Hervas Jewish Quarter

Hervas sits in the Ambroz valley on the northern edge of Extremadura, and its Barrio Judio drops steeply from the upper town to the Ambroz river in lanes so narrow that upper floors nearly meet overhead, built of chestnut framing filled with adobe on stone bases. A Jewish community lived here from the medieval period until the expulsion of 1492, and the quarter kept its layout because the town declined afterward rather than being rebuilt. Names on the streets and a synagogue site are marked, though the buildings themselves date largely from after the expulsion. Hervas holds a Jewish festival in July with a staged historical drama. The surrounding valley has chestnut woods and the Ambroz autumn is a local event.

What you actually see

• The timber-framed lanes - chestnut framing and adobe above stone bases.
• The steep descent - streets dropping to the Ambroz river.
• The marked sites - synagogue location and quarter interpretation.
• The chestnut valley - Ambroz woods around the town, best in autumn.

When to go

April to June and September to November; the Otono Magico chestnut festival in November and the Jewish festival in July are the two events. Winter here is cold and the lanes icy.

Honest expectations

Most buildings post-date the expulsion, so the quarter is medieval in plan rather than in Jewish fabric. The lanes are extremely steep and stepped. The town is small with limited services.

Nearby

The Ambroz valley and Banos de Montemayor are close; the Jerte valley lies southeast.