La Codosera: Border Culture, Gévora and Nature

La Codosera’s cross-border connection with Portugal has produced a distinctive culture known as “cultura rayana”. When choosing a holiday apartment in La Codosera, you can make this cultural focus your personal planning priority alongside nature trails and seasonal events.

Nature

The upper Río Gévora, which flows through La Codosera, is designated as a Special Protection Area and forms part of the European Natura 2000 network of protected areas. The valley around La Codosera is characterised by olive groves, cork oaks, holm oaks and pastureland. The Río Gévora floodplain features an important gallery forest of ash, poplar and alder trees.

At the Río Gévora, the complex of natural pools comprises three pools with different water depths. The complex includes picnic areas, a playground, toilets, a bar-restaurant, parking spaces and a camping area. The pools contain naturally flowing river water throughout the year, not conventionally treated swimming-pool water.

Culture

The international bridge at El Marco crosses the Río Abrilongo and connects Spain with Portugal. The Molino del Duque is a fully preserved grain mill built on the Río Gévora in 1509. The Santuario de Chandavila is situated in a landscape of pine, chestnut, holm oak and eucalyptus trees.

The La Codosera tourism office organises a re-enactment of the Ruta del Contrabando every year on the second weekend of March. This re-enactment uses the paths and trails that smugglers used during the difficult decades following the Spanish Civil War. The event includes performances by a local theatre group depicting the smugglers’ everyday lives.

The Feria Rayana in October includes tastings of local products and brings Spanish and Portuguese businesses together in La Codosera. The Cross-Border Mycological Days follow in November, featuring foraging walks, lectures, exhibitions and species identification. Every December, the Desafío Codosera brings athletes from Spain and Portugal together for a route through mountains, rivers and paths. In the tradition of Correr la Aleluya, bells and cowbells are rung at midnight on the night before Easter Sunday.

Hiking

The Sendero Río Gévora Alto begins in La Codosera on Calle Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, behind the town hall. It is a linear hiking trail of low difficulty, measuring 4.6 km there and back. Along the river, it passes through vegetable gardens, pastureland, dehesas and reforested oak stands. Different trail lengths and seasonal dates can be weighed up alongside one another when making personal plans.

History

The castle ruins date from the first quarter of the 14th century. The church has a Gothic-Renaissance character and may have been built in the final years of the 15th century or at the beginning of the 16th century.

Further destinations

La Rabaza, Torremejía, Alburquerque, Malcocinado, Magacela, Pallares, Palomas, Almendralejo

For the higher-level travel overview: Badajoz.