The Don Quixote Route

You can start your visit on Calle Mayor, leading into a charming square, Plaza de Cervantes (you’ll see the curious old theatre space, the Corral de Comedias) and from there, on to the famous University. Next comes the main attraction, the Cervantes Birthplace House-Museum, a reconstruction of the house where the writer is believed to have been born and spent his childhood. You'll feel as if you're travelling back to the 16th and 17th centuries when you see this typical old house, with its kitchen, dining room, ladies' room and even a surgeon's office (the profession of Cervantes' father). You might also be able to attend one of the workshops or see one of the shows organised by this centre. By the way, the two statues at the entrance are the story's two main characters: Don Quixote and his squire, Sancho Panza. Fancy taking a selfie with them? After this special visit you can explore other sites in Alcalá, like the Cathedral and get your strength back by going out for tapas - order a drink here and you'll also get a delicious traditional tapa (included in the price). Then you can stay the night in Alcalá or travel to Madrid, which is 30 kilometres away.

But if you don’t have that much time, and you want to choose an iconic location associated with Cervantes in Madrid, there is one: the church and convent of Las Trinitarias Descalzas (Calle Lope de Vega, 18). The evidence suggests this might be the place where Cervantes and his wife are buried, so you can visit the funerary monument that has been erected in his honour, and read a plaque that includes an excerpt from one of the author's works: "Time is brief, anxieties grow,/ hopes diminish/ and despite all this,/ I conduct my life with my desire/ to live."There are plenty of other places associated with Cervantes in Madrid, such as Casa Alberto, a tavern in the building where Cervantes wrote The Travails of Persiles and Sigismunda and the second part of Don Quixote; the Sociedad Cervantina, located where the first edition of Don Quixote was printed in 1605; the National Library, which preserves a copy of the first edition of Don Quixote; and Plaza de España, with statues of the writer and his characters. 

Just half an hour’s drive from Madrid is the city of Toledo, an impressive World Heritage City, known as the city of three cultures because it is home to a stunning cathedral, mosques such as Cristo de la Luz and synagogues like El Tránsito (next to the interesting Sephardic Museum). This city is a place not to be missed. For a stunning view of the city, we suggest visiting the Mirador del Valle viewpoint.

We can assure you that you'll love climbing to the top of the hill and taking in all the different colours, the endless plain and these twelve windmills, which are some of the best preserved in Spain. They all have nicknames linked to Don Quixote, but one of the most important ones is "Sancho", because it still has all the 16th century machinery. If you want to see inside one, the “Bolero” mill is always open for visitors. In Consuegra, take the opportunity to try one of the traditional dishes of La Mancha, like gachas, migas, or duelos y quebrantos.About 30 minutes away by car we find Alcázar de San Juan. Cervantes was named this town's favourite son, and they claim that he was baptised here (in the church of Santa María la Mayor). You'll love the windmills (don't miss the sunset from here) and its streets steeped in history, where you can imagine how the old noblemen lived. You can also visit the Hidalgo House Museum and the Cervantes Visitor Centre. 

You should recover your strength at lunch because afterwards we'll be off looking for love, and that's never an easy task! "Dulcinea del Toboso is the fairest woman in the world, and I the most unfortunate knight on earth; it is not fitting that this truth should suffer by my feebleness." This is how Don Quixote talks about his eternal love, the myth that he created: Dulcinea del Toboso.El Toboso really exists (20 minutes by car from Campo de Criptana) and you can even visit the Dulcinea House-Museum which recreates a typical 16th-century house of the region. Tradition has it that this house belonged to Ana Martínez Zarco de Morales ("Sweet Ana"), who inspired Cervantes to create Dulcinea. In Plaza Mayor you'll find the monument that El Toboso dedicated to Dulcinea and her admirer. You can also discover the Cervantes Museum which has numerous editions of his work in up to 70 different languages and many signed by international political and cultural figures.

Can you imagine being in the famous village of La Mancha, the name that the narrator of Don Quixote had no desire to call to mind? There are many, however, who claim that this village in the book is in fact Villanueva de los Infantes.We continue our journey towards Ossa de Montiel (another 50 kilometres) because it is close to two landscapes with special significance in the adventures of Don Quixote: the magic cave of Montesinos (where he descended through time) and the ruins of the Castle of Rochafrida. Bear in mind that if you want to visit the cave you will need to book in advance with an authorised company, so get information from a tourist office beforehand.To make the most of this day, travel to Villanueva de los Infantes, around 50 kilometres away, (where you can find the house of Don Diego de Miranda, who according to tradition was the Knight of the Green Coat, whose great deeds were mentioned so often by Don Quixote), or the Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park (about 45 kilometres away), some of the most beautiful wetlands in Spain, and spend the night in Ciudad Real.

On a tour like this, the city’s Don Quixote Museum is a must-see, with its intriguing recreations of the characters “talking” to each other.In the afternoon you can head towards Almagro (only half an hour away by car). It is one of the most charming towns in Spain. Its Plaza Mayor is absolutely beautiful. On this square we recommend visiting the 17th century Corral de Comedias theatre (even better if you go on a dramatised tour). If you are thinking of staying on a few more days, you might want to visit the National Theatre Museum.And this is the end of this route that will enable you to find out more about the figure of Don Quixote and the man who brought him to life. We are sure that it has been worth it because "he who reads much and travels much sees and knows a great deal".