Ayora, Almansa and Sierra de Mariola

Almansa Castle is probably the most impressive and best-preserved medieval fortress in Castilla-La Mancha, and one of the most strategically placed strongholds in Spain. Perched on an isolated limestone crag right on the edge of town, it dominates the whole plain of the Campo de Almansa to the horizon, on a historic natural pass that for more than a thousand years was the border between the Christian kingdoms to the north (Castile) and the Muslim kingdoms to the south (first the taifa of Murcia, later the Nasrid kingdom). Its unmistakable silhouette —three square towers and a central parade ground enclosed by walls— is the visual icon of the whole district and one of the most photographed castles in eastern Spain.

The Battle of Almansa, fought on 25 April 1707 in the fields below the castle, was one of the most decisive episodes of the War of the Spanish Succession and, by extension, of 18th-century European history. Here the Bourbon troops (supporters of Philip V, future king of Spain) faced the forces of Archduke Charles of Austria, and the Bourbon victory changed the course of the war and of Spanish political history for good. The battle was so important that it is still commemorated every year with a large-scale re-enactment on the very fields where it took place, with hundreds of participants in period uniform. Visiting Almansa without knowing this means missing half of what makes the place interesting.

The Ayora-Cofrentes Valley, just east of Almansa, has a geological and industrial curiosity unique in Spain: it is home to the only nuclear power station currently operating in the Valencian Community (Cofrentes), beside the river Júcar. Built in the 1970s, the plant has become a landmark of the valley: its two 129 m cooling towers rise between the sierras and can be seen from dozens of kilometres around. Beyond the industrial curiosity, the valley keeps genuine villages such as Cofrentes (with its 12th-century Arab castle still standing) and Ayora, the district capital, where Ayora Castle crowns a hill with huge views over the valley.

The Sierra de Mariola, at the opposite end of the route on the border between Valencia and Alicante, is a botanical surprise: it is one of the few places in the Valencian Community where significant stretches of original Mediterranean woodland survive, with holm oaks, oaks, Aleppo pines and, above all, a unique density of aromatic plants: thyme, rosemary, lavender, sage, fennel, chamomile. For centuries the sierra has been one of Spain's main sources of medicinal herbs, and liqueurs are still made today with plants from the sierra, such as herbero, in distilleries in Alcoi or Banyeres de Mariola, while in Bocairent the home-made herberet tradition lives on. The famous Herbero de Mariola, a liqueur of local herbs with centuries of tradition, is well worth a taste.

Riding notes: this is a long route (180 km) on almost empty secondary roads. The best season runs from March to November; high summer is very hot. Fill up in Almansa or Ayora. For lunch in Almansa, Mesón Pincelín (recommended by the Michelin Guide and one of the most affordable restaurants in Castilla-La Mancha) serves La Mancha cooking made with local produce at surprisingly modest prices. A tip: if you are there in early February, don't miss Bocairent's Moros y Cristianos in honour of Sant Blai, the town's patron saint since 1632: the Nit de les Caixes, the Entrada, the Embassies and the Despojo del Moro, with nine filaes (troupes).