12 essentials: what to see and do in Valdepeñas in 1 day

There are towns that we can pass many times, but that we only see from the highway since we have never found the reason to visit them.

That could be the case of Valdepeñas in the route that connects Madrid and Andalusia, In the Ciudad Real province.

A good incentive to make the visit is the interest in doing what is called a Wine Route, as is the one offered Valdepeñas, being an ideal argument for a getaway, especially in vintage time.

The traveling experience leads us to our priority interest in a Wine Route is in discovering pretty towns e interesting heritage and landscape corners.

La winery visit, the knowledge of the wine traditions and wine tasting It is the axis of argument that justifies the travel through an area of ​​wine tradition, as would be the case of all Community of Castile-La Mancha.

In particular, the Valdepeñas Wine Route It is one of the three that are currently certified in said community for ACEVIN, Spanish Association of Wine Routes, along with the Wine Routes de La Mancha y The Manchuela.

Of Valdepeñas has as its plot root the Appellation of origin, DO Valdepeñas Wine, which was founded in the 60s of the last century.

The proposal Valdepeñas Wine Route focuses on the attractions of this town of south of the province of Ciudad Real and its surroundings.

But it also includes a visit to various wineries and others. wine tourism activities that allow you to learn about the tradition and current characteristics of the wine of this area, as well as a wide range of gastronomic and accommodation proposals.

Best places to see and visit in Valdepeñas

In front of the large expanses of plains covered with vineyards that characterize the landscapes that we can see in the heart of La Mancha, Valdepeñas It is already bordering to the south with the Sierra de Despeñaperros.

Therefore, the natural environment of this area is plains and gentle hills, and the Vineyards share the landscape with large expanses of olive trees, which forms a terrain that gives a special personality to the Valdepeñas wine compared to the wines, for example, from the nearby DO Wine from La Mancha.

The people of Valdepeñas Currently it has about 30.000 inhabitants and in its most recent history a key moment was the arrival of the railroad, in the mid-XNUMXth century, which led to economic and commercial development based on agriculture and the wine industry.

Al visit Valdepeñas You will be able to see buildings that reflect that time, such as the Train station or some of the Station walk or the June 6th Street whose facades show pieces of modernist decoration, the grapes and wine being natural elements present.

Plaza de España in Valdepeñas

But from a tourist point of view, which in itself justifies deviating from the highway to enter Valdepeñas It's very pretty and picturesque Spain Square.

With an almost square plan, this pedestrianized plaza is configured with buildings with arches, whose facades combine the colors white and blue, with the imposing parish church on the north side, and a large fountain in the center of it that has as its motif a wine press.

Bliss Church of the Assumption It is a building whose origin dates back to the end of the 12th century, highlighting its robustness, as it was part of an ancient fortress of the Knights of Calatrava, as well as the portico of the south façade, known as Puerta del Sol, in the flowery-gothic-Elizabethan style.

Sculpture Route in Valdepeñas

On your tour of Valdepeñas you will also be struck by the numerous sculptures you will find.

They are distributed throughout prominent places in the town, forming four Sculpture Routes dedicated to Don Quixote, illustrious figures of Valdepeñas, the Heroic Route and Ornamental Route.

Among them you have, for example, the Wine Gate by the Albacete sculptor José Luis Sánchez; the Tribute to Don Quixote, White Venancio; The Galana, heroine of 1808, Javier Galán; or Woman on tape, In the Spain Square, Julio Lopez Hernandez.

Museums in Valdepeñas

En Valdepeñas you can too to visit museums, and on the artistic level you have the possibility of seeing the very important collection of contemporary art that is exhibited in the municipal Museum.

This collection is the fruit of the International Exhibition of Plastic Arts which since 1940 has been celebrated in Valdepeñas, with the largest prize that takes place in Spain.

The winning work of each year remains in the possession of the city council, which creates an important collection of paintings by great Spanish artists.

In this way, in the Municipal Museum of Valdepeñas you can see from paintings of Antonio López o Pancho Cossío, even sculptures of White Venancio o Garcia Donaire.

