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 IX for the Ways of al-Andalus route, Wād al-haŷarah, from the Henares valley to the Alcarria region, is one of the ten journeys crossing the five provinces in the region and offers a different perspective on a cultural landscape shaped by centuries of coexistence, agriculture and Islamic architecture.

La Alcarria, a land of high plateaus and hidden valleys, allows visitors to explore a territory shaped by nature and history, where the al-Andalus influence remains alive in its landscape, agriculture and cultural heritage. This region, whose name comes from the Arabic alqarya (“the village”), extends through the centre and south of Guadalajara province and travellers can relive the al-Andalus landscape of the ancient Central March. Holm oaks abound and traditional cereals are grown on the moors. In the valleys, there are orchards, olive groves and aromatic plants, following agricultural techniques inherited from the Islamic world.

Lavender and honey: the aromatic legacy of al-Andalus

During the al-Andalus period, lavender was cultivated for its ornamental, cosmetic and medicinal properties, and for the production of one of the region’s gastronomic highlights, honey. The famous Honey of La Alcarria, with Designation of Origin, is a fine example of this ancestral tradition that dates back to the centuries of Islam in the peninsula.

Castles, Islamic foundations and the Henares valley

This itinerary covers some of the main enclaves of Islamic origin in La Alcarria, from ancient medinas to fortresses that were later converted into Spanish bastions. Noteworthy stops on our tour include Zorita de los Canes and Cifuentes - former centres of regional control and farming in the al-Andalus period-; and the Cogolludo and Jadraque castles - strategic constructions with Islamic roots, whose histories have been reinterpreted from a Castilian perspective, leaving their true origin in the background-.

A must is Wād al-haŷarah (Guadalajara), the great medina of the Henares valley in the 10th century, which had all the quintessential urban features of al-Andalus: citadel, walls, baths, mosque, aljama, souks and a bridge over the Henares River.