🎵 Audio guide
Cedillo is located in the extreme south-west of the province of Cáceres and is the most westerly settlement in Extremadura. It is situated between the Sever and Tagus rivers whose confluence is in Cedillo's municipal area and whose waters form the Cedillo reservoir on the border with neighbouring Portugal.
Possibly taking advantage of the abundance of water in the area, these lands have been inhabited since ancient times, as evidenced by the countless archaeological remains scattered throughout the area. In the 16th century, a fishing village appeared on the banks of the Tagus and in the 18th century, the Portuguese sought refuge from the Spanish-Portuguese war and settled in the area.
The name Cedillo originally referred to an area of scattered settlements on old estates belonging to Herrera de Alcántara until 1838, when it became independent and the municipality of Cedillo was created.
Cedillo forms part of the Tagus International Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve. Its surroundings are diverse, with the central part composed of rounded, rolling hills of pasture.
As we move away from the agricultural area, towards the Tagus and Sever rivers, the landscape becomes more rugged, with Mediterranean forest and ancient terraced olive groves.
The original village is situated on a small hill, bordered to the south by the Arroyo de Pueblo stream, with a long street joining the two most built-up areas.
Although Cedillo is a fairly new village and many buildings have been renovated, a stroll through its streets reveals traditional architecture with white-washed slate-built houses.
Cedillo has many interesting features such as the Neo-Gothic Church of San Antonio de Padua, the mansion housing the Tagus International information centre, and numerous dolmens.
Its surroundings are also worthy of a special mention, with walking trails and spectacular views from the viewpoints allowing discovery of the natural park's fauna.