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Cáceres packs one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval walled cities, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1986, plus a free modern-art museum with works by Picasso and Kandinsky. Most sights sit within a 10-minute walk of the Plaza Mayor, and entry prices are low by Spanish standards. Here are the things to do in Cáceres, organised by area, with hours and prices. For a full overview of the city, read our Cáceres guide.
Things to Do in Cáceres: The Old Town (Ciudad Monumental)
Plaza Mayor
The arcaded Plaza Mayor is the natural starting point for any visit. Built mostly in the 16th century, it sits right against the old town wall and is ringed by tapas bars and the tourist office. Come in the evening, when the square fills with locals and the illuminated Torre de Bujaco glows above the arches. It is free and open all hours. For the month-by-month numbers, see our Cáceres weather by month guide.
Torre de Bujaco
This 12th-century Almohad tower stands at the corner of the Plaza Mayor and is the most photographed landmark in Cáceres. You can climb to the top for a view over the square and the rooftops of the old town, and a small interpretation centre inside covers the city’s medieval history. Entry costs about €2.50 and it opens daily, roughly 10:00 to 14:00 and 17:30 to 20:30 in season. For help deciding when to travel, see our best time to visit Cáceres guide.
Arco de la Estrella (Star Arch)
The Arco de la Estrella is the main gateway from the Plaza Mayor into the walled old town. Rebuilt in the 18th century, it replaced an earlier gate that is still visible underneath. Walk through it and you are inside the Ciudad Monumental, where nearly every building is a fortified palace or tower from the 15th and 16th centuries. For a district-by-district breakdown, see our Cáceres neighborhoods guide.
Concatedral de Santa María
The co-cathedral of Santa María is a 15th to 16th century Gothic church with a Renaissance main altarpiece carved in 1551. It houses the Cristo Negro (Black Christ) of Cáceres, the centrepiece of the city’s famous Holy Week processions. Entry is around €3, and the church is open daily except during services. For the dates of the processions, see our Cáceres events and festivals guide.
Palacio de los Golfines de Abajo
This is the largest palace in the old town, a 15th-century fortress-palace where the Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand stayed. The facade mixes Gothic and Renaissance styles and carries the family coat of arms. You can only see the interior on a guided visit booked through the tourist office, but the outside is visible free from the Plaza de Santa María.
Museo de Cáceres (Casa de las Veletas)
Housed in a 16th-century palace, the Museo de Cáceres covers archaeology and fine art, and its standout feature is the aljibe, a huge Moorish cistern in the basement with horseshoe arches. Entry is free for EU citizens and about €1.20 for everyone else. It opens Tuesday to Saturday mornings and Sunday mornings, closed Monday, in line with standard Spanish state-museum hours.
Things to Do in Cáceres: Museums and Art
Helga de Alvear Museum of Contemporary Art
This free museum is one of Spain’s best contemporary art collections, with around 3,000 works including Picasso, Kandinsky, Miró, Ai Weiwei, Olafur Eliasson and Damien Hirst. It is split across two buildings at Calle Pizarro 8 and 10. From October to May it opens Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 20:00, and Sunday 10:00 to 14:30. From June to September the afternoon slot shifts to 18:00 to 21:00. It closes on Mondays. Admission is free, with a €5 charge only for guided tours.
Casa-Museo Árabe (Yusuf al-Burch)
This restored Arab house museum in the old town recreates a Moorish dwelling with its central courtyard, plasterwork and tilework. It explains the Islamic period of Cáceres, which lasted from the 8th to the 13th century. Entry is about €2 and it is a small, quick visit, ideal to pair with the Museo de Cáceres across the square.
Things to Do in Cáceres: Day Trips and Outdoors
Cueva de Maltravieso
This cave on the edge of the city holds red hand stencils dated to around 64,000 years ago, among the oldest cave art in Europe and attributed to Neanderthals. The original cave is protected and not open freely, but the nearby interpretation centre in the Maltravieso area explains the findings. Check current opening times at the tourist office before you go.
Ribera del Marco
The Ribera del Marco is a 4 km walking path that follows the Marco stream through orchards and gardens on the eastern edge of the old town. It is free, flat and shaded in parts, a good option for a morning walk before the afternoon heat. Combine it with the nearby Santuario de la Virgen de la Montaña, a hilltop sanctuary with views over the city.
Monfragüe National Park (day trip)
About 30 km north of Cáceres, Monfragüe is one of Spain’s best spots for birdwatching, with griffon vultures, black storks and imperial eagles nesting above the Tagus river. The drive takes about 40 minutes and the park is free to enter. The castle viewpoint at the top offers the classic panorama. For getting there without a car, see our Cáceres travel tips page, and for where to base yourself, our where to stay in Cáceres guide.
