Gastronomy, nature, and wine-tourism experiences, all year round

The La Mancha Wine Route has established itself as one of Spain’s emerging wine-tourism destinations, with visitor numbers increasing by over 11% in the past year. This land invites you to enjoy a tranquil tourism experience, where tradition, gastronomy, and wine intertwine among wetlands, windmills, and endless vineyards. Unique experiences—from sunset tastings to family days in the vineyards or visits to century-old wineries—make Castile-La Mancha an ideal place to get away from it all. Exploring the La Mancha Wine Route means stepping inside a landscape of more than 988,420 acres of vineyards, as a dozen towns and villages safeguard the region’s winemaking tradition. In these lands, known as the Europe’s Winery, visitors can find calm and silence away from urban bustle, plus the opportunity to immerse themselves in the essence of Manchego wine. There are a variety of ways to experience wine tourism. In El Toboso, the literary homeland of Dulcinea, a character in the famous tale of Don Quixote, tours combine Cervantine culture with tastings at family-run wineries. In Alcázar de San Juan, the Sunset Wine experience presents sunsets over the plain, while tasting local wines and traditional products. Villarrobledo allows visitors to learn about wine production in earthenware jars: an ancestral technique passed down for over four centuries.

Panoramic view of the traditional windmills of La Mancha and the vineyards of Alcázar de San Juan © Shutterstock

This route is enhanced with various gastronomic offerings, ranging from traditional cuisine to restaurants awarded the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand seal. In Campo de Criptana, Las Musas offers some exceptional views of the windmills while guests enjoy modern reinterpretations of classic flavors. In Villarrobledo, Azafrán stands out for its innovative cuisine, striving to keep the Manchegan essence alive. Experiences are designed with every traveler in mind: families can take part in vineyard tasks during a “Hands on the Vine” day, while couples opt for romantic dinners among vineyards with special tastings, and heritage enthusiasts discover the historic caves of Tomelloso. On top of all this, there are the organic wineries of Socuéllamos and the largest wine cooperative in the world, Virgen de las Viñas, rounding off the attractions with guided tours and tastings of high-quality wines. Among windmills, wetlands, and castles, the La Mancha Wine Route combines tradition and nature. Under starry skies, during town festivals in the plazas, and infused with the enchanting scent of the earth at dawn, the region invites you to live calmly, savoring each sip and bite in an environment that keeps wine’s roots alive.