The Plaza Mayor is the social centre of Cáceres, a large arcaded square at the foot of the old town walls where the cafes and bars fill their terraces every evening from spring through autumn. It is not the most beautiful plaza in Spain — the mix of centuries and building heights is a little unresolved — but it is one of the most alive, with the Torre del Bujaco anchoring one corner and the arched gate into the Ciudad Monumental directly behind it.
The square has been the site of markets, executions, bullfights, and political rallies at various points in its history. Today it functions primarily as a meeting place, a terrace cafe zone, and the point from which most visitors enter the old town. The evening paseo fills the square from around 8pm; families, couples, and groups of all ages circulate in the warm air.
Late evening, after 10pm, when the day-trippers have gone and the square belongs to the locals, is when the Plaza Mayor is at its best. The bars stay open past midnight and the old town walls behind are lit in gold.