About
Badajoz is the largest city in Extremadura, the region of western Spain that lies close to the Portuguese border. Its position near the frontier has long shaped its character, and it still feels like a place where Spain and Portugal meet. The city is also known under the name Batalyaws.
A fortress city
Badajoz is a historic fortress city, and its defensive past is the first thing many visitors notice. Its Moorish Alcazaba, the fortified palace-citadel, stands as a reminder of the centuries when the city was an important stronghold. The surrounding military heritage gives the historic centre a distinctly martial character, and walking its old streets and walls gives a clear sense of why the city was so often a point of strategic interest.
What a visit offers
- The Alcazaba, the Moorish fortification that anchors the city's history
- The wider military heritage that runs through the old town
- A city that serves as a base for exploring Extremadura and its border landscapes
Badajoz suits visitors interested in history, fortifications and the particular atmosphere of a border city. It is less about a single landmark than about the layers of the past that can be read in its walls and streets. Those who want to combine a city stay with a wider look at the region will find Badajoz a sensible starting point, with the Portuguese border close at hand.