The best MTB trails around Mancha

You absolutely must visit this unique and striking castle. I recommend climbing to the top to enjoy the views from its privileged elevated position and imagining the times when such thick walls were necessary.

The name of this town originates from its role as a crossroads on the ancient routes that connected Complutum with Carthago Nova in Roman times, and on the Silk Road that linked Toledo with Valencia and Cartagena. It derives from the Arabic word "rutba," the tax paid for the passage of livestock. A true inheritor of so many peoples and cultures, La Roda has absorbed the best of each, evident in its beautiful town center, its magnificent Church of El Salvador, and the Palaces of the Doctor de La Encina and the Counts of Villaleal. It is currently very well connected to the provincial capital, Albacete, from which it is only 36 km away. The entire town center has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest for its historical and artistic value.

The Ossero Ford is located in the Ruidera Lakes Natural Park, within the municipality of Ossa de Montiel (Albacete), on the border with Villahermosa (Ciudad Real). It is a natural area that forms part of the Ossero Trail, an easy interpretive route (5.3 km one way) that skirts the Tomilla and Conceja lagoons, connecting with the Laguna Blanca.

The Batana Lagoon Viewpoint is one of the most highly recommended spots within the Ruidera Lakes Natural Park. It's located in the municipality of Ossa de Montiel (Albacete), in the area where Batana Lagoon flows into the Colgada Lagoon, forming natural waterfalls. Surrounded by pine trees and open spaces, it's a perfect place to relax and admire the scenery.

Spectacular views: The castle stands atop a rocky outcrop beside the reservoir, offering unique panoramic views of the marsh and the beginning of the Ruidera Lakes. Many travelers consider it the best viewpoint in the area.

Spectacular scenery: The reservoir surrounds the historic Peñarroya Castle, creating a very photogenic scene. Many visitors highlight the tranquility and beauty of the surroundings, ideal for disconnecting and enjoying nature.

The Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park, located between the provinces of Ciudad Real and Albacete, is one of the most spectacular natural areas in Castilla-La Mancha. It consists of 15 terraced lagoons connected by waterfalls, streams, and springs, forming a unique landscape of turquoise and sapphire-green waters.

A magnificent example of a montane castle, meaning one whose shape adapts exactly to the hill on which it stands. Its most beautiful feature is the main gate, opening into a bend in the wall and built as a reentrant in its uniform circular path. The magnificent ashlar work with which it was built is worth a visit alone, as is the pointed arch between its two strong towers. Erected by a Muslim garrison in the mid-12th century, it was continually conquered and recaptured, and Christians and Arabs alternated possession many times. It came to belong to the Order of Santiago in 1214, a possession confirmed by a papal bull. When the Alhambra district was divided between the Orders of Calatrava and Saint John, it lost its strategic importance and was gradually abandoned. The most curious thing about the castle is that, being mountainous, it never had an external enclosure or barbican, but rather a covered or protected path in its last section by a small wall, which allowed access under protected conditions.