Deep Spain
The two Castiles
Castile and León north of the Central System, Castilla-La Mancha to the south. Villages of golden stone (Pedraza, Sepúlveda) or Mudejar brick (Arévalo). Roast lamb, Ribera wines and endless horizons.
Extremadura: dehesas and conquistadors
Trujillo, Cáceres, Guadalupe. Villages that seem frozen in the 16th century, colonial mansions, storks in bell towers. Iberian ham in its natural habitat.
Inland Aragón
The Five Towns, the Maestrazgo, Somontano. Villages of reddish stone, Romanesque in every church, depopulation that preserves authenticity.
Quixotic La Mancha
Campo de Criptana, Consuegra, Belmonte. Windmills, castles and the Don Quixote route. Manchego cheese, wine and game.
Tip: The interior has extreme weather: scorching summers and freezing winters. Spring and autumn are the best times. The plateau sunsets are spectacular.