Camping in Castilla-La Mancha: open landscapes, mountain ranges and villages with history
Castilla-La Mancha is one of the most underrated regions of Spain for camping. Those who venture to explore it with a tent, caravan or motorhome discover that the plateau hides much more than plains: turquoise lagoons, river canyons, extinct volcanoes, Mediterranean mountain ranges and cities with centuries of accumulated history. Its distance from the coast is precisely its greatest advantage: fewer crowds, more reasonable prices and the chance of finding quiet pitches even in the busiest months.
The natural landscape is extraordinarily varied. The Lagunas de Ruidera, on the border between Albacete and Ciudad Real, form a chain of fifteen turquoise lagoons connected by waterfalls and streams, declared a Natural Site and a perfect spot for swimming, kayaking or exploring the shores on foot or by bike. The Tablas de Daimiel, the only wetland national park in La Mancha, is home to colonies of herons, storks and ducks in the middle of the plain. Cabañeros, in the Montes de Toledo, is Iberian savannah with deer, griffon vultures, imperial eagles and one of the highest densities of wildlife on the peninsula. The Alto Tajo, shared between Guadalajara and Cuenca, is one of the most spectacular river canyons in the interior, with riverside woodland and birds of prey soaring over the limestone walls. And the Serranía de Cuenca offers unique geological formations such as the Ciudad Encantada and river sources such as the Cuervo, with fairy-tale tufa waterfalls.
Travellers with a caravan or motorhome will find ideal conditions in Castilla-La Mancha in spring and autumn, when temperatures are mild and the landscapes have a light and colour of their own. Summer is punishing on the plateau with intense heat, although the mountain areas of Cuenca, Guadalajara, the Sierra de Alcaraz in Albacete or the Montes de Toledo offer cooler air at altitudes above 1,200 metres. Winter is cold and dry, but it allows you to enjoy the cultural attractions in complete peace.
La Mancha culture permeates every route. The windmills of Consuegra and Campo de Criptana evoke Cervantes from the tops of their hills. Toledo, a World Heritage Site, concentrates a Gothic cathedral, medieval synagogues, mosques and Mudéjar palaces within a few metres. Sigüenza preserves its Romanesque cathedral and a historic centre of stone that seems frozen in time. Almagro still has the only seventeenth-century corral de comedias that remains in use, and Cuenca displays its hanging houses above the gorges as if defying gravity. For campers who combine nature and culture, this region makes it possible to link natural areas and historic villages over short distances.
The food is another compelling argument. Aged Manchego cheese, pisto, Manchego gazpacho, gachas, pickled partridge, morteruelo from Cuenca and Toledo marzipan are products with a designation of origin or centuries of tradition. The wines of Valdepeñas, La Mancha and Méntrida go well with dinners in the open air. And the skies of Castilla-La Mancha, with little light pollution, offer starry nights that few places in Europe can match, making the night one more spectacle of the trip.
