El Bonillo

A Hill on the Plain

Any account of tourism in El Bonillo has to begin with the landscape. The town rises gently from the flat expanse of the Campo de Montiel, around 900 metres above sea level, a slight elevation in a sea of cereal fields. From a distance it is easy to pick out, thanks to the tower of the church of Santa Catalina, which stands over an almost level horizon.

That prominence is no accident. For centuries, any hill in this part of La Mancha served several purposes at once: refuge, lookout point and territorial marker. El Bonillo follows that pattern. It sits on its hill as a fixed reference point in an otherwise open, far-reaching setting.

Early in the morning, the air often carries the scent of thyme and freshly turned earth. Tractors head out at first light and, on clear days, great bustards can sometimes be seen lifting heavily from the fields. The town remains in the background, anchored to its rise, while the surrounding plain stretches uninterrupted in every direction.

Three Villages, One Hill

The origins of El Bonillo reflect the practical logic of the medieval frontier. In this area of the Campo de Montiel there were once several small settlements scattered across the countryside: Sotuélamos, San Miguel de Susaña and Santa Catalina. Over time, these communities came together on more defensible ground known as Cerro Bueno.

This reorganisation followed the Christian conquest of the region. Alfonso VIII granted a charter at the beginning of the 13th century, shortly after the capture of Alcaraz. The aim was clear enough. The territory needed settlers to work the land and to maintain a stable population in what had recently been an unstable border zone.

The layout of the old quarter still reflects that beginning. The church of Santa Catalina occupies the highest point, and the streets slope down towards what were once threshing floors and livestock enclosures. Its tower contains a spiral staircase built without a central ستون, an unusual construction that hints at a secondary role as a watchtower. From the top there are wide views over the route linking this part of the Campo de Montiel with Lezuza and Alhambra, a road that probably follows far older lines of communication.

Seasonal Lagoons and Steppe Birds

At first glance, the countryside around El Bonillo can seem empty. In reality it holds more than it reveals. In spring, rainfall fills shallow depressions known locally as navajos. These endorheic lagoons appear and disappear depending on the year. When water gathers, they become small pockets of activity in the middle of the steppe.

Black-winged stilts, coots and other water birds gather there, while in the surrounding cereal fields lives one of the province’s most significant populations of great bustards. The broad, open terrain and limited tree cover favour steppe species, which is why much of the municipality falls within a designated bird protection area.

The wind is a constant presence on this plateau and has shaped the landscape in more recent ways too. Several wind farms and solar plants have been installed nearby and now form part of everyday life. Locals often sum it up with a well-worn phrase: today’s mills do not grind grain, but they do produce electricity.

The Sabinar of the Campo de Montiel

A few kilometres from the town, in the direction of Ossa de Montiel, the scenery changes. Here stands a sabinar, a woodland of sabina albar, or Spanish juniper. It is considered one of the southernmost natural enclaves where this species grows.

Some of the trees are several centuries old. Their trunks twist and lean, shaped by poor soils and long, dry summers. A marked trail runs through the sabinar. It is short and easy to follow, though closed footwear is advisable because the juniper resin stains readily.

When the wind drops, which is not always the case in this region, the woodland settles into a distinctive stillness. The quiet is broken only by insects and the creak of branches.

Cooking from the Fields

Local cooking reflects what the surrounding land has traditionally provided: cereals, small game and produce from the annual pig slaughter.

Gazpacho pastor bears little resemblance to the chilled Andalusian soup many visitors associate with the name. Here it is a hot broth flavoured with paprika and, when available, game meat. It is thickened with torta or stale bread. Tiznao combines desalted cod with potatoes and fresh garlic shoots. In winter, gachas made from flour are prepared with panceta or chorizo and eaten straight from the pan.

There are also young cheeses made from the milk of Manchega sheep. They are consumed while still tender, before developing a firmer rind. The flavour often carries a note of the dry pasture that characterises the steppe.

A Semana Santa of Drums and Cornets

Semana Santa in El Bonillo is immediately recognisable for its sound. Drums and cornets take centre stage, and several local bands accompany the processions. As they move through the sloping streets of the old town, the sound reverberates against the façades.

The tradition appears to have become established in the 19th century and has gradually drawn in more local participation. The route usually passes through the Plaza de la Constitución and continues as far as the chapel of the Cristo de los Milagros. This small building, said by local tradition to date from the 17th century, is linked to a miraculous episode that is still remembered in the town.

In El Bonillo, landscape and history remain closely connected. The hill explains the settlement, the fields shape the cooking, and the wind leaves its mark on both birds and energy production. It is a place that makes sense when understood in relation to its surroundings: a raised point in the wide Campo de Montiel, where the horizon is broad and the tower of Santa Catalina continues to watch over the plain.