Tour of Castile & La Mancha 2026-27

A journey into the centre of Spain, in one of its six autonomous regions. Castile & La Mancha, with more than 2 million inhabitants, is one of Spain’s 6 autonomous regions. Not only the setting for Cervantes’ Don Quixote, but a land rich in sites protected by UNESCO and listed as “World Heritage Sites”, such as Toledo and Cuenca. Food and wine are important here: this region, for example, produces 50% of Spain’s wine, equal to 7% of world production. Not only cities of art unique in the world, such as Toledo, but also fairy-tale landscapes.

Toledo, medieval city of the three cultures.

There are cities like this one that are little remembered. Cities so small that, across the centuries, they have left behind a legacy of legends, history and culture that continues to live on and sustain the people who still live there. Toledo is one of those medieval cities that take you back in time; it is said that ghosts live inside some of the city’s buildings. It is one of the Spanish capitals to have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and it retains the atmosphere and characteristic charm of those European capitals that carry real weight in history. The variety of names by which the city has been known over the centuries shows its historical importance: it is the land of Don Quixote, the capital of Visigothic Spain, the City of the Three Cultures, the Jerusalem of the West, a medieval city, a metropolis of esotericism, the Primatial Cathedral of Spain, a Sephardic enclave, an Arab labyrinth, the inspiration of El Greco, an imperial city, the kingdom of legends. It is called the city of the three cultures because, during the 13th century, Jews, Christians and Muslims lived together in a kind of ecumenical romance (a love story that is at times mistakenly exalted), which explains the cultural richness and mosaic that can be sensed in the streets of the old town. This unusual combination of styles and cultures dating from that period of history has given Toledo unique and exceptional features. Visitors can still see the remains of churches, synagogues and mosques built in that period. During the Roman occupation Toledo became a fortified city. From then on, Toledo became the greatest political, economic and cultural centre in Spain. The Visigoths made it their capital. Toledo was also very important during the Muslim occupation. When the Spanish army reconquered Toledo for Christianity, the city became the residence of the Castilian kings until the 16th century. The Alcázar. This exceptional castle is Toledo’s most emblematic monument and was used as a fortress by the Romans, Visigoths, Muslims and Christians. King Alfonso VI built his residence here, and the most famous architects and artists of the time took part in the construction of the Royal Palace. It was destroyed in the 18th century, during the War of Succession. It was rebuilt a few years later, burned down and was rebuilt once more. The last time it was destroyed was during the Spanish Civil War, and it was rebuilt a few years later. Toledo Cathedral was founded in the 1st century by St Eugene, the first bishop of Toledo. During the Muslim occupation, the Arabs turned it into a mosque. In the 11th century, King Alfonso VI converted it back into a cathedral. Later, in the 13th century, it was demolished and then rebuilt in the Gothic style, as we know it today. The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes is a 15th-century Gothic monastery, built by order of and under the reign of the Catholic Monarchs. The Cistercian monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos is a 16th-century monastery decorated with paintings by El Greco, who was buried here. This celebrated painter decorated the monastery church with his paintings. The Duque de Lerma Museum Foundation is known as the “Hospital de Tavera” because it is housed in this former hospital dating from 1541, which Cardinal Tavera had built in the Castilian Renaissance style. After the Civil War, the Duchess of Lerma restored the left wing and created sumptuous 17th-century-style apartments. On the ground floor, a fine library holds the hospital archives and, among the canvases on display, El Greco’s Holy Family draws the eye. On the first floor is the Portrait of Cardinal Tavera. In the centre of the elegant patio, a gallery leads to the church and to El Greco’s remarkable Baptism of Christ. This building has been declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument.