Quintana de la Serena

A town shaped by stone

Tourism in Quintana de la Serena makes more sense when it begins with stone. In this part of La Serena, in the north-east of the province of Badajoz, the landscape stretches out in a broad plain where almost everything seems level, until the quarries appear. Granite is not just part of the scenery. It has been part of daily life here for generations and remains central to the town’s activity.

Early in the morning, there is often movement along the railway line and on the roads leading to the quarries. Granite leaves this area in large blocks that later turn up in buildings and construction projects across the country. It is an industry that can be seen and heard: lorries, cutting saws, workshops shaping the stone. In Quintana, granite is not a relic of the past. It is still very much the present.

The landscape of La Serena

La Serena is one of the great plains of Extremadura. The terrain is open, with gentle slopes and few interruptions. Within that horizontal setting, Quintana appears as a compact cluster of straight streets and low houses, many built from the same material extracted just a few kilometres away.

The name “Serena” is often linked to an Arabic word used to describe these plains. For centuries, the local economy combined livestock farming, agriculture and the use of stone. Over time, granite extraction became increasingly important and eventually defined the character of the municipality.

Historically, Quintana was linked to the Order of Alcántara, which organised much of this territory after the Christian conquest. The town depended administratively on Campanario for centuries before gaining its own jurisdiction towards the end of the 16th century. By then, stonemasons and quarry workers were already well established in the area.

Even today, some streets are wider than expected for a town of this size. They were designed for carts and animals carrying blocks of stone or tools. Details like these make more sense when seen through the lens of a place where stone has always been a working trade.

The Museo del Granito

In the centre of the town stands the former Casa de la Posada, a building usually dated to the 16th century and once linked to local administration. It now houses the Museo del Granito.

This is not a large or highly technological museum. Its interest lies in what it explains about the craft itself. Visitors find tools used in stonework, examples of different finishes, and carved pieces that show how granite is shaped before reaching its final use.

Many of the tools on display do not belong to a distant past. Local stonemasons still use very similar implements today, alongside modern machinery. That continuity says a lot about Quintana’s relationship with granite. It is not a tradition remembered for its own sake, but a trade that continues to be visible.

Quarries on the edge of town

The surroundings of Quintana de la Serena are dotted with granite quarries. Some have been in operation for decades, while others are more recent. From certain higher points along the tracks that circle the town, the cuts in the rock can be seen clearly, as if the land had been opened in steps.

In several areas, older open-air extraction sites sit alongside current facilities. The contrast between them helps explain how the trade has evolved, from largely manual work to large-scale cuts made with industrial machinery.

Walking along the rural paths that lead out from the town centre often brings these quarry landscapes into view. Care is needed, and working areas should always be respected.

Dehesa and Queso de la Serena

Alongside the stone, there is another defining landscape: the dehesa. Across much of La Serena, holm oak woodland appears more open than in other parts of Extremadura, with trees spaced out and wide stretches of pasture in between.

This is where Merino sheep are raised, providing the milk used to make the well-known Queso de la Serena. It is a soft cheese, traditionally made with vegetable rennet and left to mature for several weeks. When properly aged, the interior becomes creamy and the flavour develops an intensity closely linked to the local pasture.

In the town itself and nearby areas, small producers can still be found making the cheese in an artisanal way. This is not something created specifically for visitors. It has been part of the local economy for generations.

The site of Hijovejo

A short distance from the town centre lies the archaeological site of Hijovejo. It stands on a slight ارتفاع that breaks the uniformity of the plain and offers wide views across the surrounding land.

Excavations have identified the remains of a fortified settlement dating back to pre-Roman times, with later occupation in…