Castilla-La Mancha, stone cities an hour from Madrid.

Castilla-La Mancha surrounds Madrid to the east and south, and that makes it the region of day trips from the capital and from a good part of central Spain. Its five provinces are plains of cereal and vineyard, but also sierras, gorges and lagoons, and among them are four cities that justify the trip on their own: Toledo, Cuenca, Sigüenza and Almagro. None is more than two hours from Madrid, and Cuenca is the same distance from Valencia.

What should I see depending on what you want?

Monuments and museums in a day. Toledo is the obvious choice: the cathedral, the Jewish quarter with two synagogues, El Greco at Santo Tomé and the Alcázar, in an old town the Tagus wraps around. It is an hour from Madrid along the A-42 and 25 minutes by Avant from Atocha.

Landscape and city together. Cuenca looks out over two gorges, those of the Júcar and the Huécar, with the Casas Colgadas (Hanging Houses) on the edge and a museum of abstract art inside them. Half an hour away, the Ciudad Encantada, a labyrinth of rocks in the Serranía. It has an AVE from Madrid and from Valencia.

A small medieval city. Sigüenza, in the province of Guadalajara, descends from a castle to a cathedral, with the tomb of the Doncel inside. It is a detour from the A-2, an hour and a half from Madrid and 55 minutes from Guadalajara, and has a regional train.

Theatre and La Mancha countryside. Almagro, 25 minutes from Ciudad Real, has the only Golden Age corral de comedias still in use, with performances almost every weekend, and in July it holds the International Classical Theatre Festival. Nearby, the castle-convent of Calatrava la Nueva.

How do I combine them?

Each is a Sunday outing from its provincial capital or from Madrid, but some combine well in a getaway. Toledo and Almagro share the autovía to the south: two nights covers both, with the Corral de Comedias as the finale. Cuenca needs at least one night if you want to add the Ciudad Encantada. Sigüenza is to the north, on the way between Madrid and Zaragoza, and fits as a one-night stop on that journey.

Beyond the cities, you have the Consuegra windmills, the Lagunas de Ruidera between Ciudad Real and Albacete, the Júcar canyon at Alcalá del Júcar or the source of the River Mundo at Riópar. Each has its own page with what to do, where to eat and where to sleep.

How do I get around?

By car you can reach everything and it is essential for the countryside: the Serranía de Cuenca, the Campo de Calatrava or the Barranco del Río Dulce have no useful public transport. Without a car, Toledo, Cuenca and Sigüenza have trains from Madrid, and once there they are explored on foot. In all four cities the old town is narrow and on a slope: park outside and walk.

What is there to eat?

Shepherds' and hunters' cooking, hearty and spoon-based. In Toledo, the cocido de la Sagra, partridge and marzipan. In Cuenca, ajoarriero, a paste of salt cod, garlic and potato, and morteruelo, a hot game pâté. In Sigüenza and the Sierra de Guadalajara, roast lamb, kid and suckling pig, ordered in advance. In Almagro, the dressed aubergines that carry its name. Everywhere, pisto, migas, gachas and Manchego cheese, and wines from the La Mancha and Valdepeñas designations.

When should I go?

In spring and autumn. The La Mancha plain is very hot in July and August; in summer, the higher cities, Cuenca and Sigüenza, are better, and monuments in the morning. In winter it is dry cold and there are fewer people: it is a good time for Toledo and for the theatre in Almagro. Many museums close on Mondays.