Alcala del Jucar, Spain is a beautiful village overlooking a bend in the river Jucar

Visit Alcala del Jucar

Alcala del Jucar is a beautiful village in a stunning location set on top of a rocky outcrop overlooking a bend in the Jucar river. It is considered to be one of Spain's prettiest villages and is one of Spain's classified "historic artistic" towns.

Explore Alcala del Jucar

The village is spread out along a rocky outcrop and its white houses blend into the white rocks of the surrounding countryside. Below the deep blue of the river and the verdant banks of the river provide a dramatic contrast to the bleached colours of the river gorge.

From the river's edge the village winds up the hillside towards the Arabic fortress at the top. The fortress has Arab origins though has been largely rebuilt and not much remains now of its Moorish origins. The castle has large fortified tower which dominates vies of the hill top. The views from the castle over the village and the gorge are magnificent.

There is a Roman bridge over the village and from here climb the steps to the church of San Andreas, built in the 16-18th centuries. This too has a tall tower and is topped by an unusual triangular roof. The steps continue up the village. You might be suprised to find that the locals drive their cars up and down these steps! Further on the streets narrow and become alleys and even the more adventurous cars cannot continue.

As you wander through the village you will see signs for various caves and many of these are homes that are carved back into the rock. One of them, the Cave El Diablo, is a bar and nightclub and so you can go in and have a drink. Other caves are restaurants and make for interesting locations for a meal. Further bars and restaurants can be found near the river.

On the opposite side of the river is a bullring which has an unusual elliptical shaped bullring which is still used once a year.

After exploring the village take a walk along the gorge to further enjoy the stunning scenery.

Where is Alcala del Jucar

Alcala del Jucar is in the north-east of the Albacete province in the Castilla la Mancha region of Spain. It is about half an hours drive from the city of Albacete and it is possible to visit it in a day trip from Valencia. This means it is has developed into quite a popular tourist village.

Places to Visit Nearby

Nearby Albacete is the largest city in the Castilla la Mancha region and has a cathedral which took 4 centuries to build and so is an interesting mix of architectural styles. The city also has a beautiful bullring which in a Moorish style which resembles the one in Madrid.

You can find more local travel ideas in the Castilla-La Mancha guide.