Extremadura

Extremadura is a remote region in south-western Spain, bordering Portugal and has great things in store for all sorts of travellers. If you enjoy bird watching, Extremadura offers you skies filled with eagles and vultures, and steppes alive with Little and Great Bustards. If you love to search for beautiful wildflowers, the high number of Mediterranean species will dazzle you, especially in the mountains. In the endless orchards and along the flower-fringed streams you'll find yourself in the Garden of Eden. Nearby rocky mountain slopes and merciless steppes show a beauty of a much more rugged kind. Remote regions invite you for a hike, and in the evening you can quietly enjoy a wonderful meal in an old plaza while watching the geckos hunt around the streetlights attached to medieval houses and palaces. Extremadura is a rollercoaster for every nature enthusiast, not only astonishing in its diversity but also in its genesis. If you have come to see a wilderness without a trace of human influence, you have chosen the wrong spot. The majority of Extremadura's valuable natural areas evolved through the interaction between the land and its inhabitants. This makes the region into a must-see example of the way nature and culture can enhance each other. This guidebook will introduce you to the natural splendours of this beautiful region, explain the mechanisms behind them, and direct you to the best places to witness it all for yourself. This nature guide is part of a new series of innovative guides for nature enthusiasts. "The Crossbill Guides" combine interesting and insightful stories with up-to-date and practical tourist information and observation tips. Detailed descriptions of hiking trails and car routes are conveniently linked to information on everything you want to know about the whats, wheres and whys of Extremadura's splendid nature.