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© Lonely Planet Publications
272
Castilla-La Mancha
CASTILLA-LA MANCHA
Castilla-La Mancha acts as a natural buffer between the rich industrialism of northern Spain
and Moorish, tourist-driven Andalucía. The landscape has a real Tolkienesque quality: undulating plains of rich henna-coloured earth, neatly striped and spotted with olive groves,
golden wheat fields and grapevines, stretching to a horizon you never seem to reach. The
story-book quality is intensified by the presence of solitary windmills and abundant (mostly
ruined) castles. There are quiet mountainous stretches here as well, including the Montes
de Toledo and the thickly carpeted valleys around Alcalá del Júcar.
The area’s best-known city is glorious Toledo, Spain’s spiritual capital and an open-air museum of medieval buildings and cultural sights. Cuenca is another wondrous place, seemingly
about to topple off its eagle’s-eyrie perch high above a gorge. In lovely Sigüenza, buildings
and church spires are piled high on a hill, topped by a castle like a cherry on the cake. Further
south is Almagro, home to one of Spain’s more unusual and striking main squares.
Castilla-La Mancha is most famous as the home of the potty, errant and idealistic La Manchan
knight Don Quijote. You can follow in his footsteps on the Quijote pilgrim trail. Quijote’s windmills are everywhere to be seen, most evocatively in Consuegra and Campo de Criptana.
On a more sensory level, this is the region where saffron is grown, and it’s also the capital
of Spain’s unrivalled Manchego cheese. The latter makes the perfect accompaniment to the
local wines – Spain’s largest vineyard is located here.
HIGHLIGHTS
„ Stroll the tangle of medieval streets,
exploring the museums and monuments,
in Toledo (opposite)
„ Revel in the unspoilt beauty of the
Parque Natural de las Lagunas de Ruidera (p288), with its crystal-clear turquoise
lakes
Cuenca
Toledo
„ Take the Don Quijote shot of the wind-
mills overlooking Consuegra (p289)
Consuegra
„ Kick back with a beer at a riverside bar
beneath the cascade of houses in pretty
Alcalá del Júcar (p291)
Alcalá del Júcar
Parque Natural de
las Lagunas de Ruidera
„ Visit the exceptional Museo de Arte
Abstracto Español (p293), housed in one
of Cuenca’s extraordinary hanging houses
„ AREA: 79,462 SQ KM
„ AVE SUMMER TEMP: HIGH
34°C, LOW 16°C
„ POP: 1.75 MILLION
lonelyplanet.com
T O L E D O • • H i s t o r y 273
CASTILLA-LA MANCHA
0
0
Cuéllar
Coca
VALLADOLID
N601
Sepúlveda
Duratón
Riaza
SEGOVIA
Turégano
Prádena
Carbonero el
A1
Mayor
Buitrago
Cotos
N501
AP6
San Pedro
del Arroyo
ÁVILA
Atienza
Imón
Río He
na
r
Olmedo
Alaejos
Cañizal
Berlanga
de Duero
Ayllón
Villacastín
60 km
30 miles
SORIA
N330
Fuendetodos
El Frasno
Santa
Calatayud
María de
Maluenda Cariñena
Belchite
la Huerta
ZARAGOZA
A2
Fuentes
de Jiloca N234
Medinaceli
Daroca
Sigüenza
Báguena
N211
es
GUADALAJARA
Torija
Cifuentes
Molina de
Aragón
Nacimiento
del Río Cuervo
Calamocha
Caminreal
Monreal del
Campo
Brihuega
Terzaga
de
Embalse de Peralejos
N240
Checa
Guadalajara
Entrepeñas las Truchas
Villarquemado TERUEL
Parque Natural
Azuqueca de Henares
Beteta
A6
del Alto Tajo
Cedrillas
El Barraco
Alcalá de Henares
Tragacete
Piedrahita
N234
Se
San Martín M501 MADRID
Torrejón de Ardoz Pastrana
rr
Albarracín
an
de Valdeiglesias
C500
Teruel
M300
í
Nuevo Baztán Embalse
ad
de Buendía N320 Huélamo
Mombeltran Almorox
eC
Ciudad
e
Escalona
ue
Candeleda Arenas
ch
Encantada
nc
de San
Pedro
Chinchón
er
Embalse
TOLEDO
b
a
Carranque
de la Toba
Al
A3
Aranjuez
Talavera
o
Ademuz
Cuenca
í
N401
Tarancón
Olias
R
N400
de la Reina
Val
de
N420
del Rey
Oropesa
Villar de
CASTELLÓN
Santo
CUENCA
Río
Olalla
A5
Ocaña
Santa
Cruz
N400
Domingo
DE LA
Ta
de la Zarza
El Puente
Talayuelas
jo
PLANA
San Lorenzo
Nambroca
Segóbriga
del Arzobispo
Toledo
Alcaudete La Puebla
de la Parrilla Almodóvar
Burguillos
