Why Spain? » Extremadura

With good road links from Madrid and Seville, and an international airport at Badajoz, located 45km from the regional capital of Merida, Extremadura's main cities have a good choice of quality hotels, some with meetings and event facilities, in addition to state-of-the-art congress and tradeshow centres, and a stunning variety of historic venues – the convent of San Antonio in Almendralejo, the Gothic church of San Francisco in Caceres, the Romanesque cultural complex of Santa Maria la Mayor in Plasencia and Trujillo's La Coria Museum, among others – ensuring a unique setting for unforgettable corporate and private events.

Extremadura offers business tourists a host of things to do in their free time. Besides sightseeing, small and big game hunting, fishing, golf, hiking, adventure sports and horse riding feature among the many outdoor activities available. Additionally, the region is justly famous for its wines and cuisine – Jerte cherries, Iberian ham, game dishes… With a flourishing wine and gourmet tourism industry, there are guided tours of region's extensive wine-growing areas, and their many small towns and villages: Almendralejo, Don Benito, Aceuchal, Fuente del Maestre, Los Santos de Maimona, Puebla de Sancho Perez…

Thanks to its size and low population density, Extremadura posses one of the best conserved natural heritages in Europe. Totalling 54 protected areas, including the Monfragüe National Park, which is also a Biosphere Reserve, and the natural parks of Cornalvo y Sierra Bermeja and the International Tagus, as well as game reserves like that of Cijara, the region's landscapes encompass pasturelands, dotted with holm, cork and gall oaks, lush valleys watered by the Tagus and the Guadiana and their tributaries, Mediterranean forests, mountain systems and wild barren plains.

Every civilisation and culture that has passed through the Iberian Peninsula has left its mark on Extremadura. The region has an enormous historic heritage, including prehistoric and Pre-Roman sites, superb examples of Arab architecture, above all the fortifications and alcazaba of Caceres, as well as an incredibly large number of splendidly conserved Roman remains at Merida, featuring the world-famous Roman Theatre; both cities having earned their place on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. In short, Extremadura is the perfect destination for discerning business tourists looking for a unique experience.