- Heritage.Castilla-La Mancha, the perfect cultural treasure to rediscover this summer
- Leisure.Spain, the country with the most hotel reservations for summer in the world
Two of the 15 national parks that Spain has ( Las Tablas de Daimiel and Cabañeros ), seven natural parks , 22 nature reserves, six river reserves, 48 micro-reserves, 26 natural monuments and a protected landscape, that of Chorrera de Horcajo, in the Montes de Toledo.
It is the powerful environmental heritage of which Castilla-La Mancha is composed , the third largest community in the country. In total, 112 protected areas spread over 580,990 hectares. Or what is the same, a "reason for pride" not only for its inhabitants, but for everyone who comes to enjoy them, in the words of the regional president, Emiliano García-Page. Not surprisingly, he considers the history and wealth of the autonomous community, whether cultural or natural , to be its "great industry for the future". It goes further, ensuring that, in the next four years, it will generate "more than 10,000 jobs linked to tourism."
Promotion of tourism
That, facing tomorrow. Now, García-Page is betting on a holiday in the open air in a rural environment, with family or with a small group of friends and far from crowds, which 90% of Spaniards are looking for when spending the summer this year, according to the surveys of the Center for Sociological Research (CIS). And it is what Castilla-La Mancha offers, positioned as a "safe and close destination" compared to Covid-19, as Patricia Franco, Minister of Economy, Business and Employment, points out: "Although tourism has been one of the hardest hit sectors, a great effort is being made to reactivate it ».
In this sense, highlights the campaign that they are carrying out, Castilla-La Mancha, your holidays have never been so close, endowed with more than three million euros of budget and a whole declaration of intent. Its objective is to encourage the rediscovery of this jewel of the interior, which in 2019 registered its record of tourists , with 23.7 million (12.6 million with overnight stays), a great result for an area where just two million people live.
The attractiveness of the region is something that its local ambassadors, such as the filmmaker Pedro Almodovar, who has immortalized in his films places such as Quinta de Mirabel, Almagro or Granátula de Calatrava, do not tire of emphasizing ; chefs such as the television channel Pepe Rodíguez -owner of the El Bohío restaurant, in Illescas, Toledo- and the influencer Tamara Falcó, the last to praise the benefits of the area. The daughter of Isabel Preysler and the recently disappeared Marqués de Griñón feels "special affection" for this land so closely linked to her father, that he modernized viticulture from his Toledo cellar in Malpica del Tajo . "I love the simplicity of landscapes and people, and its innate elegance with that point of nature mixed with lordship."
Much of the blame for that success lies in the environment, as half of the territory is made up of forests and mountains . Hence, its infinite string of valleys, rivers, mountains, canyons, chasms, ravines, volcanoes and lagoons is an Eden for lovers of outdoor activities and adventure sports , whether they are hiking, horseback, or hiking routes. 4x4 or bike, canyoning, caving or even diving.
Adventure activities
We started the journey through the main natural spaces of the region in the Tablas de Daimiel, a Biosphere Reserve by Unesco and the smallest of the 15 national parks in Spain, with 3,030 hectares. Even so, it is one of the most valuable as it has the greatest fauna wealth in the center of the peninsula. Located in the municipalities of Daimiel and Villarrubia de los Ojos, in Ciudad Real, this unique wetland in Europe - whose entrance is free - is one of the mecca of bird watching fans by offering more than 70 species.
From loons to red or mustached ducks. It is not surprising that, in 1725, the infant Don Juan Manuel spoke of this bird paradise in his Hunting Book . Of course, this practice has been prohibited since 1955. The best way to explore the wetland now is through its network of footbridges.
We jump to the other national park, that of Cabañeros (45,000 hectares), distributed by Toledo and Ciudad Real. Among its milestones, it stands out that it has managed to survive intact the great Mediterranean forest of Europe. In addition, it has fossils from the Ordovídico with 500 years of antiquity. For its part, the challenge of its director, Ángel Gómez Manzaneque, environmental biologist, is to achieve the "return of the Iberian lynx to one of its most genuine habitats in order to restore the natural balance between the different species." Note: you can cycle and walk freely and in a 4x4 with a guide by prior reservation (96 euros for a 1.5-hour visit in a six-seater vehicle and 138 euros for a three-hour visit).
Indoor or mountain diving
As for the seven natural parks in the community, each has its own charm. The one of the Lagunas de Ruidera, between Albacete and Ciudad Real , lies in its 16 colorful lagoons connected to each other through carbonated barriers that give it that almost magical air. Then there would be that of the Barranco del Río Dulce, a marvel at the stroke of water and stone between the Alcarria Alta and the Iberian System that dates back to the Jurassic era. The canyon of the sickle of Pelegrina, the most rugged and beautiful section of the place, and the viewpoint of Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente are obligatory stops. What's more, many episodes of Man and Earth were recorded in the park . So the tribute.
We go to the wild Alto Tajo, between Cuenca and Guadalajara, where aquatic activities such as kayaking or indoor or mountain snorkeling triumph among the crystal clear waters of the river canyon. With a monitor and wetsuit included, you can see a great variety of flora and fauna. Next stop: the Calares del Mundo and La Sima Natural Park , a karst phenomenon in the Alcaraz and Segura mountains (Albacete). From the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara park we are left with the Hayedo de Tejera Negra (the last one in southern Europe and a Unesco Heritage site), the peak of the Lobo Cebollera and the Pelagallinas River Fluvial Reserve .
The tour continues through the Serranía de Cuenca, where rural tourism is being used as a "generation of wealth and employment for the area," points out the regional vice president, José Luis Martínez Guijarro. This modality generated, in 2019, 688,000 overnight stays in Castilla-La Mancha, 2.6% more than in 2018, according to the National Statistics Institute. Thus, it became the fifth community with the greatest weight at the national level in rural tourism. To promote it in the Serranía de Cuenca, the expansion of its territory is planned (which now occupies 73,726 hectares) and the conversion of the old house-barracks of the Civil Guard of Uña into a hostelry.
Star tourism
To this end, the expansion of the park's territory (which occupies 73,726 hectares) and the conversion of the old house-barracks of the Uña Civil Guard into a hostelry are planned . Of the Serranía they emphasize its singular Enchanted City (entrance: five euros), with its strange geological formations; the Ventano del Diablo and Júcar canyons (ideal for canyoning); the source of the Cuervo and Mundo rivers; the El Hosquillo Game Park -habitat of the brown bear- or the sickles of Beteta , with its mineral-medicinal springs.
Both the Serranía de Cuenca and the Valle de Alcudia and Sierra Madrona (Ciudad Real), the seventh of the natural parks, are leading as astrotourism destinations, with 27 municipalities with Starlight certification, which guarantees the light quality of their skies. This is confirmed by Antonia Varela, director of the Starlight Foundation, who recognizes the drive for "star tourism" by promoting "the offer of interior and exterior."
The nature route ends with enclaves such as the Hoces del Cabriel, the Vía Verde de la Jara (with a mountain bike itinerary suitable for all audiences), the enigmatic volcanoes of Campo de Calatrava , the Manjavacas lagoons , the Barrancas from Burujón , the Entrepeñas and Bolarque reservoirs or the Picayo Peak.
More information at www.turismocastillalamancha.es
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