Routes

With their intricate courses and capricious forms carved in the hard rock the Júcar and Cabriel Rivers create a natural mosaic of extraordinary beauty in a rather unknown region that is desirous of nothing more than to show off its natural and cultural charms: the Conquense La Manchuela. Located in the southeastern area of the province of Cuenca, nestled amongst its valleys, plateaus, canyons, grottos, caves, forests and vineyards, a historical treasure of heritage inherited from past centuries of greater splendor is hidden away, which used to belong to the Tierra de Alarcón and the Marquisate of Villena.

It is precisely the town of Alarcón that best reflects this perfect combination of art and nature. Inheritance of its glorious past, its beautiful castle rises over the imposing rock formations surrounded by the Júcar River and covered with the green layerc that bestows it with its unrepeatable charm. The current state owned Hotel (Parador), its dormitory cities, towers, vantage points and medieval bridges turn this ancient Arab Fortress into a privileged place to take a long-deserved rest immersed in nature. The walled complex and its four churches endorse the category of this historical complex as a medieval treasure.  

Getting acquainted with the region and dedicating the time to discover the hidden quarters of the tiny villages that await us along the way is more than rewarding. As is likewise the case with the hospitality of its people, welcoming and regaling the traveler with the very best their land has to offer. It is more than worth our while to visit the homes of the nobility, such as Pozoamargo, or the main gate of Saint Mark’s Church in Quintanar del Rey, the Sanctuary of Consolation in Villarta and the Basilica of the Assumption in Villanueva de la Jara.

From the Júcar to the Cabriel, from east to west, we reach Minglanilla. In the municipal term of the town we find the Natural Reserve of Hoces del Cabriel, a landscape sculptured throughout millions of years in the clayey soil of soft rock modulated and eroded by water and wind. The deep excavated gorge conforms a spectacular relief of breathtaking ravines, nose-diving plunges, shelters, crags and, how could it be otherwise, the characteristic canyons from where it has obtained its name.

Adventurous lovers of hiking who decide to visit this singular ecosystem will have the chance to become one with nature, as the sounds of water and wind, amongst the lynxes, boars, goats and wildcats, while watching the falcons and eagles soar through the sky transport us into a unique universe. And if the traveler is lucky enough to find shelter under the Hoz de Vicente, cave paintings found on the rocks come alive, representing the thousands-year old traces of the first dwellers of these lands.

Visiting the historical-artistic complex of Alarcón and the innumerable natural landscapes created by the canyons of the Júcar and Cabriel Rivers.

Enjoying the hiking routes and leisure and freetime activities that combine sports, nature and adventure in privileged locations, apart from fishing, cycle-tourism...

Trying the typical dishes of the Conquense gastronomy, such as the morteruelo and zarajos, in the company of a mistela wine, and in the land of rivers, a dish of trout or crayfish is something that must certainly not be missed. And to sweeten off the meal, nothing better than sopas de leche de cabra (Goat Milk Soups).