Sketching in Cáceres: My Experience at the III Art Festival
Cáceres is a beautiful town in Extremadura, known for its well-preserved medieval center. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and when you walk through it you see Roman walls, Arab towers, and Renaissance palaces all mixed together. Many streets are made of stone, and the buildings look almost the same as they did centuries ago. It is a great place for anyone who enjoys history, architecture, and quiet corners full of character.
This month I took part in the III Art Festival in Cáceres, and it was a wonderful experience. Many artists came to draw and paint around the city, and it was inspiring to see how each person captured the town in their own way.
Group photo with all our sketches. Photo by Urban Sketchers Cáceres.
Our first location was Plaza de Santa María, San Jorge, and the Palacio de Carvajal, where dozens of sketchers were drawing different scenes, building details, and already sharing tips about art supplies.
I also sketched the Iglesia de San Mateo, one of the most impressive churches in the old town. The church stands in a quiet square surrounded by historic houses. The stone walls, the narrow streets, and the calm atmosphere made it a perfect spot to sit down with my sketchbook. I also drew several other old buildings nearby because every corner looked interesting.
Another place I sketched was the Museum Helga de Alvear. It is a modern building very close to the historic center. We visited the museum and afterward I decided to sketch the exterior.
One of the most fun moments of the festival was a sketching scavenger hunt. We had to draw seven locations, and we only had five minutes for each one. There was no time to think too much—just look quickly and sketch what we saw. It was fast, a bit chaotic, but very exciting.
Cáceres is a city that makes you want to draw every building you see. Taking part in the III Art Festival helped me slow down, pay attention, and enjoy the town in a different way. I left with many sketches, new memories, and a strong wish to come back again soon.
Thank you to the Urban Sketchers group in Cáceres for organizing the event, and credit to them for the group photos included in this post.
