Embalse de Tentudía & Sierra de Tentudía
Drive 45 minutes south of Zafra and the flat Extremaduran plain suddenly buckles into the forested ridges of the Sierra de Tentudía, a protected natural park culminating at 1,104 metres in a summit crowned by the extraordinary Monastery of Tentudía — a 13th-century sanctuary that seems to grow directly from the rock. The reservoir below, the Embalse de Tentudía, reflects the sierra in its still wa
The Monastery at the Summit
The Real Monasterio de Tentudía was founded by the Order of Santiago in 1253 according to legend on the very spot where the sun stood still to allow the knights to finish a battle — hence the name (ten el día: hold the day). Its 14th-century Mudéjar church contains a stunning ceramic altarpiece by Niculoso Pisano, a Renaissance masterpiece rarely seen outside of Seville.
The drive up the winding road to the summit is itself a highlight: cork oak forest gives way to rockrose scrubland, and red kites and black storks wheel overhead as you climb. Arrive on a weekday to have the monastery almost entirely to yourself.
Hiking & Birdwatching
The GR-41 long-distance footpath passes through the sierra, and several shorter circular trails start from the village of Calera de León at the foot of the mountain, taking in ancient holm oak dehesa, streams lined with oleander and viewpoints over the reservoir.
The Embalse de Tentudía is one of the better spots in southern Extremadura to observe white storks, black vultures and the occasional Spanish imperial eagle — bring binoculars and arrive in the early morning when activity peaks.
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