Stage 5: The Don Quixote Route in La Mancha

Laura Casas | 23. May 2025

“Somewhere in La Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember…” Sound familiar? This is how one of the most famous Spanish books begins: Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes. Today, we will explore part of the route that inspired the author’s masterpiece. Ready to travel back to the 17th century?

With a historic center that many cities would envy, Cuenca is characterized by its steep cobbled streets and medieval castle ruins. It’s the kind of place that instantly takes you back to the days of knights and princesses 🏰.

And if you’re not the type to daydream in medieval, don’t worry — you can always book one of the city’s theatrical night tours. These guided walks bring history to life so vividly, you won’t just imagine it — you’ll feel like you’re part of it.

We kicked off at the stunning Cuenca Cathedral. From there, we pedaled our way up Cuenca’s famously steep streets until we reached another of the city’s iconic landmark: the Casas Colgadas — unusual houses that hang over the edge of the cliff, almost like they’re floating in mid-air.

And it’s impossible to talk about the hanging houses without mentioning the San Pablo Bridge — one of the best spots to capture this scenery (as long as you’re not afraid of heights — it stands a dizzying 40 meters high!).

We leaved Cuenca behind and headed down to the town of Toboso, where our journey along the Don Quixote route begins. In the main square, we came across statues of Don Quixote and Dulcinea, the beloved of the quirky knight.

For those who don’t know, Don Quixote always travelled with his loyal horse, Rocinante. But it seems that after trying our igus:bike, he’s changed his mind. He says it’s cheaper: no food (lubrication) or vet visits (maintenance) needed! 💸.

We continued our journey to the next town on the route: Campo de Criptana. If you like windmills, this is definitely your place. We stroll among the different ‘giants’, as Don Quixote called them, and step inside one of them: the Infanto mill.

We discovered some interesting things about them, like how they’re structured. On the ground floor, you’d usually find sacks of grain waiting to be milled, along with the flour ready for market. Wealthier millers might even keep a donkey here. The second floor housed the grinding stones and was where the grain was fed into the milling system. Up top, on the third level, twelve small windows offered a panoramic read of the wind.

💡 Fun fact: millers had a clever trick to measure the wind’s speed and direction — they’d toss a handful of grain into the air. For the sails to spin just right, the wind needed to blow between 30 and 60 km/h. Any stronger, and the wooden blades risked snapping — and no one wanted to rebuild those!

After a very interesting cultural visit, we kept pedaling to another town: Alcázar de San Juan. Throughout the town, we find representations of Don Quixote, like colorful benches with different scenes of the adventures of the unique character…

… or several statues scattered around the city, like in Plaza España, next to a group of fountains that offer a refreshing break for the locals in summer.

We couldn’t wrap up this route without enjoying a glass of the region’s local wine. A great (and exquisite) way to celebrate finishing another stage. Thank you for joining us! 🍷

Our rider: 

Genoveva de Ros 

“I’m Geno and I’ve been working at igus Spain for 11 years. Although I started in the Accounting Department, marketing soon knocked on my door and I took the leap. I’m in charge of content so I spend my days between videos, images and texts.

I am passionate about sports and although I was once a mountain biker, now I dedicate my time to other sports. I’m glad to have the opportunity to be part of this adventure!”

Map of the tour