Sotofermoso Garden in Abadía

The garden at Abadía in Cáceres, the property of Don Fernández Alvarez de Toledo, the third Duke of Alba, was one of the most beautiful and luxurious in the 16th century, on a par with royal gardens and with the most sumptuous gardens of the period. It is located on the banks of the Ambroz river at the foot of the Hervás mountains, and its viewing points offer a beautiful panorama over the river in the garden. It is linked to the old Silver Route on the Mesta road (migratory cattle route) with a "royal pass" (a kind of tollgate), and was adjoining the kingdom of Portugal. It was much frequented by royalty and the nobility, and came to be known by the name of Sotohermoso. Little remains of these past glories, but its structure and the beautiful landscape amply repay a visit.