In the center of the Iberian Peninsula is a cozy corner of Spain - the birthplace of the book Don Quixote and the magnificent cheese of Manchego, a region with magnificent nature and ancient castles. The administrative center of Castile-La Mancha in Spain is the ancient and beautiful Toledo. This region is the real pride of Spain. Miraculously absorbing the Christian, Moorish and Jewish cultures, the locals created their own distinctive customs and traditions.
general review
Castile-La Mancha has always attracted numerous travelers. Some want to go along the roads of Don Quixote and see first-hand the endless fields with windmills, and someone is attracted by the ancient attractions of the region. Hundreds of species of birds constantly nest in nature reserves, some of which are especially protected, as they are on the verge of extinction. Numerous historical buildings on the territory of the region date back to the times of the Roman Empire, subsequently improved by the Moors, and later already actively used by the Spaniards. In the Middle Ages, along with religious campaigns, fortresses and castles began to be erected.
Holidays and festivals
In Castile-La Mancha, they are proud of their love for holidays and festivals, which combine Christian customs and pagan beliefs. The Easter multi-day carnival in Villarrobledo attracts residents from all over the region to take part in the march of mummers and listen to the songs of roaming musicians. Fair festivities in the city of Albacete attract tourists not only with their huge retail space, but also with a bullfight.
Spain is one of the centers of the fashion industry, therefore, in Castile-La Mancha, as in all other regions of the country, sales are held twice a year when you can buy branded goods at huge discounts.
Why visit the homeland of Don Quixote?
Terracotta plains with small hills, olive groves and vineyards - the region’s stunning landscapes are worth a look. Be sure to enjoy the aroma of local wine and enjoy the La Mancha cheese Manchego. And lovers of history and architecture will be delighted with the local cathedrals and castles.
When to visit Costilia La Mancha?
In the spring, visiting the region will give tourists a comfortable weather and the opportunity to enjoy flowering. In autumn it is no less comfortable to travel to the reserves and villages of the picturesque Spanish corner.
Culture features
The region of Castile-La Mancha is a synthesis of many cultures and religious movements, such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism. Earlier eras brought the ancient Roman and Visigothic traditions to the region. The Middle Ages were marked on the territory of La Mancha by religious wars, which contributed to the construction of defensive fortifications and castles. And now the locals are particularly religious. Castile-La Mancha - the place of wanderings of Don Quixote and the faithful Sancho Panso, this book hero is erected here in a cult and proud of the book descriptions of his region. These are windmills in the hills, and the house of Dulcinea in El Toboso and caves in Las Lagunas de Ruidera.
What is worth seeing?
The sights of Castile-La Mancha (Spain) are diverse and they are all worthy of attention, but we will highlight only some of the most interesting, according to tourists.
- The city of Toledo was once the capital of Spain. This is a small old town with narrow streets, where the cathedrals stand next to the mosques. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here is the Alcazar fortress, built on the site of Roman, Visigothic and Arab fortresses, which was supposed to be the residence of the kings, but the capital was moved to Madrid. The castle in the style of the late Renaissance was the residence of the dowager queens. Later, an infantry academy was located here, and now the palace has a library of the region and a museum of military art. The palace is an important attraction of Spain.
- The railway station in Toledo, a major traffic intersection, impresses with its distinctive Arabic style.
- In Toledo, in a small and seemingly unremarkable church, the magnificent canvas of the famous El Greco "Burial of Count Orgas", written especially for this church, is stored.
- The monastery complex of San Juan de los Reyes, despite the external modesty, is unusually beautiful inside, its cozy and compact courtyard will leave an amazing impression.
- The complex of windmills near the town of Campo de Criptana is shrouded with special romance. This is the real pride of the region, whose look enthralls any tourist. And the view of the city in the rock - Cuenca, will amaze anyone from just one type of hanging houses. The main attraction of the town is the openwork bridge of San Pablo, hanging over the abyss. Guadalajara has a beautiful palace complex, dotted with decorative lace elements.
The main attractions
So, what is so remarkable in Toledo, by the way, a great place for such now popular photo shoots:
- Alcazar Castle;
- St. Mary's Cathedral;
- Ancient medieval streets.
