by It is the story every summer of the tourists “over the top” Spain. But most of its 85 million annual visitors go to a handful of places: Majorca, Ibiza, the Canary Islands, Barcelona… It’s easy to get off the beaten track and explore undiscovered Spain. I have traveled all over that vast country for the past 30 years, and there is one region that I enjoy visiting more than any other. If you’re looking for adventure, La Mancha is the place to go.
On the face of it, La Mancha seems like an unlikely holiday destination. The terrain is flat and mostly featureless. They are few landmarks. It is far from the sea, and the weather is extreme – baking hot in summer, cold in winter. But there is something about the place that draws you in. Its villages are rugged and authentic, almost untouched by tourism. In La Mancha, you feel like you are really traveling. This is the real Spain.
I first came here 20 years ago, on the trail of Don Quixote. It was the 400th anniversary of Cervantes’ groundbreaking novel, and the Spanish tourist board had devised a Ruta de Don Quixote to attract more visitors to La Mancha. Of course, the whole concept was absurd. No one knows why Cervantes set his saga here, but he was probably taking the mickey. Then, as now, La Mancha was further back, in the middle of nowhere. Don Quixote is a mad old man who pretends to be children and is a knight in shining armor. Calling him The Lord of No Man’s Land is like Don Quixote de la Mancha.
As I wandered around this murky backwater, lost and tired and lonely, I began to feel a lot like Don Quixote, a lonely man lured in search of shadows. Don Quixote is very patient. His odyssey is a wild goose chase. Would my journey along this road to nowhere turn out to be a fool’s errand too?
The novel has very few specific settings so the Ruta de Don Quixote, like the book, is very fancy. But when you try to follow the path of Don Quixote (a quixotic environment, if ever there was one) and just enjoy the ride and the scenery, La Mancha comes alive. This harsh landscape has a stark, forbidding beauty, and there are some wonderful historic towns dotted around these hinterlands. It’s great to find somewhere so close to home where you feel like a traveler rather than a tourist – a place where British visitors are rare. I have been back several times since then and I like it more every time I go. A road trip is the best way to see La Mancha. Ten days should cover it. Here’s how to go about it, and what to do along the way.
Finding good hotels in La Mancha can be a bit hit and miss. Before you go, I suggest you book rooms at the Paradors in Toledo, Almagro, Alarcón and Cuenca – in that order. I would recommend you stay two nights in each of them. Paradors are state-run smart hotels, often housed in ancient buildings. Popular with Spanish travelers, these four are particularly atmospheric.
It’s easy to get there. Fly to Madrid and hire a car at the airport. From there it is 60 miles to Toledo, the medieval capital of Spain and the gateway to La Mancha. Nestled on a steep hill overlooking the sun-scorched plain, it’s a great place to hike. The greatest thrill is to see the mesmeric paintings of El Greco, who made many of his best works of art here. His paintings are in many mansions, churches and museums around Toledo. A walking tour around these centers is a great way to get to know the city.
After two nights in Toledo, you’ll be ready to hit the road again. After a late, leisurely breakfast, drive to Consuegra, 40 miles south. The row of 11 white windmills, high above the town, is one of the most iconic sights in Spain, the characteristic image of La Mancha. The sleepy town below is pleasant and unpretentious. The Plaza Mayor is a good place for lunch.
After lunch, drive on, another 55 miles south, to Almagro. During the 16th century, Almagro was a rich and important place, but not much has happened here since then, and so much of its Renaissance architecture has survived. Almagro’s crowning glory is the Coral de las Comedias, a perfectly preserved 16th-century theater, an ornate relic of Spain’s Golden Age.
Almagro is a convenient base for a day trip to Valdepeñas, about 25 miles away. This handsome town is the heart of La Mancha’s booming wine trade. There are plenty of bodegas around town where you can do a tasting, and buy a few bottles to take away. If you’re here in September, don’t miss the town’s annual wine festival (the Museo del Vino is worth a visit, at any time of the year). The local Tempranillo was seen as a cheap and cheerful table wine, but the quality has greatly increased in recent years.
After two nights in Almagro, it’s time to head east, 120 miles, all the way to Alarcón – a small citadel perched on a narrow promontory, protected by the deep gorge of the Rio Júcar. It is wild, remote and windy, like a scene from El Cid. It is a peaceful place today, but has a long and violent history. It was inhabited by the Celts, and then by the Romans, and then by the Moors, who built the ancient castle in its center, back in the 8th century. The Christians built the castle in 1085, it was taken again by the Moors, then retaken by the Christians, for this good time, in 1184. Today, it is a cozy Parador. The fortified town is tiny, but has lots of nice places to eat and drink.
The final destination is Cuenca, 50 miles north of Alarcón. It is a magnificent city, perched on top of a cliff, surrounded by mountain peaks. Some of the best views are at the Parade, housed in a converted convent. An even more dramatic sight is the Museo de Arte Abstracto, located in one of the ‘hanging houses’ that cling to the edge of the cliff. Under the fascist tyranny of Franco figure painting was a dangerous business, so abstraction became a refuge for dissident artists. This museum displays a fine selection of their work.
From Cuenca it is 100 miles straight west to Madrid airport. It was my last night in La Mancha and I was in no rush to go home. I walked around town without a plan, without thinking about where I was going, and then the rain came down, the first rain here in weeks. It felt divine. Healthy and happy, I entered a cervecería. There was a bull fight on TV. Standing room only. The place was packed. I pushed to the bar and ordered a beer and tried to pay for it, but the barman smiled and shook his head. He could see that I would come a long way. I was welcome here. This one was on the house.
Well, that’s La Mancha – at least, what I’ve seen of it. If you go, you will make your own discoveries. You’ll probably have a few mishaps too – it’s that kind of place. There are a lot of dead ends, one horse towns that you would never want to visit, but the special stuff is really special, things you will remember for life. I’ve had more comfortable holidays in other parts of Spain, but La Mancha is where I’ve had the best adventures. I can’t wait to go again.
