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Alarcón murals & castle

Plaza Infante Don Juan Manuel, Alarcón, Castilla-La Mancha

Description

Alarcón is a village in the south of Cuenca Province; it is situated on a promontory above a very scenic closed bend of the Júcar River. It is known for its architectural heritage comprising of the 8th century Castle of Alarcón (it now houses a parador and can be visited), the 13th century Romanesque Church of Santo Domingo de Silos, the Churches of Santa Maria del Campo and of the Santa Trinidad, and the Murals of Alarcón. The murals are contemporary art by Spanish painter Jesús Mateo on the walls of the old Church of San Juan Bautista.

Access & Transport

Cuenca is the closest city, 80km north of Alarcon on the CM-2100 or N-111/CM-220. From Madrid, it is a 200km southeast drive on the A-3 (exit 165)/N-111

Instructions & Recommendations

Take note of the split hours for the Arts Center with a long lunch break in the summer and that it is closed to visits in January & February. This activity can easily be combined with a visit of the town of Villanueva de la Jara

Meta review

The village isn't very well known, even within Spain. Online reviews highlight the views of the castle and river as the main draw with positive comments about the visit of the castle and the hikes in the area. As for the murals, most people find them genuinely original and absorbing as well as a clever way to preserve an historical building that may otherwise have fallen into disrepair.

Environmental & Social

We deem this activity environmentally neutral. Helps preserve the region's architectural and cultural heritage and brings some economic influx to the village

Conclusion

The village of Alarcón has one of the prettiest settings within the region of Castile-La Mancha and offers a compact mix of historical, cultural and artistic activities with Jesús Mateo's murals (recognized by UNESCO as a work of world artistic value). It may not be enough to justify a long trip but if you are on a regional itinerary then it is clearly worth a detour.

Key positive

Very photogenic ensemble of the village, castle, towers and river

Unusual artwork in an old church

Key negative

Requires some time investment to get there

Suitability

The village and Arts Centers can be accessed by visitors with reduced mobility, but it is unclear if that is the case of the castle

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

June 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit
Closed in Jan & Feb.

av. transport time:2h

est. visit time:1h 30m

Regulated hours

Start of Season 1:Jun, 01

Season 1 / Period 1

MONDAY -

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY -

THURSDAY -

FRIDAY11:30 - 14:00

SATURDAY11:30 - 14:00

SUNDAY11:30 - 14:00

Season 1 / Period 2

MONDAY -

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY -

THURSDAY -

FRIDAY18:00 - 20:30

SATURDAY18:00 - 20:30

SUNDAY18:00 - 20:30

Start of Season 2:Oct, 01

Season 2 / Period 1

MONDAY -

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY -

THURSDAY -

FRIDAY11:30 - 14:00

SATURDAY11:30 - 14:00

SUNDAY11:30 - 14:00

Season 2 / Period 2

MONDAY -

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY -

THURSDAY -

FRIDAY16:00 - 18:30

SATURDAY16:00 - 18:30

SUNDAY16:00 - 18:30

Pricing
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Group price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
€4
2
Adult
16 - 64
€4
2
Child
3 - 15
€0
0
Infant
0 - 2
€0
0

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