Serving as the setting for Miguel de Cervantes’ novel “Don Quixote”, Castilla La Mancha is an autonomous community south of Madrid. It’s home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Toledo, vineyard-dotted plains and rugged mountain ranges that provide habitat for rare and threatened wildlife species.
Things to do in Castilla-La Mancha
Whether you want to see paintings by El Greco, trek through enchanting landscapes or spot rare European birds, you’ll find all of that and more in Castilla La Mancha.
See Toledo’s architectural wonders. On a hill overlooking the plains of Castilla La Mancha is the ancient city of Toledo, which centres around a beautifully preserved walled town with architectural monuments reflecting Arab, Jewish and Christian influences. Marvel at the square-shaped mosque of Mezquita Cristo de la Luz and visit El Alcazar’s military museum before gazing up at the painted dome of the Catedral Primada.
Explore Parque Natural de la Serranía de Cuenca. Renowned for its unique rock formations and charming mountain villages, Parque Natural de la Serranía de Cuenca is a former hunting reserve home to roe deer, mountain goats and European mouflons. Interpretive trails access the Enchanted Site, a Natural Site of National Interest that has been sculpted over thousands of years by the erosive powers of wind and water.
Birdwatch in Parque Nacional de Cabañeros. Located between the Estena and Bullaque rivers, Parque Nacional de Cabañeros encompasses one of Spain’s largest surviving tracts of Iberian Mediterranean forest. In addition to providing a habitat for otters and red deer, it’s a Special Protection Area for birdlife. Rare black storks and threatened Spanish imperial eagles have been spotted here, as have breeding populations of Eurasian black vultures.
Getting around Castilla-La Mancha
Adolfo Suarez Madrid–Barajas Airport is around 1.5 hours’ drive from Castilla La Mancha and has flights to destinations across the globe. Long-distance and commuter trains travel through Castilla La Mancha while buses serve the community’s smaller towns and villages. Renting a car is the most convenient way of exploring Castilla La Mancha.