Subscribe To This Site

Castilla-La Mancha

New Castile and the Soul of Spain

Located on the high interior plain known as La Meseta, the five provinces that make up Castilla-La Mancha - Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara, Albacete and Toledo - are not only the geographical heart of Spain but also comprise its cultural soul.

The windmills that Don Quijote fought with are still there, and one often feels like a time traveller going back to the period of the founding of Modern Spain.

The region used to be known as New Castile and still recalls the medieval conquest south of the of the peninsula.

A Sense of History

Castilla-La Mancha's fame is due to the adventures of Don Quijote, and any lover of literature and history will be delighted to retread his steps along the 'Route of Don Quijote'.

The visitor is taken back to a time when the region was a frontier zone, where Christians, Moors and Jews mixed, and will be transported back to a forgotten age by the castles, windmills, saffron fields and vineyards to be found along the way.

Another excursion that is well-worth making is the Ruta de los Pueblos Negros - the Route of the Black Villages - which take their name from the use of slate in the traditional architecture.

Magical Cities

Toledo - the former capital of Spain - is certainly one of Spain's finest architectural treasures.

Its magnificent monuments. particularly from Moorish, Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance periods, make the whole city a relic from a bygone age. Toledo was also the hometown of the great painter, El Greco.

Cuenca is an enchanting medieval city - declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO - the famous "Hanging Houses", the Gothic cathedral and the Museum of Abstract Art are a must for any visitor.

Nearby are a number of natural reserves, including Ciudad Encantada -the Enchanted City - where erosion has formed bizarre shapes in the rock.

Guadalajara boasts the Mudejar style church Santa Maria la Mayor, the 15th century palace Duque del Infantado, the Moorish town-walls and the 10th century bridge over Henares river. And not to be missed is the nearby medieval town Siguenza, with its great fortress and cathedral.

Whilst Ciudad Real is the heart of Don Quijote country - it was at Campo de Criptana where he fought the windmills - and the Lagunas de Ruidera are one of the most beautiful spots in the region.

Arts and Crafts

I have to say that I can't include Albacete amongst Castilla-La Mancha's magical cities - it's modern, functional and quite industrial.

However, knife-making - the local industry - does go back to medieval times and there are a number of museums in the city that trace the industry's origins.

Similarly, the local industry of Toledo is sword-making and the museums of the one-time capital of Spain make clear the historical connections between craft and conquest.

Castilian knives and swords are wonderful souvenirs to take back from Castilla-La Mancha, as are the sturdy ceramics and exquisite embroidery so typical of the region.

So What's On The Menu?

Talk of food takes us back to Don Quijote again. In the book, Cervantes refers to some 150 recipes and typical dishes of Castilian and Manchegan cooking, such as duelos y quebrantos, pisto manchego and the famous migas, and they're all available in restaurants today.

Castilla-La Mancha cuisine consists of a wide variety of tasty traditional dishes which are surprisingly easy to make. The basis of the style is in the great variety of fruit and vegetables grown in the region without forgetting excellent game meat, as hunting is particularly popular in the region.

Castilla-La Mancha is also famous for wines - my favourite is Valdepeñas, cheeses - Queso Manchego is almost the Spanish equivalent of cheddar in terms of popularity and desserts - I absolutely adore Arroz Frito!

Despite the traditional character of regional cooking, there are now many restaurants in the region that have added a touch of creativity and quality to the traditional fare and an increasing number are included in the prestigious Michelin Guides. El Bohio in Illescas and Las Rejas in Las Pedroneras immediately come to mind but with five restaurants in the 2007 guide Almansa definitely has to be the place to stop for food.

In The Kitchens of Castile

Given that it's a little bit off the beaten tourist track, it's difficult to find a well-researched guidebook to Castilla-La Mancha.

Being a bookworm I can't help but recommend Don Quijote, but a book that combines my love of food with a wealth of local information is 'In The Kitchens of Castile'.

For more general information, you can't go far wrong with the Rough Guide To Spain - it has excellent sections on all the regions. You'll also find a lot of useful brochures at local tourist offices - especially in Toledo.

European visitors should Click Here for Books on Castilla-La Mancha and other parts of Spain and visitors from other parts of the world Click Here for our Us/International BookStore

Getting To Castilla-La Mancha

Castilla-La Mancha has two airports - one at Albacete (ABC), which is small with limited services, and another at Ciudad Real (CQM), which is under construction - I would recommend flying into Madrid Barajas which is much larger than the other Madrid Airports - Cuatro Vientos or Torrejón de Ardoz.

Use the Search Box below to check for flights to Madrid from all the major British from major carriers, including Airports Airline Network, Avro, Flight.co.uk, Thomas Cook and Virgin Atlantic.

Are You Looking For Something In Particular?
Please Type In Your Keywords To Search Spain-Football.Org Or Why Not Post A Question On The Forum?

Albacete Province | Cuenca Province | Ciudad Real Province | Guadalajara Province | Toledo Province

Access Airports
Madrid-Barajas Airport

Football Clubs:
Albacete Balompie

Books and Guides to Castile:
On Amazon.co.uk | On Amazon.Com

Return To Regions of Spain

Return To HomePage