Alcalá del Júcar near Albacete - Incredible gorge and pretty village

Description:

 Alcalá del Júcar near Albacete

Alcalá del Jucar is an incredible place to go see and it’s only 1.5 hours away.  It’s best approached via Requena on the A3 Valencia/Madrid motorway and turn left to Albacete and then left at Casas-Ibañez. La Mancha is remarkably flat, but all of a sudden the flat expanse ends and you drop into a spectacularly deep gorge.  The village is nestled right in the bottom.

If you want to visit the castle, do so on the way down to the town. After the castle, head down hill for the centre of the village, where the river flows through and park up in the large car park, which is usually free.  Now you can go on foot to see the village.  It’s easy for wheel chair access all the way through from the car park, including the little park, riverside walks and the mini-beach behind the large weir and the lovely old bridge in front.

A good restaurant is called “Restaurante Hostel Rambla” at the beach end of town near the bridge. The restaurant next to the beach generally cook paellas at lunch time (2 p.m.).

After visiting Alcalá del Júcar, there are two suggested routes back home to this area: -

1. The quick route:  Go on towards Albacete and return to Valencia on the N430.
2. The scenic route: Go to Cofrentes (The nuclear power Station) and then on the back roads on the north side of the river Júcar to Cortes de Pallas.  At the T Junction turn right to Cortes de Pallas or left towards Macastre or Dos Aquas, depending where you live.

We hope that you enjoy this spectacular place as much as we do.  We’ve been 3 times!