main Portuguese toll road can add €50.00 to the cost of getting here. The non-toll road (busier) runs more-or-less alongside the toll road.
Seville airport has a more limited choice but can be a good option depending on where you are starting from. It has an excellent road link, the Ruta de la Plata no less, and a good bus service to Mérida.
By train
From the London terminals to Paris, Gard du Nord. Take the metro to the Gare d’Austerlitz. Get on the overnight train to Madrid. You will arrive in Charmartin Station. Take the City Metro to Atocha Cercanías. Get the Cáceres-Mérida-Badajoz train from Atocha Cercanías. Get off at Navalmoral de la Mata or Plasencia for the north. Get off at Monfragüe for the National Park. Get off at Cáceres for the Sierra de Montánchez. (Yes. You’ve guessed. I’ve actually done this journey myself and it takes about 24 hours from London — plus connection times.)
By ferry
Brittany Ferries sail from Plymouth to Santander. P&O European Ferries sail from Portsmouth to (near) Bilbao. From both ports to Extremadura is just down the Burgos, Valladolid, Salamanca route. Pretty easy — but it’s a long, long drive.
By car
If you are driving you will enter Spain from the north through France. Depending on where, exactly, you enter Spain make for Burgos (via Biarritz, San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz or Pamplona and Logroño). From Burgos travel via Valladolid, Salamanca and straight down to Cáceres for the Sierra de Montánchez. For the Sierra de Gata and walking in the north go via Salamanca and stop at Plasencia to cross west to Coria, Moraleja and beyond. Road numbering can be confusing. Some roads seem to have a variety of numbers. Aim for the next city on the route and use its bypass.
By bus
I haven’t done the journey by bus from the U.K. It must be possible.
By bicycle or on foot
If you have the time - why not do it this way?
Car hire
All the big car rental companies are available from all three airports. The main roads in Extremadura are new, big and empty. Driving is easy. It is about 3-4 hours drive from both Madrid and Lisbon. Less from Seville. If you are planning on visiting villages hire a small car. Some villages have tiny streets, are medieval or have no car access at all. (In which case leave the car outside and explore on foot, much the best way anyway.) Car hire is also available in Mérida and from Cáceres bus station.
Once in Extremadura
However you got here it’s quite possible to do most of the internal journeys by train and bus. Buses between the cities run regularly. Buses to smaller places and more remote villages do run. However, these can be infrequent or only run once a day — miss the bus and you are stuck. The buses will need careful forward planning. The renfe train link is fairly easy to use. The bus link is more problematic — even for people who understand Spanish. However, these are improving all the time and I have put links in English on the links page.
Personal note: I have flown in and out of all three airports. Madrid is the easiest for me because of the train link to Cáceres. Lisbon is the most spectacular airport to fly into. Seville is the quickest by road. All three are perfectly fine. Choose the best for you.
See the 'links' page for transport web sites.
Top photo: Group meeting around the map in the rain in March between Robledillo de Gata and Ovejuela