Central Spain

Castile/La Mancha

To the south of Madrid is the ancient Spanish capital of Toledo. Rising above the plains and a gorge of the Rio Tajo, the city is dominated by the magnificent cathedral and Alcazar. The town seems tortured by streets as narrow as the steel blades for which it is famous. Toledo is justly proud of its collection of paintings by El Greco, who lived and painted here. El Greco’s most famous painting, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, is preserved in the Santo Tomé ChurchGuadalajara, capital of the province of the same name, is situated northeast of the capital, on the Rio Henares. The provincial capital of Ciudad Real is the chief town in the La Mancha region, the home of Don Quixote. There are many places in the surrounding area associated with Don Quixote, including Campo de Criptana, believed to be the setting for his fight with the windmills. Cuenca, also a provincial capital, is famous for its hanging houses. It is one of the most attractive of Spain’s medieval towns and the Gothic cathedral is particularly richly decorated. The nearby countryside includes woods, lakes, spectacular caves, towering mountains and valleys, many with fortified towns and villages clinging to their sides. Albacete is the center of a wine-producing region.

Extremadura

This region consists of the provinces of Cáceres and Badajoz. Around 48km away is the walled town of Trujillo, birthplace of the conquistador, Francisco Pizarro.

Castile la Vieja

Superbly situated on a plain overlooked by the Sierra de Gredos, Avila is the highest provincial capital in the country. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is famous for its perfectly preserved 11th-century walls and as the birthplace of the 16th-century mystic, St Teresa. Walking the ramparts is the most obvious attraction. The sights most closely associated with St Teresa are the 17th-century Convent now named in her honor. Segovia is. The industrial city of Valladolid, capital of a province rich in castles and other ancient buildings, is famous for the Holy Week Procession at Easter and the Ferias Mayores (Great Fairs) in September.

León

The lively city of León was recaptured from the Moors in 850, the cathedral is one of the finest examples of the Gothic style in the country and boasts some outstanding 13th-century stained glass. There are several places of interest within easy reach of León, including the spectacular Puerto de Pajares, Benavente and the attractive region around Astorga, a town which, like other towns in the region, was a stopping point on the Way of St James. The southernmost province of León, Salamanca, has as its capital the ancient university town of the same name, awarded the title of ‘European City of Culture’ in 2002. It is situated on the swiftly flowing Tormes River and has many superb Renaissance buildings, weathered to a golden-brown hue.

La Rioja

This region is famous for its vineyards. The capital, Logroño, is in the center of the region. It is a district with a great historical past; the origins of poetry in the Castilian language lie here and it contains the channel of a European stream of culture – the Road to Santiago.