Ossa de Montiel is a town of 2,500 people in the inland southern region of Castilla la Mancha. Although this is not an area of Spain that the British know that well, there is a healthy domestic tourist industry here due to the nearby natural park and, in particular, the Ruidera lagoons. The town has a few religious buildings and monuments to visit while 5 kilometres away you will find the Montesinos cave system. As with almost all Spanish towns with a population of more than a thousand or so, there is a lively programme of fiestas and other events which the local town hall or tourist office will be happy to give you more information about. There is a choice of bars and restaurants, and many people say the best advice for newcomers is to simply keep an eye out for where the locals are eating. Albacete airport is an hour’s drive away, while Madrid can be reached in two and a half hours by road. 

Castilla la Mancha is an inland region of southern Spain and its major towns and cities include Albacete, Ciudad Real and Cuenca. The capital is Toledo, one of the country’s largest municipalities which is packed with history. People moving to this part of Spain like that the area is green and fertile compared to the coastal parts of the country. Accordingly, it has a large agricultural and wine growing sector. It still enjoys a Mediterranean style climate and can become very warm in the summer, while in the winter the nights can be chilly. Castilla la Mancha has a vast array of bird and animal life with seven natural parks and two national parks.

None of the main cities in the Castilla and La Mancha regions are that large, despite it being the third biggest autonomous community in Spain. Albacete is easily the most populace and well worth a visit, being a modern looking city with a long history and numerous places of culture to visit, much of it around the old historic centre. Toledo is the second largest municipality in the region and despite only having a population of 80,000 or so it was a hugely important place in the past as the court of King Carol I and a history of being populated by Christians, Jews and Muslims. The River Tagus runs through Toledo and there are historical reminders around every corner. Other major municipalities to see are Guadalajara, Real and Talavera de la Reina. The region is a land of contrasts, from huge flat plains ideal for cyclists and walking to some of Spain’s major mountain ranges. It also contains some of the biggest range of flora and fauna in Europe, an ideal place for nature watchers and artists. Some of the best river fishing in the country can be found in this region in places like the Tagus. For a completely different day out the Warner Brothers theme park is located in the adjacent region of Madrid, some 25 kilometres south of the capital. Madrid itself, of course, is both a spectacular and enormous city, somewhere you would need at least a couple of days in to even scratch the surface of. You can indulge your favourite past-times here, whether it is shopping, eating, the arts, theatre or history. It is also a surprisingly good place for younger family members (or the young at heart) with a zoo, a smaller theme park in the city limits and some of the biggest green spaces in Spain.

The regions of Castile-La Mancha sit in the heart of Spain and is lauded all over the country for products such as Manchego cheese (a hard and creamy ewes milk product), milk, vegetables and meat. “Pisto Manchego” is enjoyed all over Spain, a side dish of vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and courgettes, sometimes served cold. Garlic soup is popular, usually as a hearty starter to dishes such as rabbit stew or other game, simple meat dishes and poultry. Don’t expect to see too much fish here outside of the tourist areas, maybe the occasional freshwater variety.

La Mancha grows a lot of wine, underrated out of Spain but good honest red and white table wines. Look out for those from the Valdepeñas area for a more sophisticated wine while some of the young whites are very drinkable, especially in the summer or as a mixer. For desserts, there are ornate sweets, rustic oily buns and a number of dishes with almonds reflecting the Moorish past of this region. Outside of city centres in places such as Toledo eating out is usually very affordable -look out for the Menu del Dia which generally consist of three or four courses, usually with a drink, served at weekday lunchtimes. To keep the price down choice will be limited on these but expect well-cooked local produce at excellent value.