Malpartida de Plasencia

The bells of San Juan Bautista strike eight while the sun has yet to fully reach the Tiétar valley. From the square, mist drifts between the olive trees like a grey blanket left behind. In Malpartida de Plasencia, Sundays begin with that soft light and the smell of freshly baked bread from a nearby bakery, before double-parked cars take over Calle Real.

A landscape shaped by the dehesa

Malpartida does not reveal itself all at once. It unfolds slowly along reddish dirt tracks that wind through holm oaks and Portuguese oaks. The municipality is wide and open, with dehesa stretching in every direction. This landscape is not decorative. It is working land, where Iberian pigs graze when acorns are in season, and where livestock still move from one plot to another much as they have for generations.

At the centre of the town stands the church of San Juan Bautista. Its main doorway blends Gothic and Renaissance elements, a mix often seen in buildings that have grown over time. Inside, the wooden choir draws most attention. Its structure is unusual and, seen from below, almost appears suspended. Local stories offer different explanations for its design. What is clear is how well sound carries within the space.

Los Castillejos and the Vetton remains

A few kilometres away, on the hill known as Los Castillejos, lie the remains of a Vetton settlement that predates Roman presence in the area. Sections of wall survive, along with several funerary structures carved into the rock. One is commonly referred to as the Tumba de la Princesa, a name rooted more in tradition than in confirmed history.

The walk to the hill is not long, though parts of the terrain are covered in tall grass and signposting can be easy to miss without attention. Taking water is advisable even on mild days, as shade is limited in places. When the wind rises, it threads through the stones and lingers in the air, mixing with the dry scent of thyme and rosemary.

“Chinatos” and ties with Plasencia

People from Malpartida are known as chinatos. The nickname is often explained through old stories of stone-throwing disputes with residents of nearby Plasencia when paths or grazing areas overlapped. Today, it survives more as humour than as real rivalry, though it still comes up when discussing how closely the town depends on the city.

That proximity has always shaped life here. Traditional routes linked Malpartida with Plasencia, and the steady movement of shepherds and traders helped the settlement grow. Part of the town’s historical records was lost during the Peninsular War, when French troops passed through the area and burned archives and administrative buildings, something that affected many places in the region.

Spring and the Virgen de la Carrasca

Spring brings a noticeable shift to the land around Malpartida de Plasencia. After the rains, the fields turn intensely green and the holm oaks cast deeper shade across the grass.

In May, the romería of the Virgen de la Carrasca usually takes place. A romería is a traditional pilgrimage that blends religious devotion with a day spent outdoors. Much of the town heads towards the dehesa near the sanctuary. The route fills with carts, horses and groups walking at an easy pace among old olive trees and low scrub. The air carries a mix of crushed rosemary underfoot, wood smoke, and stews that begin cooking from mid-morning.

Food plays a central role. Large pots of lamb caldereta appear in many households, along with dishes that remain staples here: migas, local sheep’s cheese, and toasted bread served with products from the matanza, the traditional home butchering of pigs. When someone is invited to sit at the table, the offer is rarely made just once.

Following the Tiétar towards Plasencia

A route leaves Malpartida following the course of the Tiétar River towards Plasencia, covering roughly eight kilometres. Much of the way runs between smallholdings, poplar groves and cultivated plots.

In summer, the walk can feel heavy. The sun falls directly on the path and mosquitoes are common near the water. In spring, or early in the morning, the route becomes far more manageable. Irrigation channels can be heard alongside birds in the poplars, with the distant sound of a tractor at work.

As Plasencia approaches, the landscape shifts gradually. Fields are divided into smaller parcels and more scattered houses appear. Then the city arrives abruptly, with traffic, traffic lights and busy terraces. Many people complete the return journey within the same day, heading back to Malpartida before nightfall, when the dehesa falls quiet and the countryside darkens into shades between brown and gold.