Extremadura's rural region is a jewel of landscapes and biodiversity. The surroundings are splendid, and nature is full of flora and fauna of high environmental quality. It is also a region steeped in culinary culture and unique specialties. For all these reasons, Extremadura is the ideal place to spend a weekend, a long weekend, or a vacation with family or friends. To plan your trip, the Extremadura Rural Development Network (REDEX) has designed two websites to help you decide and organize itineraries, activities, and culinary options.
To begin, visit the hiking and nature walks website, where you'll find information about one of the fastest-growing activities in our country due to the benefits of physical exercise and contact with nature. Furthermore, from a rural development perspective, hiking is of great importance to the socioeconomic development of rural areas, as it has evolved from an informal leisure activity to a true tourism product with significant local economic impact.
“Last year, we launched the 'Rural Walks through Extremadura' tourism promotion and environmental and cultural education program,” explains project coordinator José Vicente Moreno. This initiative includes 24 self-guided hiking trails in high definition and downloadable on any device. They are aimed at all audiences and primarily designed for families and school groups. In short, as they themselves state: “Walking is feeling, learning, and sharing.”

As a complement, Redex continues its "Extremadura Rural Gastronómica" campaign, the main objective of which is to promote the rural gastronomic culture of its 24 regions. The program focuses on three areas of promotion: the most representative product of each region, a distinctive traditional dish, and a significant local festival. It's impossible to resist Iberian ham and cured meats, Torta del Casar (Cake of Casar), revolconas (potatoes in a saucepan), or lamb stew. As the campaign says: "Discover, taste, and enjoy."

Both projects were realized thanks to the collaboration of the 24 Local Action Groups that comprise Redex. According to Rosa Araujo, president of Redex: "We have been pioneers in implementing quality tourism information, which we believe is allowing us to satisfy visitors and, at the same time, showcase the natural and cultural resources of our region." This network was established in 1998, and its objectives include representing members before the administrations that manage rural development programs; promoting the implementation of policies aimed at driving improvements in rural areas; and developing projects that increase sustainable development and improve the quality of life in Extremadura.