Explore the Andalusian heritage route in Castilla-La Mancha and immerse yourself in the beauty and history of its Islamic legacy. Discover centuries of cultural and architectural influence that enriched the art and culture of the region.

From north to south and east to west, Castilla-La Mancha reveals medinas, castles, fortresses, walls, palaces, mosques, public baths, fountains, cisterns, landscapes... A journey through time and space to see, feel, smell, taste and hear the richness of a unique cultural legacy. Al-Andalus shaped the current map of Castilla-La Mancha, and the itineraries of these Routes of al-Andalus allow us to enjoy a beautiful, rich and surprising tangible and intangible heritage.

Itinerary VII for the Ways of al-Andalus route, Sintiŷŷāla, an agricultural district in the Kūra of Tudmir, is one of the ten journeys crossing the five provinces in the region and tours the historical landscapes of the ancient Kūra of Tudmir, one of the main border areas of eastern al-Andalus during the Emirate and Caliphate periods (8th to 11th centuries). This route combines, in Albacete province, rural enclaves, fortresses, agricultural landscapes and cultural spaces that reveal the deep al-Andalus legacy in what is now the southeast of the peninsula.

The centrepiece of this itinerary is Chinchilla de Montearagón, known in Arabic sources as Šintiŷŷāla, the most northern iqlīm or agricultural district in the Kūra of Tudmir. From this strategic position, the tour branches off to other sites still retaining visible traces or documented evidence of the Islamic past. We explore castles in Alcalá del Júcar and Montealegre del Castillo; rural farmsteads such as La Graja (Higueruela); and crop fields, livestock trails and traditional terraces that reflect the balance between agriculture and livestock in the Islamic occupation model.

Beyond the monuments, the al-Andalus footprint remains in the toponymy: names such as Albacete, Alcalá, Chinchilla, Almansa or Hellín come from Arabic names that reveal the Islamic origin of many current settlements.

Al-Andalus astronomy and stargazing in Villatoya

This tour features a unique stop at the Villatoya Astronomy Observatory, a space where modern science allows us to relive the al-Andalus astronomical tradition, one of the most advanced in the medieval West. This observatory has the Starlight Tourist Destination seal of La Manchuela, which identifies places that can be visited with excellent qualities for stargazing.

Moors and Christians: memory through festivals and cultural dialogue

The itinerary also includes cultural events that, through festive tradition, reinterpret and portray shared history between Muslims and Christians. A noteworthy example can be found in Caudete, where the Moors and Christians episodes have become a space of symbolic coexistence and collective memory.