The Jerte Valley is dyed red to celebrate Cerecera 2017

Watching the cherry blossoms in spring is something spectacular. In Japan this phenomenon is known as Sakura but you don't have to travel that far to see it because in Spain it is also very popular and takes place every year in the north of Extremadura, in the Jerte Valley.

The Cherry Blossom Festival takes place between March 20 and April 10 approximately, but the flowering date varies depending on the winter weather. It is followed by the Cerecera festival, which is the collection of the famous cherries from the Jerte Valley and takes place during the months of May, June and July.

In this way, after the burst of white petals that spring brings, the landscape is covered with an intense red bush thanks to the fruit of the cherry trees. A natural spectacle that is also a true delight for the smell, sight and palate. After all, the cherries from Valle del Jerte have a Protected Designation of Origin and are considered some of the best in the world.

Therefore, if you are thinking of making a getaway to Extremadura during the months of June and July, we recommend that you drop by the Valle del Jerte to enjoy Cerecera 2017. We will tell you in detail what it consists of after the jump.

Cherry 2017

During the harvest season, the Jerte Valley dresses up to celebrate a festival around the cherry, the red gold of the place. For this, all kinds of activities are organized that serve as a showcase for Extremadura's culture, gastronomy, traditions and way of life.

La Cerecera is a cultural, gastronomic and festive program that includes activities such as: gastronomic days of the Picota Cherry, Cherry Fair, gastronomic tastings and tastings, visits to agricultural farms so that the visitor can collect their own cherries and do agrotourism, conferences open doors and guided tours in the cooperatives of the Valley, games, contests, music, sports events and a sample of crafts from the area.

From the organization of the Cerecera they affirm that the Cherry Festival is born from the passion for the Jerte Valley and its cherry, with the aim of contributing to the value of the product, the fundamental axis of the regional economy, promoting its dissemination and bring it closer to consumers.

Schedule of the Cerecera 2017

The Cerecera 2017 program is an excellent reason to visit the Jerte Valley and enjoy a time full of events and activities. These are some of the ones they carry out this year:

XII Gastronomic Days of the Picota Cherry (from June 1 to July 23)

The most foodie travelers will be delighted with these days since many of the restaurants in the Jerte Valley prepare special menus using the cherry cherry as the main ingredient. These menus have a fixed price and it is necessary to reserve a table to be able to taste them.

VIII Cherry Fair in the Jerte Valley (June 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m.)

At the Navaconejo Cherry Fair you can learn to differentiate the different varieties of cherries and appreciate their flavor as well as enjoy numerous activities. If you are crazy about cherries, you cannot miss this tasty fair.

Open Doors Days in the Jerte Valley Cooperatives

The Jerte Valley Cooperatives, made up of many small farmers, open their doors for several days so that visitors can visit them and learn about working in a cooperative of these characteristics as well as tasting delicious cherries.

Guided Visits to the Jerte Valley Cooperative Association

During the days 11, 18 and 25 of June and 2, 9, 16 and 23 of July you can visit the Association of Cooperatives of Valle del Jerte and know in situ the whole universe of Extremadura cherries. The Agrupación de Cooperativas concentrates the largest supply of cherries in Europe with an average of 15.000 tons per year.

Jerte cherry farmhouse

In summer, during the months of June and July, it is possible to visit various cherry farms and enjoy sports and leisure activities such as picking cherries with your own hands or walking through the beautiful landscapes of the region.

When does the Cerecera start?

The harvest of cherries in the Jerte Valley normally begins at the beginning of May and lasts until the end of July.

A large part of the Valle del Jerte is planted with cherry trees, but there are many varieties of cherries and picotas. Depending on the variety, they will need more or less time to mature. The farmers have planted cherry trees of different varieties on their farms to distribute their harvest of cherries during the three months that the harvest lasts.

Now that we are in the middle of the cherry picking season, these days the navalinda, california and big lory varieties are being picked.

However, cherry ripening depends on the altitude at which the cherry tree is planted (the higher the altitude, the longer it takes to ripen), for this reason, the harvest lasts three months, the month of June being when there are a greater number of varieties in their ripening . As the month of July progresses, there will only be cherries in those higher altitude areas of the Jerte Valley.

This program is a very interesting reason to visit the Jerte Valley and enjoy a unique time, expected and celebrated by all cherry lovers. They are a few months that invite us to discover, appreciate and enjoy this delicious fruit with Denomination of Origin.