Campo del Moro, a stunning glamping place in Extremadura

Campo del Moro camp is in a magical part of Finca al-manzil, our finca and Casa Rural in Extremadura (www.finca-al-manzil.com). From the camp there are marvellous views of the sierra peaks and the surrounding olive groves, a place of total tranquility in nature. The tents are arranged in a meadow with plenty of space and privacy, each tent will be at least 30 meters from the others and all are partially under the shade of trees. We have chosen canvas bell tents and Saharan tents as we feel that they fit into the landscape and atmosphere of our finca; they have a Mali/ Moroccan vibe.

We are great Morocco fans and have collected a lot of rugs and objects on our numerous journeys. We feel that the low level living of Moroccan décor looks wonderful, cool and minimalistic with an emphasis on natural colours and textiles with no excess clutter. Naturally the tents are designed for all weather conditions, there is a built in ground sheet and full netting on all doors and windows, besides tree shade each tent also has a fly sheet for extra heat protection and also good ventilation through netted apertures.

The camp will run from May – September, this ensures warm to hot sunny weather with no rain except for some possible showers in late September. The barn is the get-together place,it is situated on the edge of the meadow, a great open plan space, a focal area for everyone to meet up for drinks, dining, play games or sit quietly with a book from the library, there is a wood burning stove for cooler Spring and Autumn evenings.

The tents are essentially for sleeping and relaxing in private while the barn provides meals, drinks, coffee and a place to socialize, listen to music and browse books and magazines.

There will be a three course dinner four nights a week and tapas evening for the other three nights, a really good selection of delicious tapas made with love and imagination. As at Finca al-manzil the food has a Moroccan/Middle Eastern/ Iberic theme using local fresh produce in season, vegetarian dishes can be provided. Dining will be out on the long covered porch, tapas and drinks can also be taken to the outside table and chairs provided for every tent, a magical experience to enjoy a small candle lit space under the stars of a warm summer night.

There is a swimming pool for a cool dip.

The bathrooms are simple but stylish, also with a Moroccan feel but with the absence of a squatter loo! We are targeting an adult market, we envisage a calm, peaceful place set in wonderful natural surroundings but with some interesting social interchange and lots of fun too of course but really not for couples with children as this is just too distracting for other guests. The tents will be designed for just 2 people each. There will be a few optional hiking treks with use our horses and donkeys. There are superb walks directly from the finca into the mountain and to local villages. The walk up to the castle and village of Montanchez and back is particularly lovely on nights of bright moonlight.The water mill walk up the gorge at Arroyomolinos is also a wonderful hike. Bikes can be hired from the finca for some easy rides such as the ride to a Visigoth basilica which is in an idyllic spot in the nearby vast cork oak forests.

We also plan a few optional guided cultural visits to the nearby historical towns, after living here for 8 years we know allhe most fascinating little corners. The visits will be in our mini bus.

Manfred and Pippa have lived in the Extremadura for 8 years building up their Casa Rural, Finca al-manzil. They both have many years experience in tourism and creating special projects in Austria, Portugal and Spain. A special camp has been a cherished idea for a long time and it seems that Extremadura and Finca al-manzil are perfect for Campo del Moro. Pippa comes from an Arts background and has put considerable imagination and energy into creating the finca, the cooking holidays and now the glamping site. Manfred comes from being a restauranteur in Austria and Portugal and also running bike tours and horse riding holidays. They both have travelled extensively over the years and have enjoyed bringing some elements of their experience into the various projects whether art, cooking, accommodation and now the glamp.

The holidays run for a minimum of 7 nights @ €70 per tent per night for 2 persons only. Dinner- 3 courses including wine and coffee €25 per head. Tapas - A generous selection €15 per head. Drinks, coffee and tea available all day at reasonable prices. Guided hiking in the sierra with possibility of donkey transport and picnic €20 per head. Excursions to local towns Caceres, Merida and Trujillo €15 per head

Four Bell or Saharan canvas tents of 5 metres diametre or length with generous head room, all have tree shade and an extra fly sheet. Furnished with Comfortable beds with sprung matresses, sheets,quilts,towels and plenty of space to store gear as well as extra space in barn to store suitcases etc. Each tent has 2 chairs and an outside table. Lighting is by safety approved storm lanterns,safe tee light holders and solar lights.Each tent has its own unique decor with lovely rugs and artifacts from Morocco and Mali.There are individual loo tents for every tent, strictly organic but of the most modern type, no mess or unpleasantness. Shower and basin water is solar heated and in our own ingeniously designed structure, private and ecologically sound. There is solar powered electricity in the barn for charging telphones if necessary and for audio/visual multimedia.

Extremadura is still the most undiscovered of Spain’s provinces, it used to be a long difficult journey to reach this predominantly agricultural region, no industry, widely spaced towns and villages set in beautiful woodland known as dehesa, rolling plains and wild mountains.
It was here that the cult of the conquistadors started resulting in the fabulous wealth to build palaces and churches in 16th century Extremadura, now beautifully preserved, especially in Caceres and Trujillo the birth place of Pizarro, conqueror of Peru.
Today communications are excellent, good roads connect Extremadura to the North and South, Portugal and France. Nearest airports are Madrid or Seville and soon the AVE high speed train linking Lisbon and Madrid via Caceres. The unspoilt nature remains with most notably the largest number of unique bird species to be seen in Spain, some unique in Europe especially at Monfrague National Park.
Every season has its particular delights. Spring, an explosion of wild flowers and lush greenery, perfect temperatures for hiking or riding, bird watching is at its best. Summer, green changes to gold but the cork and holm oaks remain green and vibrant, guaranteed sun in a blue, blue sky, it’s hot but still cool mornings and wonderful long, balmy nights.
Autumn is glorious, the first rain, the temperatures lower and the land becomes green again, grape and fig harvest, wine making. Winter is mild, very rarely freezes, time for the olive harvest, log fires and brisk walks in crisp sunny weather.
Extremadura has many micro-climates because of the mountains and the two mighty rivers that flow through, the Tejo and the Guardiana, e.g. The Sierra de Montanchez where Campo del Moro is situated is famous for its jamon, cured in the mild, dry mountain air of this particularly beautiful sierra where there is still a donkey rush hour as the sun goes down.
The Extremadura contains 3 UNESCO world heritage towns, all in the Caceres province, Caceres, Guadalupe and Merida, all offering an exceptional experience and marvellous insights into history, art and architecture as well as having bustling centres with interesting shops, food markets, theatres, art galleries, lively bars and restaurants.
Besides the hundreds of village and town fiestas throughout the year there are two international festivals, WOMAD in Caceres takes place in May. The festival of theatre and dance takes place at Roman sites in Merida, notably the original Roman theatre, a unique experience during July and August. The Extremadura has it all, something to enthuse all ages and all tastes but most exceptionally the deep tranquillity, almost empty roads, a real feeling of discovery without being accompanied by crowds of fellow tourists, quite simply the extraordinary natural beauty to be encountered throughout this fortunate and friendly region.

Madrid, Lisbon or Seville are nearest airports, all about 3 hours drive to Campo del Moro on good toll free motorways