“In a place in La Mancha, whose name I don’t want to remember, not long ago lived a hidalgo of those with a lance in a shipyard, an old shield, a skinny nag and a running greyhound.” This is probably the best known phrase in universal literature…
The introduction to the fun adventures of the best-known nobleman of all time: a man with a slim silhouette and a black mustache, who aspires to be a knight at all costs. Don Quixote de la Mancha leaves us memorable stories halfway between madness and lucidity, together with his faithful squire Sancho Panza and his horse Rocinante, who have as a backdrop a Spanish community unknown to many, and which hides some of the most captivating treasures of our geography.
Miguel de Cervantes, despite being born in Madrid, was a great connoisseur of Castilla La Mancha, a land he delved into thanks to his Madrid-Andalusia travels. Intriguing, full of history, with unique landscapes and a ‘five-fork’ gastronomy, we invite you to join us in the footsteps of Don Quixote de La Mancha through a unique and unrepeatable land, thanks to the one created by the . We leave this very moment… We hope you enjoy!
Toledo, the city of a thousand cultures and traditions… It has been the fundamental point of many events in our history and the birthplace of great artists such as El Greco and Garcilaso de La Vega. For this reason, our ‘Ruta del Quijote’ could not start in any other way. A walk through its steep streets will offer us a panoramic view of the beautiful city and will help us identify one of its jewels: the Alcázar. And we can not stop visiting both this place and its Cathedral, unique in the world. All the artistic styles in the history of Spain have passed through it: Gothic, Arab plasterwork, baroque influences, neoclassical… And all of them await you in Toledo.
The capital of La Mancha has housed a multitude of traditions within its walls, including the Jewish one, which still delights us today through the Jewish quarter and its unique Synagogues. Do you want to contemplate in front of you one of the best pictorial works from all over the world? Being in front of the Burial of the Count of Orgaz now, the masterpiece of El Greco, is possible in Toledo.
The first section of the route consists of 250 kilometers and passes through Mora, La Guardia, Alcázar de San Juan, El Toboso (the town of Dulcinea) and Belmonte, among others. Would you like to transport yourself to Roman times? In Mora you will have that feeling, while in La Guardia you will be able to contemplate fields of olive trees and wetlands, typical of the area, or do you prefer to recognize scenes described by Cervantes? In Campo de Criptana, El Toboso and Quintanar de la Orden you will feel like a character in the story.
You will seem to find yourself immersed in history… In Ossa de Montiel with the cave of Montesinos, one of the passages plus the novel is located. In this chapter, Don Quixote tells Sancho Panza about the magical visions he saw in the cave. San Clemente and Socuéllamos in Ciudad Real are two of his stops.
Try the exquisite aubergines from Almagro and dishes based on wild boar or partridge with Valdepeñas wine! All this awaits you in the third fourth section of the route. Its harmony? A good manchego cheese. You’ll love it…
But the province of Albacete is also an important part of this route, as it will offer you the chance to taste the rich, most traditional cuisine of La Mancha. Your most characteristic dish? The Galianos, cooked with cakes, game meat, ham, mushrooms, bay leaves and thyme. Also very popular are the atascaburras, the pickled partridge, the shepherd’s pot and the manchego ratatouille.
This seventh section of the Don Quixote route runs through the springs, rivers and lagoons of the region and contrasts with the image of a dry and arid Mancha. Tomelloso, Argamasilla de Alba and La Solana await you… Your route through Ciudad Real hides the treasures of Daimiel and Malagón and Puerto Lápice and the secrets of authentic Manchego cheese, wine and oil from the Montes de Toledo. Its last section will show you one of the most beautiful cities in Spain and its wonderful castle, today converted into the Parador Singüenza.
It also has plans for the most gourmets, for families, for those seeking relaxation, for adventurers and for friends. Which one do you choose? .