Valdepeñas Wine Museum

Now, in wine country, a good way to start your wine tourism getaway es visit the Valdepeñas Wine Museum, which is located in old warehouses to which modern facilities have been added.

In this wine museum you will see from a ship with the traditional clay jars, an exhibition of objects that have traditionally been used for winemaking, or even photographs by the photographer Harry Gordon reflecting the vintage atmosphere.

Various events are held in the museum. events, such as tastings, concerts or poetic events, which take place in its traditional cave.

Which Wineries to visit in Valdepeñas

Regarding visit wineries, riding a Valdepeñas and its surroundings you can visit from a traditional winery with cave and nave of clay jars, as is Navarro López winery, to that of a large cooperative, such as that of Valdepeñas Wine Cooperative.

But you can also visit one of the largest wineries in Europe, such as Felix Solís Wineries, whose facilities will surprise you with their dimensions and modern technology.

Or if you prefer, near Valdepeñas you can also visit a type winery chateau, Royal Cellars, located on a farm and surrounded by 700 hectares of vineyards and olive trees.

Here you have extensive information about which wineries to visit on the Valdepeñas Wine Route.

Wine tourism: wine tasting in Valdepeñas

Visit wineries It is not the only wine tourism activity that you can do in your getaway to Valdepeñas.

An original activity you can do is sign up for a Wine tasting in the Chato Grato Courtyard.

Designed for groups of friends or families with a minimum of six people, José Carlos, expert sommelier and true an influencer of the wine, in his place he prepares a personalized wine tasting tailored to your needs, with a gastronomic pairing.

Without a doubt, a good experience with a long talk among friends to learn about the Valdepeñas wines and its surroundings.

Another alternative to go deeper into the knowledge of Valdepeñas wines es 11 Amphorae, an establishment dedicated to promoting wine culture.

In his Clay Jar Winery you can participate in a commented tasting, and in your enotienda You can taste and buy a wide variety of wines not only from the Valdepeñas DO.

Visit an oil mill in Valdepeñas

Another alternative offered by the Valdepeñas Wine Route is to visit an oil mill and deepen the knowledge of the production and tasting of oil.

For this you have to visit COLIVAL, Valdepeñas Olive Cooperative, which each year produces oils with up to 17 million olives that it receives from its 750 members.

The best time, without a doubt, to visit the oil mill It is during the campaign from mid-October to February, and during the visit you can see various processes, from the unloading of the olives to the production of olive oil.

With olives of the varieties picual, cornicabra, arbequina, and oil mill, extra virgin olive oils of the brand are produced Sierra Prieta and the premium brand Vandebero.

What to see and visit around Valdepeñas

But Valdepeñas Wine Route Not only does it reveal the attractions of this wine settlement in the province of Ciudad Real, but it is an invitation to visit other nearby places.

Plaza Mayor of San Carlos del Valle

Thus, in the nearby town of San Carlos del Valle you can discover one of the most beautiful squares in Castilla-La Mancha.

It's beautiful Main Square It has a square shape and is surrounded by houses supported by stone columns and with galleries with wooden balustrades, and on one side, a monumental late Baroque style church.

The aforementioned church of San Carlos del Valle It has its origins in an old hermitage from the 1713th century, a place of pilgrimage, until the current building was built in 28 with four towers and a large dome with an interior height of XNUMX meters.

I assure you that just to see this square it is worth deviating to this area of ​​the surroundings of Valdepeñas.

Las Virtudes Sanctuary and Bullring in Santa Cruz de Mudela

And the same thing happens with the architectural complex that makes up the Sanctuary and bullring of Las Virtudes.

It is a 15th century hermitage to one of whose sides is attached what is considered the oldest bullring in Spain.

From 1645, the bullring has a square floor plan and the combination of wooden galleries and stone columns next to the hermitage form a truly surprising complex.

But your visit should not be limited to seeing the bullring, but you must access the interior of the sanctuary.

