Castilla La Mancha, Spain
While a modern creation, the Spanish region of Castile-La Mancha has long historic roots. Much of what is in the modern region was grouped with Madrid in the old Spanish region of New Castile, but when Spain was re-organized into its current system of autonomous regions, Madrid was excluded and the rest of the La Mancha region was brought in. Despite the modern shake-up of its borders, some of the best-known places in Spain are in Castile-La Mancha. After all, Cervantes' Don Quixote is "the man from La Mancha" and the region was the battleground between Spanish crusaders and the Moors for much of the Middle Ages. It eventually became part of the Kingdom of Castile, and thus is very much a part of the Spanish heartland. Along with the modern region of Castile and Leon and the city of Madrid, the region makes up the very core of Spain.

A cityscape or skyline view of Toledo, Spain with the landmark Alcazar building on the horizonCastile-La Macha possesses desert-like countryside that served as the setting for many a spaghetti western and remains dotted with Don Quixote's windmills. The main attraction is the city of Toledo, sitting at the headwaters of the river Tagus. Toledo was founded by the Romans, seized first by the Visigoths and then the Moors and finally conquered by the Crusaders. Indeed, Toledo was such a gem to Christian Castile that it was the capital of Spain until the middle 16th century. In the Middle Ages the city was famous for its high quality steel, and a Toledo sword was a weapon that could be counted upon. Today, tourists enjoy wandering the marvellously well-preserved cobblestoned streets of the city's medieval district and taking insights like the 10th century Mosque of Cristo de la Luz and the city's huge, hilltop Gothic cathedral. Another noted and historic building is the Alcazar. The foundations date back to the Romans, with the current building dating to the 16th century. Today it is the home of the Spanish Army's official museum. The countryside around Toledo shows more signs of the city's place in the story of Spain's crusades, such as the Templar Castle of Malpica and the riverside Castle of San Servando.

Food in Castile-La Mancha is at once very Spanish, very regional and somewhat exotic. The local cuisine is dense with recipes for hearty, thick soups and stews. An example is the cocido madrileño, a stew packed with different meats and sausages and plenty of chickpeas. There is also the Arab-inspired pisto manchego, a sort of ratatouille made from red and green peppers, tomatoes and squash, plus optional onion, ham and/or eggs. Another dish is the el salpicon, made of minced veal with onion, garlic, parsley, pepper and tomato. The region is also the home of the famous Manchego cheese.

Castile-La Mancha is not especially well-connected with the rest of Europe, as it is serviced by only two very minor airports. Only Iberia and Air Berlin fly there. Even famous Toledo, the one-time capital of Spain, does not have a proper regional airport. From Madrid the entire region is well-connected by rail and by bus, which is the most convenient way to reach Toledo, but the best way to take in the dusty glory of La Mancha would be to rent a car.
A list of hotels in Toledo can be found HERE
A list of hotels in Guadalajara can be found HERE
A list of hotels in Ciudad Real can be found HERE
A list of hotels in Albacete can be found HERE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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