Routes

From a proud tableland, alongside the Tajo valley, the Manchego plateau rises in La Mesa de Ocaña, fertile land of natural springs, cool wetlands and apparent Castilian austerity, fragmented by the extensive cultural and architectonic heritage that its Villas conserve.

Reference of the region to which it owes its name, Ocaña, equidistant between Toledo and Madrid, ancient walled city, is currently a monumental complex of extraordinary magnitude. Of a remote origin, as testified by its archeological sites, it owes its splendor to its condition of representing the bargaining chip between Muslim and Christian Kings, to the point that it was the seat of both Military Orders and Ecclesiastic Dominions.

Abode of the Kings and Queens of Castile, Ocaña shows itself majestic from its Plaza Mayor, flanked by the arches from which the streets of its ancient quarter part. What is religious and what is profane intermingle in the Capital of Higher La Mancha, where the Church of Saint John the Baptist can be admired, along with the convents of Santo Domingo and of the Carmelites, the Cárdenas Palace and the Lope de Vega Theatre, without forgetting the Fuente Grande, architectonic work by Juan de Herrera.

From a bird’s-eye view, amongst ancient shepherd paths and medieval routes, Yepes nestles surrounded by its ancient wall, legacy of the Villa’s defensive nature, of which the Albarrana Tower and four gates are still conserved. Yepes boasts the Parish Church of San Benito, the Cathedral of La Mancha, plan of which is owed to the great Toledo-born Architect Alonso de Covarrubias, as is likewise the case with its intricate streets and corners overflowing with charm, ideal for strolling, enjoying a fine glass of wine and then continuing along one’s way.

And just a bit further south, on the outreaching limit of the region, La Guardia is to be found, entrance gate to La Mancha.

The architectonic wealth of the villages in the area continuously surprises the traveler, reflected in this particular Villa by the Parish Church, the Casa de Jaenes, the fortress or the ancient synagogue, apart from the cave-dwellings that still remain.

The Mesa de Ocaña, historical enclave and main passage between Castilla and Andalusia during the Arab period, is an invitation for the traveler to enjoy all that this region has to offer, apart from its surrounding areas and nearby cities, such as imperial Toledo, Consuegra or Tembleque.

Visiting the monuments of Ocaña, with its Plaza Mayor, convents, palaces and chapels, and indeed Yepes, with its walls and Parish Church.

Enjoying the magnificence of Ocaña’s Easter Week celebrations and its extraordinary processions, the Corpus Festivities that take place in many of the region’s towns and its natural treasures in Yeseras del Tajo and the Salt Marsh Steppes.

Trying the excellent game meat, stewed beans with hare, Carcamusas, and in particular the tremendous variety of deserts and sweets, such as Mantecados and Hojaldres, Borrachos de Ocaña or the Turcos and Melindres of Yepes.