Forget Japan. The Jerte Valley in Extremadura, Spain’s wild west, offers its own spectacular cherry blossom display each spring, with some two million trees transforming the landscape into a sea of pink and white. But timing is everything, and an unseasonably wet March meant the blossom was three weeks late this year, leaving locals and tourists alike playing a waiting game.
The valley’s cherry trees are fruiters, not ornamental like Japan’s sakura, and they are the main source of income for local inhabitants. The blossom season is eagerly anticipated, with coachloads of visitors arriving from Madrid. When the flowers are delayed, the tourist office in Cabezuela del Valle hastily arranges alternative activities, such as hiking trails or sampling local cherry products like liqueurs, jams, and bottled fruit.
One traveller from Devon made the journey by train, enjoying the route via Paris, the French Riviera, and Barcelona before reaching Plasencia. From there, he ascended to the peaceful village of Jerte, staying at a restored former leather-tanning factory turned hotel. His room overlooked the River Jerte and hillsides terraced with cherry trees, offering a front-row seat as buds strained to unfurl.
While waiting for the blossom, he explored Jerte’s cobbled streets and tackled the rugged mountain trail taken by Emperor Carlos V in the 16th century, culminating at Los Pilones – a series of granite boulders eroded into crystalline pools. The local hospedería served a remarkable value tasting menu at €45, featuring a knockout cherry and pistachio dessert. In summer, cherries are combined with tomatoes to make a variation on gazpacho.
The Jerte Valley’s blossom is a rural spectacle, unlike Japan’s urban hanami, and offers a closer alternative for UK travellers. With two million trees, the display is not to be missed – though timing remains a challenge. For those who miss the blossom, the valley offers a second annual spectacle in summer when trees are laden with lipstick-red fruit, celebrated with festivities that give Jerte ‘two bites at the cherry’.
