ROAD TRIP: Alcantra, Spain, Guest Post by Susan Kean

My friend Susan Kean and her partner George recently went on a driving trip from Lisbon in Portugal, through Spain, to the Dordogne region in the South of France, where they visited friends and toured the countryside, including a visit to the famous painted caves of Lascaux (a replica). Susan has graciously agreed to share her photos with The Intrepid Tourist. The first three posts appeared several weeks ago. Here is a final post with Susan’s account of their visit to Alcantra, Spain. Susan writes:

Inside the beautiful Conventual de San Benito in Alcantra.

Conventual de San Benito, Alcantara

Here is one more post from our adventures last month. We took a two night trip to Alcantara, Spain… a short distance east of the Portuguese border. Our primary purpose was to see the beautiful Roman bridge that is built across the Tagus River, but as with much of Spain and Portugal, there is a lot more going on.

Hospederia Conventual de Alcantara. Hotel dining room with flour mills.

We stayed in a hotel that was a converted convent, with some time being a flour mill!

Four of the main Crusade groups.

This area was very involved with the Crusades and Order of the Alcantara still exists today. 

Rainy day view of Tagus Bridge

The Alcántara Bridge is a Roman bridge at Alcántara, in Extremadura, Spain. Alcántara is from the Arabic word al-Qantarah meaning "the arch". The stone arch bridge was built over the Tagus River between 104 and 106 AD by an order of the Roman emperor Trajan in 98.

The Tagus Bridge has had challenges during war times when armies would blow up an arch to prevent the enemy from crossing.

Alcantara Bridge

Road surface as it’s been for 2000 years. Maybe the Romans could teach us something. They are finally building another bridge nearby as heavy traffic is taking its toll.

View up the Tagus River, away from the bridge.

Hydro-electric plant near the bridge.