Olivares
de
Jucar
Almonacid
de
Toledo
de la Jarade Montalbán
Los Navalmorales
Sinarcas
del Pinar
Toledo
Embalse
Mascaraque Quintanar
La Almarcha
Navahermosa de CM401
Sonseca
de Alarcón
Embalse de
CÁCERES
M
La Nava de
de la Villaescusa
Puerto de S
Orgaz
de Haro
Contreras
Ricomalillo de Tontes Los Yébenes
Orden
BelmonteHonrubia
Vincente
o
Utiel
Motilla del
Villafranca
Los Navalucillos ledo
Embalse
Alarcón
Palancar
de los El Toboso
Puerto de
Guadalupe
El Peral
Requena
del Torcón
Mota
Lasdel
Pedroñeras El Picazo
A3
Madridejos
Caballeros
San Vicente
Villanueva
Consuegra
Cuervo
Pedro
Camuñas
Sisante
Buñol
Cañamero
de la Jara
Río
Embalse
Muñoz San Clemente
Herencia
VALENCIA
Quintanar
Campo
de
X
Puerto
Lapice
u
Alcázar
de Cijara
Embalse
que
Alcázar
Tarazona de del Rey
Alcalá
r
Rí
Alborea
de SanCriptana
de Garcia Castilblanco
de San
la Mancha
del
Júcar
Fuente
Cofrentes
CasasJuan
de Sola
Juan
Villarrobledo
Jalance
Parque Nacional de el Fresno
Alcozarejas
Herrera
Mahora Ibáñez
Cubas
Jarafuel
las Tablas de Daimiel
r
Tomelloso
Teresa de
del Duque
Puebla de
Parque Natural de las
Río Júca
Embalse de
Cofrentes
Ayora
ío Piedrabuena
Don Rodrigo
Lagunas de Ruidera
Orellana
Daimiel
Gu
Albacete
Manzanares
Membrilla
adia Ciudad Real
Ruidera
Ossa de
na
BADAJOZ
Almansa
Montiel
Pozuelo de
A30 Montealegre
Almagro
Alhambra
Calatrava
Chinchilla
de
del Castillo
Cabeza
ALBACETE
Valdepeñas
Monte Aragón
Almadén Argamasilla
del Buey
Moral
Pozo Cañada
Villanueva
de Calatrava
Villahermosa
de
Calatrava
Caudete
Calzada
de los Infantes
Fuente-Álamo
Alcubillas Villanueva
de Calatrava
Puertollano
Tobarra Ontur
Yecla
Santa
rra z
Alcaraz
Santa Cruz de la Fuente
Villena
Sie lcara
Villapalacios
Eufemia
CIUDAD
de Mudela
Albatana
Vianos
A
Hellín
Elche
de
la
de Riópar
REAL
Sierra
Embalse de
Elda
El Viso
Guadalmena
Fuencaliente
Isso
Nacimiento
N322 Puerto de
ALICANTE
Alcaracejos
Pozoblanco
Arroyo del
í
o
Mundo
del
R
las Crucetas
Santa Elena
Ojanco
PeñarroyaBélmez
La Carolina
Crevillente
Pueblonuevo
El Yelmo
MURCIA Rí
Cieza
Embalse
JAÉN
o
ra Morena
(1809m)
limar Hornos
Albatera
del Jándula
Segura
Sier
uada
amor
G
A4
Villanueva del RevolcadoresRío Ben
Bailén
Río
CÓRDOBA
Arzobispo
Mula
(2001m)
ío Guadalquivir Linares
Río
Torreperogil
Montoro R
Barranda
El Moral
Murcia
Alcantarilla
Úbeda
Empanadas
Puebla de
Mengíbar
A30
A4
Córdoba
Don Fadrique
(2107m)
Librilla
Jódar
Cabañas
ALMERÍA
Torre
Jaén
A7
(2028m)
del Campo
Muñogalindo Ávila
M607
N403
N320
Barajas
Airport
R
TOLEDO
pop 55,100 / elev 655m
Toledo is Spain’s equivalent of a downsized
Rome. You don’t need a metro to cover the
city’s sights, only a pair of sturdy shoes.
Toledo’s labyrinth of narrow streets, plazas and inner patios is also reminiscent of
the medinas (towns) of Damascus, Cairo or
Morocco’s Fez, although the historic diversity of Romans, Jews and Muslims equals an
intriguing combination of synagogues and
churches, as well as mosques. The artistic
legacy bequeathed by the city’s former inhabitants is reflected in its cultural values,
as well as this mosaic of architecture. Add to
this a lofty setting, high above Río Tajo, and
it’s no surprise that Toledo is one of Spain’s
most-visited cities.
Toledo’s charms can be dampened if the
streets are choked with tour groups. Try to stay
till dusk, when the city returns to the locals and
the streets take on a moody, other-worldly air.
HISTORY
Although the Romans were the first to single
out this site as a strategic crossroads in Iberia,
by the 6th century Visigothic King Atanagild
had moved the site of his capital here from
Seville. Over time, endless feuds between
Visigothic nobles sent the kingdom into decline, resulting in the Muslims conquering
Toledo, with little difficulty, after crossing
the Strait of Gibraltar in 711.
CASTILLA-LA MANCHA
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Cabriel
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N110