What to do · Consuegra
The twelve windmills of Calderico hill and the Bolero windmill
Information
- Price
- Walk on the hill free; inside the Bolero with ticket
- Duration
- 1 h
- Season
- All year; sunset is the best time
- Who it's for
- Everyone
- With a dog
- On a lead, on the hill path; not inside the windmills
Twelve windmills in a row on the rocky ridge of Calderico hill, with La Muela castle at one end and the plain of La Mancha below, as far as the eye can see. It is the image half the world has of La Mancha and the one that Chapter VIII of Don Quixote left written. The Town Hall describes it as one of the best-preserved traditional windmill complexes on the Peninsula, and windmills and castle together form a Site of Cultural Interest.
A name for every windmill
Each has its own, almost always from Cervantes or from the village's tradition: Sancho, Bolero, Rucio, Espartero, Caballero del Verde Gabán, Clavileño, Alcancía, Vista Alegre, among others. They were not scenery: they were the economic engine of the area, grinding the grain of the plain to make flour.
The Sancho keeps its original 16th-century machinery, which is set going at the traditional festivals. It was the first to be restored, with period methods and materials, and the first declared a Site of Cultural Interest; the rest of the complex came later.
The Bolero is the tourist office and is a museum throughout. Inside you see the wooden gearing that transmitted the turning of the sails to the stones, and outside it has a viewpoint over the rooftops of Consuegra. Its entry is included in the guided visit to La Muela castle. The office is open from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 15:30 to 18:00 from 1 October to 31 May, and from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 19:00 in summer; phone numbers 925 47 57 31 and 925 59 31 18.
The Rucio is the other one that can be visited inside and the one that really grinds on some days of the year: it has its own listing.
Going up the hill, by car or on foot
The walk along the ridge, from windmill to windmill, is free and open to all. You drive up along Calle del Cerro Calderico, with parking at the top next to the windmills, or walk up from the old town by the steps of the chapel of the Cristo de la Vera Cruz. Coaches need an access permit requested by email from the tourist office. With a dog you can walk on the hill, on a lead; inside the windmills, no.
Allow an hour to walk the row and go into the Bolero; with the castle, half a morning.
When the road is closed
In August, during Consuegra Medieval, and in late October, during the Saffron Rose Festival, the windmill road is closed to traffic and you walk up. They are, at the same time, the days with the most atmosphere and the most people. At sunset, with the sun falling over the plain, is when most visitors come up to take the photo.
The windmills are the centrepiece of the Sunday with a guided castle visit, windmills and pottery. For lunch afterwards, Verde Gabán Molino Bistró is on the hill itself.
Tips
- Walk up from the chapel The steps of the chapel of the Cristo de la Vera Cruz climb from the old town to the ridge and save you looking for parking at the top.
- Combine castle and Bolero A single €9 ticket covers both.
- If you go during the festivals, leave the car In August and at the Saffron Rose Festival you climb on foot.
Frequently asked questions
How many windmills are there in Consuegra?
Twelve, in a row on Calderico hill.
Can I go inside the windmills?
In the Bolero, which is the tourist office and a museum, and in the Rucio.
Is it free to go up to the windmills?
The walk on the hill is; the inside of the Bolero comes with the castle ticket.
Can I drive up?
Yes, there is parking at the top, except during Consuegra Medieval and the Saffron Rose Festival, when the road is closed.
Can I go with a dog?
Yes, on a lead on the hill; not inside the windmills.
With young childrenAs a familyWith teenagersWith a dog
