The best road cycling routes around Pedro Muñoz

The windmills of San Antón Hill are one of the great symbols of Alcázar de San Juan (Ciudad Real) and an essential part of the Don Quixote Route. They emerged in La Mancha in the mid-16th century as an alternative to the scarcity of watermills, due to the climate and the terrain. San Antón Hill is a Paleozoic elevation located southeast of the town, about 2.5 km from the town center, with spectacular views of the La Mancha plains.

Quintanar de la Orden is a charming destination in Castilla-La Mancha, full of history and culture. Church of Santiago Apóstol: This late Gothic and Renaissance style temple is one of the most important religious buildings in the town. Its two atriums and robust square tower stand out. Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Piedad: A place of great devotion, this hermitage houses the patron saint of Quintanar de la Orden. And much more...

The municipality is in the region of La Mancha, bordering Cuenca and Toledo, and is known for the Pedro Muñoz-Mota del Cuervo lagoon complex. The old houses made of masonry and mud bricks stand out, such as the Casa de La Paca. Church of San Pedro: Built between the 17th and 18th centuries, with a Latin cross plan and a barrel vault.

The hermitage was built in the 20th century, after the civil war. It is on one floor and houses the image of San Isidro, the patron saint of farmers. It is located in the so-called Paraje de San Isidro, a pine forest 1 kilometre from the town centre of Campo de Criptana, and can be reached by road or by the comfortable path parallel to the CM-3105 road, which runs from the town to the Sanctuary of Cristo de Villajos. This place is also home to the so-called Gardens of Santa María de la Cabeza.

If you visit El Toboso, don't miss the Monastery of the Trinitarian Nuns, the Church of San Antonio Abad, the Cervantino Museum and more...

The hill of the windmills immediately attracts attention, it is one of the hallmarks of La Mancha and an icon that we all link to the adventures of the “illustrious gentleman” who mistook the windmills for giants. The Wetlands Natural Trail enters the town and before reaching the center it turns to the left to visit the Cerro de la Paz, where the famous mills are located. In the 18th century there were 34 windmills, now there are 10 standing and three are original, the rest have been rebuilt or restored during the last century, each with its own name. Now they no longer fulfill the function for which they were built, they are history, legend and evocation, and an extraordinary place to enjoy the sunset on the endless horizon of La Mancha. The route goes down the hill, passes through the hill of the Nuestra Señora de Criptana hermitage and continues along favorable terrain towards the Pedro Muñoz lagoon complex, known as “Don Quixote Wetland”, with two new lagoons frequented by groups of ornithologists to observe birds and end point of the stage.

This wonderful lagoon located on the outskirts of Pedro Muñoz can be explored following the circular path along its perimeter. In addition, you can observe the birds it hosts from the observatories set up for this purpose. Without a doubt, an experience that you can enjoy as a family.

The old ones, Sardinero, Burleta and Infante; Sovereigns of time and stories, they have been standing since the 16th century, preserving their original mechanism. The moderns, the Inca Garcilaso, the Cariari, the Vicente Huidobro, the Pilón, the Lagarto, the Culebro and the Poyatos are immense young men from 1900.