Arriving in Caceres (my starting point for walking part of the Via de la Plata Camino) was a bit different. As I hopped off the train from Madrid in the evening I faced cold and rain. Time for a taxi to my hotel only meters from Plaza Mayor. As I arrive I hear the bands and music and see that some kind of festival is happening. This is Spain where people seem to love heading out to the squares and plazas and celebrate together even in heavy rain. They also love wearing costumes and playing music together. The next day I discovered that Caceres has a celebration in late April to honour its patron saint St Jorge and the reconquest of the city by Christians. On the following day they even had a symbolic burning of a dragon and a fencing duel to signify the fight between Christians and Moors.

• 

• 

Caceres is a city filled with monuments dating back to Roman times with one city gate surviving that period. Later in the twelfth century walls and defensive towers were built as Arabs and Christians fought with each other. Later in the sixteenth century a number of churches and palaces were constructed and many have survived. So the old town is an intriguing place to walk through and to get lost in.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Caceres was a memorable town for me because of its beauty but also because I met up with Giulio after his nine days of walking the Via de la Plata from Seville. Our intention from here is to commence walking to Salamanca once we manage to take a train to Canaveral.