Puerto Lápice

If you are an ardent Cervantes (or a Man of La Mancha) fan take a side trip to El Toboso to visit a reproduction of the home of the peerless Dulcinea, reluctant recipient of the knight-errant’s undying love (closed Mondays, open March to October). It’s about 50 fairly fast kilometers each way. Head east from Madridejos on CM400 around the wine-trade town of Alcázar de San Juan continuing east on N420 to reach Campo de Criptana where, it is claimed, Don Quixote had his tryst with the windmills. A few kilometers farther east you see the Ermita Santisma Virgin de Criptana church on a knoll. Turn beside it for the 15 kilometers drive through sky-wide countryside to the village of El Toboso which comes into view several kilometers before you reach it. Just southeast of the church in the center of the village is Dulcinea’s home. The house supposedly belonged to Ana Martínez whom Cervantes renamed Dulcinea (dulce = sweet + Ana). Tour the house with its 17th-century furniture and intriguing antique olive oil press on the patio in the back. Across the street from the church is a collection of over 300 editions of the novel in everything from Japanese to Gaelic. A number of interesting facsimiles and signed and illuminated editions are housed there, too. Return to Alcázar de San Juan and from there head for Puerto Lápice, where you can follow the signs to the delightful Venta del Quijote—a well-restored example of the type of inn where Don Quixote was dubbed knight. The Venta has a charming restaurant and bar, as well as some cute little shops.