City Walls

The medieval walls encircle the old town in an almost complete circuit and can be walked in under an hour. The walkway along the top of the ramparts is wide, well-maintained, and free to use. Views from the walls look out in two directions: over the surrounding agricultural plain toward the Portuguese border, and down into the streets and gardens of the old town below.

The walls are Roman in origin — the foundation stones were laid during the occupation — but most of what you see is medieval construction, reinforced in the 16th century when improved artillery made the older design obsolete. The rounded towers and bastions are particularly well-preserved on the western and southern sides.

Start at the Puerta del Conde near the Cathedral and walk the full circuit if you have time. The northern section, overlooking the Río Águeda and the low plain beyond, is the most atmospheric stretch.

things to do sight
A story
The walls of Ciudad Rodrigo were tested repeatedly during the Peninsular War. In January 1812 Wellington's troops breached them in a night assault, storming two gaps that had been blasted open by artillery. The ease of the assault surprised both sides — the French garrison had only 2,000 men defending a perimeter designed for a much larger force. The city was awarded the title "Heroica" by the Spanish government, and Wellington was made Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo by the Spanish Crown, a title his descendants still hold.