Page 400 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

398  CENTR AL SP AIN

Windmills on the ridge above Consuegra, overlooking the plains of La Mancha
t Tembleque u Campo de the birthplace of Dulcinea, Don
Toledo. * 2,300. n Plaza Mayor 1, Criptana Quixote’s sweetheart. The Casa
925 14 55 53. ( Wed. _ Jesús de Ciudad Real. * 14,800. £ n Calle de Dulcinea, the home of Doña
Nazareno (23–27 Aug). Rocinante 39, 926 56 22 31 (closed Ana Martínez Zarco, on whom
∑ turismocastillalamancha.es Mon & Sun pm). ( Tue. _ Virgen Dulcinea was allegedly based,
de Crip tana (Easter Mon), Cristos de has been refurbished in its
The stone Plaza Mayor (see p31) Villejos (first Thu in Aug), Ferias (23–28 original 16th-century style.
at Tembleque dates from the Aug). ∑ campodecriptana.es The French army allegedly
17th century. It is decorated refused to attack the
with the red cross of the Knights Ten windmills stand on a village during the War of
Hospitallers, the military order hillcrest in the town. Three are In dependence (see pp66–7).
which once ruled the town. 16th-century and have their
original machinery intact. One P Casa de Dulcinea
Environs is the tourist information office, Tel 925 19 72 88. Open Tue–Sun.
Ocaña, 30 km (20 miles) north and three others are museums. & (free Sat & Sun). 7
of Tembleque, centres on the
huge yet elegant, late 18th- Environs
century plaza mayor, one of the More windmills stand above o Belmonte
largest town squares in Spain, Alcázar de San Juan and Mota Cuenca. * 2,200. @ n Avenida
after Madrid and Salamanca. del Cuervo, a good place to buy Luis Pinedo, 627 406 680. ( Mon.
queso manchego, local sheep’s _ San Bartolomé (24 Aug), Virgen
cheese (see p343). de Gracia (Sep). ∑ turismocastilla
y Consuegra lamancha.es
Toledo. * 11,000. @ n Avenida i El Toboso
Castilla-La Mancha, 925 59 31 18. Belmonte’s magnificent
( Sat. _ Consuegra Medieval Toledo. * 2,200. n Calle Daoíz y 15th-century castle (see p348)
(mid-Aug), La Rosa de Azafrán (last Velarde s/n, 925 56 82 26 (closed is one of the best preserved in
weekend Oct). Mon). ( Wed. _ Carnival (17–20 the region. It was built by Juan
Jan), Cervantes Day (23 Apr), San Pacheco, Marquis of Villena,
Consuegra’s 11 windmills (see Agustín (27–30 Aug). ∑ eltoboso.es after Enrique IV gave him the
p31) and restored castle stand town in 1456. Inside it has dec-
on a ridge, overlooking the Of all the villages of La Mancha orative carved coffered ceilings,
plains of La Mancha. One wind- claiming links to Don Quixote, and Mudéjar plaster work. The
mill is set in motion every year El Toboso has the clearest ties. collegiate church is especially
during the town’s festival to It was chosen by Cervantes as remarkable for its richly
celebrate the autumn harvest
of saffron (see p342). During the
fiesta, pickers compete to see
who can strip petals from the
saffron crocus the fastest.
Environs
About 4 km (2 miles) from
Consuegra, on the road to
Urda, is a Roman dam. An old
restaurant at Puerto Lápice, off
the A4 20 km (13 miles) south
of Consuegra, claims to be the
inn in which Don Quixote was
“knighted” by the landlord. Belmonte’s splendid 15th-century castle
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp570–71 and pp595–7

398-399_EW_Spain.indd 398 26/09/17 11:02 am