Cycling day trip from Mérida to Cáceres

Roll out from Mérida’s Roman past—think UNESCO-listed theatre, amphitheatre, and that long Guadiana River bridge—and head north into Extremadura’s dehesa. This is a mostly off‑road adventure: expect lots of farm tracks and gravel, with only short stretches of quiet road and cycleway. It’s about 94 km with roughly 1,000 m of climbing, so plan for a full day and a bit of grind on the punchy rollers.

A gravel or MTB setup is ideal (sturdy tires 35–45 mm+). After rain, some sections can get sticky; in summer, it’s exposed, so load up on water. You’ll ride through holm oak country, past cork oaks and grazing livestock—watch for gates and keep them as you found them. Small villages like Aljucén or Alcuéscar make handy resupply detours if you need a café stop.

Finish in Cáceres, another UNESCO gem with one of Spain’s best-preserved medieval old towns—stone towers, palaces, and crooked lanes made for a celebratory wander. In short: a classic Extremadura gravel day, Roman stones to medieval walls.