With a building from before the 15th century, the Sanctuary of Virtues has a wooden coffered ceiling Moorish style on the ceiling and, above all, with some spectacular fresh from Baroque in the dressing room of the Virgin.

The schedules to see the bullring and visit the hermitage They are, in summer, from 10 a.m. to 13,30:17,30 p.m. and from 20:9 p.m. to 2 p.m., and in winter, from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. and from XNUMX a.m. to XNUMX p.m.

Torrenueva near Valdepeñas

But if we talk about paintings, another place that is worth it visit near Valdepeñas es Torrenueva, a town in whose surroundings there is a hermitage dedicated to Virgin of the Head, which has another spectacular set of paintings from 1762.

For its part, in the Torrenueva main square you can see a big church of santiago el mayor from the end of the 15th century, building Elizabethan Gothic with elements Mudejar y renaissance.

You must access its interior through the door of plateresque style of the south façade, the most beautiful, and its narrow rectangular nave with cross vaults and chapels on the sides will catch your attention, so that it seems that the building has a Latin cross.

De Torrenueva It is also worth highlighting its popular Borricá Festival dating back to the 17th century, which takes place every year on Tuesday of Carnival.

This festival remembers the rite of brother-soldier who asked for alms for the souls of the purgatory, and during it more than a hundred horses walk through the streets of the town.

Iberian city Cerro de Las Cabeza near Valdepeñas

From a different perspective, did you know that near Valdepeñas can visit the archaeological remains of an Iberian city from between the 6th and 3rd centuries BC?

With an area of ​​14 hectares, this archaeological site It was discovered in 1984 during the construction of the highway that runs next to it.

Since this city was abandoned in the 3rd century BC without being occupied by the Romans and other civilizations, Iberian City of Cerro de las Cabezas It offers the possibility of seeing what its original configuration was.

The visit must begin with Interpretation Center where in seven thematic axes you enter the iberian culture, and then go to the archaeological site.

Here you can consult the Visiting hours of Cerro de las Cabezas.

Where to eat in Valdepeñas

Looking ahead to your getaway to the Valdepeñas Wine Route You have a wide variety of establishment alternatives both for eating and sleeping.

Regarding the gastronomyAs a suggestion, we are going to propose three very different options.

In town of Valdepeñas It is very worth knowing the Antigua Bodega Los Llanos restaurant, which is located in what was once a traditional winery from 1875 that still preserves a cave about two kilometers long full of barrels, which you can visit.

Its tasting menu for 35 euros has great quality and surprising preparation, and is an invitation to get to know the restaurant that justifies detouring off the highway to visit Valdepeñas.

You have another notable alternative in the Venta del Comendador restaurant, which you find in the same Spain Square of Valdepeñas in an old 17th century Manchegan manor house.

Either on the balcony of its interior patio or in the very pleasant room overlooking the square you can taste the typical La Mancha food.

And it is also worth recommending the San Antonio restaurant, also in the Spain Square, where you should also try the Traditional food, like the typical shepherd's crumbs.

Where to sleep in Valdepeñas and surroundings

When it comes to accommodation for your getaway, we are also going to propose three very different alternatives.

If you are looking for a modern and functional establishment in the center of Valdepeñas, do you have Aloque Posada located in a old house from La Mancha which has been renovated with a very colorful decoration.

If you are traveling with a group of family or friends, you can stay in the Doña Elisa rural house a 19th century manor house with modernist style which you find in Torrenueva, where you can enjoy rooms with pleasant traditional decoration.

But although it may surprise you, near Valdepeñas You also have the possibility of staying in a luxury hotel with 61 rooms and suites, located in the middle of the countryside and surrounded by a landscape of vineyards and olive trees.

This is the Hotel La Caminera, which offers everything from a spa area and golf course to a private airfield, a level of luxury that is explained by being a common destination for hunters.

It should be noted that in the hotel you can enjoy the Retama restaurant, having a Michelin star and directed by Javier aranda.

Map: how to get to Valdepeñas

Valdepeñas It is located on the route that connects Madrid with Andalusia, two hours south of the capital and also two hours from the city of Córdoba.