Navaconcejo on the Jerte River: Swimming Areas, Trails and History

Water and Trails

The Jerte River runs through Navaconcejo and is one of the town’s defining landscape features. Numerous swimming areas can be used for refreshment and relaxation in summer. When choosing a holiday apartment in Navaconcejo, you can weigh water, activity, culture and views as personal points of comparison.

The Garganta de las Nogaleas route starts and ends in Navaconcejo. It is easy and approximately 4 km long. The combination of a manageable circular trail and longer days by the river creates different ways to organize your own activities.

The natural swimming areas differ in their facilities and design. The El Cajón natural pool has a grassy area and simple access. El Pilar has a sandy area, plenty of shade, a car park, a beach bar and a children’s playground; from there, you can reach the Garganta de Nogaleas. The spacious El Cristo natural pool is located among dense alder trees and includes a picnic area, a children’s playground and a nearby car park. The El Benidorm swimming area at the entrance to Navaconcejo is shaded by alder, ash and poplar trees and has a large car park.

Culture and History

The Fábrica de Sayales is a Renaissance building associated with the former textile production in Navaconcejo. Its basement rooms once housed workshops for producing bayeta and paño pardo, as well as dyeing rooms. The callejinas are tunnels connecting the river with the rest of the town; they were formerly used for washing and watering animals.

An unusual local story is depicted in the Mural de La Ballena: it commemorates a supposed whale sighting in the Jerte River, which turned out to be a saddlebag swept along by the current. This story gave rise to the nickname “ballenatos” for the inhabitants. Los Calbotes is a local tradition in which people go outdoors, roast chestnuts and celebrate with friends and family.

The Cañada Real, formerly Calle Real, is lined with a stone cross, houses with wooden balconies and elaborately worked stone façades. The Camino Real was the historic route for exchanging goods between Navaconcejo and Piornal.

Churches and Festivities

The celebration of the patron saint San Jorge includes a mass at the Ermita de San Jorge and a Romería on 23 April. According to the coat of arms in the sacristy, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción dates from the mid-16th century, while the inscription on the tower dates it to the second half of the 17th century. It has a Baroque high altar reredos from the mid-18th century.

The Ermita del Cristo del Valle is an 18th-century chapel. It houses a reredos, also dating from the 18th century, depicting Jesus crucified.

More Destinations

More places for your research: Valdefuentes, Eljas, Cabezabellosa, Logrosán, Abadía, Valdastillas, Baños De Montemayor, Robledillo De Gata

Viewpoints

The Mirador de San Jorge is located approximately 300 metres from Navaconcejo on the Cerro de San Jorge. The Mirador de las Artezuelas is within the urban area of Navaconcejo on the Paseo Nuevo and offers a view of the Jerte River and the town; access is via the new bridge between Cerro Real and Paseo del Río Jerte streets.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cáceres.