Spain's Very Own Sakura: Cherry Blossom Season in the Jerte Valley
You do not need to travel to Japan to witness a stunning floral display. Every spring, a corner of Extremadura in Spain is transformed as approximately two million cherry trees burst into bloom, creating a breathtaking spectacle known as Spain's very own sakura.
The Anticipation of Blossom Season
In late March, the villagers of the Jerte valley in Extremadura, often described as Spain's wild west, grow anxious, akin to hosts awaiting guests at a grand party. The event they eagerly anticipate is the flowering of the valley's cherry trees, which number around two million. Initially, only a few trees, such as the Royal Tioga variety, dare to don their frilly spring attire, while the majority remain clad in drab grey winter garb.
Predicting the arrival of blossom is always a tricky endeavor. Due to an unseasonably wet March, the trees were three weeks late during a recent visit. With snow still cloaking the surrounding sierras, the tourist office in Cabezuela del Valle, located halfway up the valley, hastily arranged alternative activities for coachloads of blossom-seekers from Madrid. Like other nature-reliant activities, such as whale watching or aurora hunting, timing proves challenging. However, unlike hit-and-miss spectacles involving wild animals, the blossoming is a guaranteed event, though wildfires affected parts of the Jerte valley last summer, thankfully sparing most cherry trees.
A Rural Spectacle Versus Urban Japan
Japan is the nation most associated with cherry blossom, where sakura, or ornamental cherry blossom trees, have symbolized the transient nature of life for centuries. For a few weeks in spring, delicate pink confetti blossom sprinkles streets and temple gardens, with millions participating in hanami, or flower viewings, across the country.
Spain's display offers a distinct experience. This is a rural spectacle rather than a mostly urban one, and it has the significant advantage of being much closer to the UK. Traveling by train from a Devon village, the journey itself becomes part of the adventure, with scenic views like the sunrise over the milky River Teign in Teignmouth. By teatime, one can be in Paris, enjoying pastries on a sunlit boulevard, before continuing via TGV along the French Riviera to Barcelona and finally Plasencia in Extremadura. Even at 11 pm, the Plaza Mayor in Plasencia's historic walled heart echoes with the chatter of locals enjoying raciones of Iberian ham and grilled octopus.
Experiencing the Valley's Charm
Upon ascending the valley to the peaceful village of Jerte, visitors can stay at a hospedería, part of Extremadura's network of hotels housed in restored historic buildings. This particular building, once a leather-tanning factory and later an oil press, offers rooms overlooking the vocal River Jerte and hillsides crisscrossed with terraces planted with cherry trees, providing a ringside seat as buds strain to unfurl.
While waiting for the blossom, one can roam Jerte's cobbled streets beneath geranium-draped balconies of half-timbered houses. Adventurous souls might tackle the rugged mountain trail taken by Holy Roman emperor Carlos V to reach his retirement monastery in 1556, culminating in the dramatic Los Pilones, a jumble of granite boulders eroded into crystalline bowl-shaped pools by the river.
Cherry Products and Local Economy
In Jerte, there are cherry products to sample, from liqueurs to jams and bottled fruit. The hospedería's regional tasting menu, remarkable value at €45, features a knockout cherry and pistachio dessert. In summer, locals even marry cherries with tomatoes to create a variation on gazpacho. A key difference from Japan is that Jerte's trees are fruit-bearing, providing the main source of income for valley inhabitants, whereas Japan's are ornamental. This means the area enjoys a second annual spectacle when trees are laden with lipstick-red fruit, offering more festivities from a tourism perspective.
At a processing factory down the valley towards Plasencia, white-coated workers clean machinery in preparation for washing, grading, and packing Jerte's cherries from late May to late July. Mónica Tierno Díaz, who directs a collective of 15 local cherry farming cooperatives, explains, "Cherries are our way of life. Picking them is how I learned to count as a kid. Most growers in the valley have just a few hectares and pick the cherries by hand into chestnut wooden baskets. But marketing and selling their fruit is difficult. So we do that for them, our key markets being Britain and Germany."
Alongside commercial varieties like Lapins and Van, Jerte produces a small stalkless cherry called Picota, unique to the region with protected designation of origin certification. These tiny, slightly crunchy jewels can often be found in supermarkets in June. Mónica notes, "Many people got used to black gobstopper cherries, so getting them to buy these smaller, paler cherries was a challenge. But once people taste them and realize how sweet they are, they're hooked."
The Blossom Finally Arrives
One morning, driving down the valley to the hillside village of El Torno reveals a Jerte transformed, as if snow has silently fallen overnight. The trees have finally put on their floral finery, and the party has begun. Exploring the orchards on foot via well-marked footpaths allows for a hanami picnic, Spanish-style. Early starts are advisable, as boisterous crowds of blossom-baggers soon arrive, following tourist office driving routes for the ultimate floral selfie.
The 50km motoring circuit includes El Torno, Rebollar, and villages like Valdastillas, Piornal, and Cabrero on the other side of the valley, while a 30km linear route traces the main road down the valley. With each passing day, the blossom edges up the valley like a frothy white wave, finally reaching Tornavacas at the top. Walking from Jerte along the Ruta Cerezo en Flor (cherry blossom trail) to a mirador (viewpoint) offers a breathtaking view of the sea of blossom below.
For those who tire of blossom-gazing, the tourist office runs a two-week Cherry Blossom festival as part of a six-week spring festival, featuring events like folk dancing, concerts, and exhibitions across the valley's villages from 27 March to 11 April. As streets and bars buzz with activity, it's time for a celebratory tot of local cherry liqueur.
A Sweet Farewell
Leaving this magical valley is bittersweet, but the consolation lies in hoping to savor Jerte's Picotas at home in a few months, a sweet and equally fleeting reminder of Spain's very own sakura. The trip was provided by the Extremadura tourist board and the Spanish tourist office in London, with accommodations like the Hospedería Valle del Jerte offering doubles from around €135 B&B, and travel facilitated by Rail Europe with Interrail Global passes starting from €318 for five days of travel over a month for adults.
