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Castilla-La Mancha is a region in central Spain, southeast of Madrid. It is famously known as the setting for the classic 17th-century novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, featuring landscapes filled with windmills, castles, and vast plains.
The region is characterized by its vast plateaus and plains such as the Meseta Central, punctuated by hills, mountains, and river valleys. It is bordered by the regions of Madrid, Castilla y Leon, Andalucia, Murcia, Aragon, Valencia, and Extremadura. The capital of the region is Toledo, a historic city recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its extensive cultural and monumental heritage.
Castilla-La Mancha is also renowned for its cultural history, with several Unesco World Heritage Sites, including the cities of Cuenca and Alcalá del Júcar, and the archaeological park of Segóbriga. Numerous festivals throughout the year celebrate the region's cultural heritage.
The region's economy is traditionally based on agriculture, particularly the production of wine, olives, and cereals. It is the world's largest producer of saffron, a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus. Besides agriculture, other important sectors include tourism, renewable energy, and the manufacture of goods such as textiles and machinery.
The cuisine in Castilla-La Mancha is simple and hearty, featuring dishes such as gazpacho manchego (a variant of the famous cold tomato soup, but with game meat), migas (fried breadcrumbs), and marzipan sweets.
Lastly, Don Quixote's windmills are one of the defining symbols of this region. The windmills, which were used to grind grain, can be found in several parts of Castilla-La Mancha including the plains of La Mancha and the hilltops of Consuegra. These symbols of the region's agricultural past are now popular tourist attractions.