In southern Extremadura, between Tierra de Barros and the Zafra-Río Bodión region, lies Fuente del Maestre. With just over six thousand inhabitants, this small municipality has managed to preserve its essence while taking part in modern initiatives that give visibility to its heritage. Recently it was selected as a finalist in Ferrero Rocher’s campaign “Together We Shine More 2025,” highlighting its visibility beyond Extremadura.
The fame of Fuente del Maestre does not lie only in its heritage, but also in its gastronomic tradition. Among its most popular sweets are the wind doughnuts. Undoubtedly, the emblem of its traditional pastry.
Fuente del Maestre and Ferrero Rocher
On December 8, 2025, the official portal of the Fuente del Maestre Town Hall announced that this town had been selected as a finalist in Ferrero Rocher’s “Together We Shine More 2025” campaign. This is an opportunity to publicize Fuente del Maestre, highlighting its heritage and customs.
Fuente del Maestre is located in the province of Badajoz, in the autonomous community of Extremadura. It belongs to the Zafra–Río Bodión comarca. Geographically it stands at the foot of the San Jorge mountain range. The municipality covers an area of around 180 square kilometers and has a population of 6,900 inhabitants.
Heritage of the Town
It boasts a monumental legacy designated as a Bien de Interés Cultural – Historic Ensemble, by the Junta de Extremadura in 1998.
Among the most notable constructions stand out:
- Church of Our Lady of the Candelaria: built between the 15th and 16th centuries on the site of an older church dedicated to Santa María la Mayor. Its architecture is a fusion of Gothic-Mudéjar in the tower, Hispano-Flemish in the nave, and Renaissance in the apse and sacristy. Inside, the main altarpiece dates to the eighteenth century.
- Palace of the Grand Master: in Mudéjar style, this palace traces its origins to the period when the town belonged to the Order of Santiago.
- Old defensive wall: although the town was walled since the Middle Ages, today only a stretch of almost 200 meters remains, on Cava Street.
- Fuente del Corro: a Renaissance marble fountain mentioned already in the Ordinances of Charles V in 1527. After years buried underground, it was restored and brought back into public use in 1989.
Wind Doughnuts
One of the icons of the local gastronomy in Fuente del Maestre are the so-called wind doughnuts. Known across the region, they stand out for their crunchy texture, hollow interior, and sweet flavor, often enriched with anise.
@mundo_de_paso To the south of Badajoz lies Fuente del Maestre, a small town designated as a Bien de Interés Cultural with the status of Historic Ensemble for its archaeological, historical, and monumental wealth. I’m sharing a first glimpse of this place. And you, have you visited it? #badajoz #extremadura #history #cultural #monuments #tourism #toVisit #towns #churches #plazas #Spain Orobroy – Dorantes
Among its products they stand out not only the doughnuts but also shortbreads (mantecados), cookies (perrunillas), muffins (magdalenas), buns (bollas), almond pastries (pastas de almendra), and chocolate-dipped rings, all artisan-made. Although wind doughnuts have a broader tradition in Extremadura and other communities, in Fuente del Maestre this sweet has become a local identity marker.
The cultural life of Fuente del Maestre is vibrant and active. For instance, the local choir and dance group, Vive Lo Nuestro, recently participated in a folk festival in Asturias, carrying its traditions beyond Extremadura. Moreover, thanks to its historic heritage, Fuente del Maestre presents itself as an attractive destination for rural tourism.
Visiting Fuente del Maestre is to step into centuries of history, walk along medieval walls, admire Renaissance churches and Mudéjar palaces, savor artisanal sweets, and experience the hospitality of a town that has learned to reinvent itself without forgetting its roots. If one day you decide to embark on rural tourism or a cultural getaway in Extremadura, Fuente del Maestre surely deserves to be part of your itinerary.
