Castile-La Mancha

Don Quixote’s homeland

The windmills of Campo de Criptana are said to have served as the inspiration for the adventures of Don Quixote.

(Bild: Val Bakhtin)

Castile-La Mancha, the home of the tragic hero Don Quixote, is still one of the lesser-known parts of Spain. But single ladies may even find happiness in love with a simple pin in the former capital of the country, Toledo.

Don Quixote de La Mancha: the "Knight of the Sad Countenance". Every child knows him and his adventures - or at least the proverbial battle against the windmills. These windmills can still be found today in the Spanish region of Castilla-La Mancha, south of Madrid. They are said to be the ones on the hill of Campo de Criptana, which feature in Cervantes' novel, but the last of their kind are also preserved in many other villages. Don Quixote is omnipresent when traveling through this area.

Breathtaking landscape

(Bild: Konstantin Kalishko)

UNESCO cultural heritage in Toledo and Cuenca
But let's start in Toledo, the capital of the region, which was actually the capital of Spain from 589 to 1562. Today, around 15,000 inhabitants live in the old town, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. As you stroll through the narrow, sometimes steep cobbled streets, the history of this city and its inhabitants over the course of time becomes clear: Romans, Visigoths, Jews, Moors, Christians.

Sights are lined up one after the other here. Of course, there is no way around the imposing Gothic cathedral - the second largest cathedral in Spain. Its first stone was laid in 1226 and it was completed in 1492. The interior is a cross-section of eras: Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. The sacristy contains paintings by Goya, Titian, Caravaggio - and of course El Greco. The painter spent and worked in Spain for many years before he died in Toledo in 1614. For this reason, most of his works can be seen here in the city. In addition to the churches, the two synagogues Santa Maria la Blanca and El Transito as well as the Cristo de la Luz mosque tell of the city's varied religious history.

Marzipan from Toledo - a must for those with a sweet tooth

(Bild: Elisabeth Salvador)

And then there's Don Quixote again. This time in a bakery, 3.6 meters tall, weighing 600 kilos and made of marzipan. Marzipan from Toledo has a long tradition. In 1212, the nuns from San Clemente began producing it to feed the poor population of the area. The nuns still produce and sell the delicious sweet treat, which is not quite as sweet as we are used to at home, in a small store in the convent - but also online.

Resting like Don Quixote in a venta
Single ladies, watch out: A detour to Calle de Alfileritos might pay off if you're looking for a partner. Here you will find a niche with an image of a saint, protected by a pane of glass with a small hole in it. An old legend says that single women who throw a pin into the hole will meet someone and get married soon afterwards. So we put in the pin and wait to see if anything happens

When you're traveling, you have to take a break from time to time. What could be better than the Venta del Quijote in Puerto Lapice? A rest stop that was once frequented by exhausted travelers and their animals. There is also a small, fine Don Quixote museum here - and of course you can also enjoy some culinary refreshments.

INFO

GENERAL INFORMATION:
www.spain.info

High-speed trains from Madrid to Castilla-La Mancha: www.venta.renfe.com

• Restaurant tips:
  Cuenca:www.restaurantecasascolgadas.com
  Toledo: www.asadorpalenciadelara.es
• Offer: 5 days Castilla & La Mancha - In the footsteps of Don Quixote. Incl. flight, hotel, half board, entrance fees and sightseeing, tour guide, € 1699,- p. p. (in double room) Info and details: Tel.: [phone]
  [e-mail] and in all RAIFFEISEN and GEO travel agencies

The cheesy specialty of the region is "Manchego" - only milk from Manchego sheep may be used and the processing steps are clearly defined. The ideal accompaniment to this would be a fine wine, which can certainly be found here. Castilla-La Mancha is the largest wine-growing region in the world. Around half of all wines in Spain are produced here.

You can almost be intoxicated by the sight of the rock of Cuenca, which was first settled in the 8th century. Where once stood a fortress built by the Moors, the historic old town of Cuenca now towers above two deep ravines and offers a breathtaking view. The "hanging houses", Casas Colgadas, are probably the best-known landmark of the old town (UNESCO World Heritage Site), where around 2000 people still live. During the week it is correspondingly quiet here, but at the weekend it gets busier. This is when many visitors from Madrid or Toledo come to the city, which boasts Spain's first Gothic cathedral and an exciting museum of abstract art. The Spaniards themselves also know where the country's particularly beautiful spots are worth seeing.