Other interesting places
- multi-kilometer fortification with fortress towers;
- castles New and Old Calatrava, Bolaños de Calatrava, St. John and Salvierra;
- Don Quixote Museum.
Castile-La Mancha has many small towns saturated with cultural and historical monuments. Among them are Balmont and Calatrava da Nueva, where the oldest castles of Spain are located. The unusually picturesque rocky village of Alcala del Jucar is a monument of culture and history of Spain. And, of course, Cuenca, Sigüenza and Almagro.
Things to do?
Based on the opinions of many travelers, the following things can be distinguished, which simply need to be done by visiting these beautiful places:
- Of course, walk the routes of the fabulous Don Quixote in the pleasant company of your Sancho Panso.
- Take a walk along the ruined but mysteriously beautiful streets of the Jewish quarter.
- In the Cathedral in Toledo, think about life in front of the figure of the Virgin Mary.
- On the fortress wall of Alcazar, imagine yourself as the defender of an ancient fortress.
- Feel the incredible power and power of the windmills at Campo de Criptan.
- Overcome your fear by standing on the bridge over the abyss in Cuenca and marvel at the courage of locals living in hanging houses, and later visit the local museum of abstraction.
- Enjoy on a hot day the peace and quiet of the courtyard at the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo.
- Admire the picture of El Greco stored in the church of Sao Tome. By the way, the canvas never left the church.
- To come to the railway station in Toledo not as a passenger, but in order to enjoy the beauty of the building.
- Take a walk through the spacious and rich halls of the palace complex in Guadalajara.
- Make beautiful photographs as a keepsake, walking along the ancient and mysterious streets of Toledo and drop in at local museums.
- Walk along the 5 old, but solidly built fortresses created during the Reconquista in Ciudad Real.
- Visit the natural wonder of Spain, the lakes and lagoons of Las Lagunas de Ruidera.
- Feel the whole romanticism of the windmills in Consuegra.
- Taste the local Manchego cheese with a delicious La Mancha wine. Winemaking in Castile-La Manche is considered one of the main industries.
- Admire the beauty of the city of Alcalá del Jucar, enjoying a beer in the local river cafe.
- Conduct a study of the Roman settlement of Valeria.
University
The University of Castile-La Mancha (Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, UCLM) consists of four campuses located in different places in the region. The campus of Albacete houses the faculties of law, economics, and medicine. Also there are teacher training and polytechnic colleges. This campus also includes the Botanical Garden, the Biomedical Research Center and the hospital. University competitions are held on the campus of Cuenque, and in summer there are international sports camps. There is also an assembly hall, a library and faculties of fine arts and pedagogical sciences. Law students, physiotherapists, and future professional athletes study at the Toledo Campus, as well as retraining centers. The Ciudad Real campus is the largest and includes administration facilities and the departments of chemistry, geology, philology and a polytechnic center.
The university infrastructure is extremely developed. The library includes rich bookstores. It stores scientific and periodicals, as well as a large number of electronic books. For students, there are excellent sports grounds for tennis, golf, judo, basketball, football, fencing and many other sports. The university has a support center for students with disabilities, vocational guidance centers that solve employment problems, and the university provides significant social assistance. In particular, the university has its own places to accommodate foreign students and provides significant assistance in finding housing near the place of study for its students.
Comments of tourists
Many travelers before traveling to this region of Spain presented it as an endless plain, scorched by the sun. But in reality, everything turned out to be completely different. Most tourists recommend visiting La Mancha in the fall. October and November are the most comfortable months for walking and sightseeing. In the spring, you can enjoy the picturesque beauties of awakening nature. Castile-La Mancha is famous for its amazing beauty of waterfalls, flowering meadows, fragrant fields, mountain streams. In the spring you can get to the Easter holiday. Photo of Castile-La Mancha in the spring is striking in its bright colors. However, it should be borne in mind that in spring the weather is less predictable and it often rains.
A budget tourist can easily afford to visit the homeland of Don Quixote in the winter. Housing prices during this period are low, the weather is stable, without rain, the air temperature is quite comfortable for walking. The coldest months are December, January. But even in this period, the air temperature does not fall below 8 degrees. Sightseeing is recommended to start with the capital of Toledo, although in the vicinity there are many interesting things.