Villanueva de Alcardete

A Carnival with Big Ambitions

Villanueva de Alcardete is the sort of place that takes pride in its own traditions. Its carnival is the clearest example. The slogan says it all: “Hasta el infinito y más allá”, a phrase that translates as “To infinity and beyond”. From the outside, it might sound ambitious for a town of just over two thousand residents.

Arrive during carnival and the tone changes completely.

People commit to it. Costumes are carefully prepared, groups head out together, and the streets fill with movement and noise. It is not just locals either; visitors come in from nearby towns. The atmosphere is that classic small-town festival where everyone gets involved, from children darting around in fancy dress to those who prefer to stand back and watch the parade go by with a drink in hand.

Another story often told here concerns the bullring. It was built by the townspeople themselves, each family contributing labour and materials. It is remembered as one of those community projects that only happen when everyone pulls together and, piece by piece, an entire building rises from shared effort.

Stone, Faith and “Los Perretes”

At the centre of Villanueva de Alcardete stands the Iglesia de Santiago Apóstol. It is the building that draws the eye as soon as you reach the heart of town. Large and solid, it reflects a time when the church was the main landmark in any settlement.

Tradition links its construction to a prior of the Orden de Santiago who was born here. An architect named Martín de Verdolaza is also mentioned in connection with the project. As with many churches across La Mancha, the result is a mixture of styles, shaped by additions and alterations made in different periods.

Just beside it stands the rollo de justicia, known locally as “los perretes”. This stone column once marked the town’s legal jurisdiction. In earlier centuries, such pillars could also serve as a place for public punishment, a visible reminder of authority and local power.

Today, “los perretes” has a far more relaxed function. It is a meeting point, somewhere to pause for a chat or agree where to head next before strolling around the square.

An Old Inn and Stories That Linger

Villanueva de Alcardete also has an old posada that features in local conversation. It is one of those buildings that seem to carry more stories than documents.

It is often said that the Reyes Católicos passed through on one of their journeys. Others suggest that Cervantes may have known the place while travelling across La Mancha as a tax collector, and that the atmosphere of inns and passing travellers might have filtered into Don Quijote.

Clear proof is scarce. Yet anyone who has travelled through La Mancha will recognise how frequently such tales surface. They form part of the region’s character, where history and storytelling sit comfortably side by side.

Migas Rulanderas and the Taste of La Mancha

For many, the real reason to stop in Villanueva de Alcardete is simpler: the food.

The town is known for its migas rulanderas. Migas are a traditional Spanish dish based on fried breadcrumbs, and in this version they come with grapes, chorizo and panceta. The combination of sweet and savoury may sound unusual at first. Taste it and the logic becomes clear, which explains why locals speak about it with such enthusiasm.

Gazpacho manchego is another speciality, and it has nothing in common with the chilled tomato soup from Andalusia that shares its name. Here it is a hot, hearty stew made with game meat and torta cenceña, an unleavened flatbread typical of the area. It is rural cooking, the kind of meal that keeps you full for hours.

Vineyards surround the town. This is La Mancha, after all, and wine is part of the landscape as much as the houses and the tracks that run between plots of land. The presence of vines shapes both the scenery and the rhythm of life in the countryside around Villanueva de Alcardete.

A Gentle Walk to Stretch the Legs

After a substantial meal, a walk feels like the right idea. A common route among residents heads towards the puente de Clemente and continues on to the ermita de San Isidro.

It is not a long hike. Think of it as the kind of stroll taken to stretch the legs after generous portions rather than an expedition.

The puente de Clemente has several arches, referred to locally as “ojos”, meaning eyes. It is often said to have very old origins, though it has clearly been reformed over time. That pattern is typical of such structures, with each era repairing and adapting what was already there.

In the same area stands the ermita de San Roque, known for its wooden artesonado ceiling. Some link its construction techniques to Mudéjar traditions, a style that reflects the influence of Muslim craftsmen working in Christian territories in medieval Spain.

A Simple Plan That Works

Villanueva de Alcardete is not a destination for ticking off a long list of attractions.

The appeal lies in a straightforward plan: arrive, eat well, wander through the centre, take a short walk in the surrounding countryside, and sit for a while in the square as the afternoon passes. It is a place where nothing particularly dramatic happens, yet time seems to stretch a little.

In the end, what lingers in the memory may not be a monument or a date in history, but the flavour of migas rulanderas and the hum of conversation in the plaza. Sometimes that is more than enough reason to stay a little longer than intended.