Old town of Cáceres, Medieval fortified settlement in Cáceres, Spain.

The Old Town of Cáceres is a fortified medieval quarter covering nine hectares within stone walls. It contains palaces, churches, and defensive towers from different periods standing closely together along narrow streets.

The city walls were initially built by Romans and later reinforced by Almohad rulers to protect the settlement over centuries. They were crucial during conflicts between Moors and Christians in the region.

The architecture blends Roman foundations with Islamic decorations, Northern Gothic styles, and Italian Renaissance palaces throughout the quarter. Walking through the narrow streets shows this mix in every building and courtyard.

You enter the quarter through arched gates and can then walk to explore museums, religious buildings, and the central square. Walking slowly helps you notice details and avoid getting lost in the narrow streets.

The Almohad cistern in the Palacio de las Veletas, reached through the Museum of Cáceres, is the oldest in the city, not the region's only working Islamic water system. It is a vaulted underground reservoir of brick and stone, fed by rainwater collected from the palace roofs. The building above it, the Palacio de las Veletas, houses the archaeology and ethnography collections.