Ciudad Real is a city in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, and capital of the province of La Mancha, made famous by Cervantes, whose literary anti-hero Don Quixote wanders the local plains, tilting at windmills.

Get in

By train

Frequent trains run to and from Madrid and less frequently to Almagro. There is direct connection by bullet train (AVE) with Madrid.

By bus

A few buses a day run to and from Madrid, Almagro, Jaén and Valdepenas.

See

• The Mudejar (arab) Puerta de Toledo from the former city walls.
• The Don Quixote Museum
• The Iglesia de Santiago
• The gothic Iglesia San Pedro, built in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Drink

Tapas bars are plentiful near the Plaza San Francisco, Plaza del Torreon, and Plaza Mayor, serving regional specialties (pisto manchego) and national favorites (tortilla espanola). Thursday through Saturday nights, the Plaza del Torreon fills with young people drinking the hours away until the discos open around 3AM.

Sleep

• NH Ciudad Real, Avenida Alarcos 25, ☏ +34 92 6610800. In the heart of the city, this hotel is situated close to the cathedral and city hall. 
• 1 Hotel Manzanares, Carretera Valencia S/N 13200 Manzanares, Ciudad Real 13200, ☏ +34 92 6610800. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:30. In the center of eastern Ciudad Real, the hotel is an ideal place to stop en route from Andalucia to the east or north of Spain, or vice versa. €40-84.