Villanueva del Fresno on the Alqueva Reservoir

Villanueva del Fresno opens onto the Alqueva Reservoir: the municipality has 22.5 kilometres of shoreline, where there is a landing stage. You can go kayaking and canoeing along the shore. One route passes through flat dehesa and pasture landscapes and offers viewpoints over the reservoir. The different types of activities and landscapes help you distinguish between water, cycling, nature and architectural heritage when planning your trip.

Culture and History

The Castillo Fortaleza fortress had a fortified core with three towers, including the square Torre del Castillo. Its ruins have been restored and consolidated; the site is fenced off during the adaptation works.

The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción has three naves. Its central hemispherical dome rises higher above the side naves; the church was consecrated in 1685. The Ermita de San Ginés de la Jara is a simple masonry building with substantial buttresses, a small atrium, a basket-handle arch and a plain bell gable.

The Puente de la Bogaña is a masonry bridge with a level roadway on eight semicircular arches. It was built in the 16th century on the old road from Higuera de Vargas, which crosses the Alcarrache. The Acueducto del Convento de la Luz served to supply water; the bridge attached to it made it possible to cross the Friegamuñoz River. For orientation purposes, military architecture, religious architecture, bridge construction and hydraulic engineering can be distinguished.

Nature and Landscape

A large ZEPA is located within the municipality. Great bustards, little bustards, stone-curlews, cranes, vultures and black storks can be observed in this area; the wildcat is also found there.

In the Villanueva del Fresno area, the gurumelo is particularly noteworthy among the wild mushrooms found there; chanterelles, porcini mushrooms and níscalos are also found there. Those who want to compare landscapes and nature observation will find different focal points here, ranging from open dehesa and pasture areas and views of the reservoir to the wildlife of the ZEPA.

Activities and Events

A mountain bike route connects Villanueva del Fresno, Higuera de Vargas and the Convento de la Luz.

The Romería de San Ginés de la Jara takes place on the first Sunday in May around the hermitage; participants spend the day in the countryside. A food and crafts fair takes place on a weekend in March around 19 March.

Water, cycling and events offer different focal points; you can consider these topics separately when planning. When choosing a holiday apartment in Villanueva del Fresno, compare travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions on the accommodation listing pages. As a personal way of organising your plans, you can use the themes of water, cycling, nature, architectural heritage and the annual cycle.

More destinations in the selection

Other destinations in the same selection are La Nava de Santiago, Higuera De Llerena, El Raposo, Corte De Peleas, Hornachos, Badajoz, Barcarrota and Guadiana del Caudillo.

For the overarching travel overview: Badajoz.