The Emperor's Last Journey. 1557
A little bit of history:
The end was near, and a tired and ailing Emperor decided to abdicate in favour of his son Philip and his brother Ferdinand. The Monastery of Yuste awaited his retirement, far from the great hubs of conflict and power. He landed in Laredo (Cantabria) and arrived in Jarandilla de la Vera (Cáceres) where he stayed in the Castle of the Counts of Oropesa before his final retreat to Yuste.
This gave Charles V a last chance to travel through Castilian lands and cross the Sierra de Gredos until reaching the warm and quiet region of La Vera, where he died in the Monastery of Yuste on 21 September 1558.
Enjoy the best of the imperial places
Plenty to see and do
He swore to arrive naked as he was when leaving his mother’s womb, and to kneel to the ground that would see him depart for eternity. On his way to Yuste, he was appreciated everywhere he visited. From Laredo, he crossed Cantabria passing through the lands of Castile and León, and arrived in Extremadura via Tornavacas to reach Jarandilla de la Vera, in whose castle, owned by the Count of Oropesa, he would stay for a few months until the final completion of the building works of his palace, which was attached to the Monastery of Yuste.
Plan your journey
- Laredo
- Colindres
- Limpias
- Ampuero
- Rasines
- Ramales de la Victoria
- Medina de Pomar
- Merindad de Valdivielso
- Burgos
- Quintanilla de las Carretas
- Valladolid
- Valdestillas
- Medina del Campo
- Horcajo de las Torres
- Alaraz
- Tornavacas
- Jarandilla de la Vera
- Aldeanueva de la Vera
- Cuacos de Yuste
- Garganta la Olla
- Pasaron de la Vera
- Jaraiz de la Vera
- Losar de la Vera
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