Consuegra, in the province of Toledo and just over an hour’s drive from Madrid, is the Castilian version of a fairytale village, with a whitewashed hamlet at the foot of a hill crowned by a medieval castle and a row of windmills silhouetted against the horizon.
As soon as one approaches the road, the image of the blades spinning on the Cerro Calderico, with the Castillo de la Muela watching over everything, has something of a film set, thanks to golden light at sunset, winter mist some days and that silence of the villages of La Mancha that only the wind and the church bells break.
Above, on the crest of the hill, a dozen restored windmills are lined up, heirs of those that inspired Cervantes, which today can be visited inside to see its wooden mechanism and look out over viewpoints from which the entire plain is dominated.
Next to it stands the castle, a reconstructed fortress that allows you to imagine the life of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem between walls, cisterns and towers. On cold days, when the wind blows hard and the sky folds with clouds, the climb to the hill has an air of winter adventure reminiscent of the great stories of cloak and sword.
A Castilian village at Christmas
The Christmas charm is completed in the town center, with narrow streets, arcades and squares where bars and confectioneries serve typical La Mancha sweets. It is easy to link the cultural visit with a spoon meal, whether porridge, migas or any steaming broth, and finish off the afternoon in a cafe in front of a cup of chocolate while dusk falls and the lights are turned on.
Around Christmas time , the town is decorated with nativity scenes, craft markets or activities for children that reinforce the feeling of a fairytale town, perfect for a day trip from Madrid.