--- title: "A weekend among vineyards, wine and charming villages" description: "A getaway to discover Casas-Ibáñez, the Cabriel Valley and Alcalá del Júcar through wine, gastronomy and landscape Do you want to disconnect a weekend and discover a new place without..." url: https://test.vegatolosa.com/de/un-fin-de-week-entre-viñedos-vino-y-pueblos-con-encanto/ date: 2026-10-06 modified: 2026-10-06 author: "Eva Bernabe" image: https://test.vegatolosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Vineyards-to-end-of-summer.jpg categories: ["Enotourism"] type: post lang: of --- # A weekend among vineyards, wine and charming villages ## A getaway to discover Casas-Ibáñez, the Cabriel Valley and Alcalá del Júcar through wine, gastronomy and landscape Do you want to disconnect a weekend and discover a new place without having to do hundreds of kilometers? Between **Albacete, Cuenca and Valencia** is La Manchuela, a region marked by the landscapes of the Júcar and Cabriel rivers, the vineyards, the historical villages and a gastronomy that attracts more and more travelers. **Casas-Ibáñez** is a good starting point to discover it. Here you can combine a visit to a family winery, a gastronomic meal, a walk along the river, charming villages, natural environments full of magic, and some of the restaurants that are making this area also become a gastronomic destination. From **Payments of Family Vega Tolosa** we propose a route from Friday to Sunday to discover the area calmly. ## Weekend route through La Manchuela and the Cabriel Valley FRIDAY BY NIGHT **Casas-Ibáñez has become a gastronomic destination in its own right.** On Friday you can get to Casas-Ibáñez, settle in your accommodation and start directly with one of the great attractions that is making more and more people come here: **the gastronomy**. The project **Cañitas Maite** has turned Casas-Ibáñez into a destination for fans of good food and brings together different gastronomic proposals to enjoy the cuisine and the product of the area. If you are looking for a special gastronomic experience, you can book at **OBA**, which has **a MICHELIN Star, a Green Star and 2 Repsol Suns**. Its cuisine is part of the territory, its products and the tradition of La Manchuela and the Cabriel Valley to build a contemporary proposal. If you prefer a more informal experience, you can choose **Cañitas Maite** or **La Taberñita**, also within the project. The best option will depend on the type of dinner you are looking for. Of course: reservation in advance. Especially on weekends, these gastronomic proposals are in great demand. **Where to sleep?** For this getaway you can stay at **Cañitas Maite**, which offers different accommodation options in Casas-Ibáñez, or at **Hotel Aros**. If you prefer a more rural experience, you will also find different rural houses in the surroundings, such as the **Hotel Rural Avenjucar**, which also has its own restaurant if you prefer to dine there. SATURDAY · 10:00 – 11:00 **Discover Casas-Ibáñez before discovering its wines** After breakfast, start the morning by taking a walk through the historic center of **Casas-Ibáñez**. ![House inspired by Gaudi in Casas-Ibáñez](https://test.vegatolosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/5791685054_264708f7c1_b.jpg) Discover some of the buildings and highlights of the town. One of them is the **Church of San Juan Bautista**, a construction of the seventeenth century that is worth visiting to know its interior. SATURDAY · 11:00–13:00 **Visit Vega Tolosa Family Payments. [You must book the visit in advance here.](https://test.vegatolosa.com/enoturismo/)** Two hours to get to know a family winery and discover the wine from the place where it was born From the center of Casas-Ibáñez to Pagos de Familia Vega Tolosa there are barely 2-3 minutes by car. We recommend you to travel by car because, after our visit, you can continue directly to Alcalá del Júcar, without having to return to the center of Casas-Ibáñez. At 11:00 we opened the doors of our winery. We are a family dedicated to the cultivation of the vine for five generations and we work our vineyards in an ecological way in the environment of the D.O. Manchuela and the Cabriel Valley. ![The Tolosa family in their Bobal vineyards during the harvest, in Casas Ibáñez (Albacete)](https://test.vegatolosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/vega-tolosa-familia-og-1024x538.jpg) During the visit you will learn about our history, our way of working the vineyard and how we make our wines. You will visit the production area and the barrel room and discover some of the varieties that are part of our identity, such as **Bobal** and **Tardana and Albilla**, native white varieties that were about to disappear and we are recovering. ![](https://test.vegatolosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/WhatsApp-Image-2026-09-05-at-15.33.34-1024x768.jpeg) And, of course, there will be time to taste our wines. The visit ends around a table, with a tasting accompanied by **homemade sausages, Manchego cheese and our own extra virgin olive oil**. Two hours to know the wine, but also to understand a little better the land from which it is born. SATURDAY · FROM 13:00 **From the vineyards to Júcar: afternoon in Alcalá del Júcar** A village perched on the mountain where the river, white houses and caves form a unique landscape From Vega Tolosa you can continue directly to **Alcalá del Júcar**. The town is located a few kilometers from Casas-Ibáñez and is one of the essential places to discover in this area. His image is spectacular: The white houses adapt to the slopes of the mountain and the Júcar River runs at their feet. ![Alcalá del Júcar: the castle on the rock, the river and the stone bridge](https://test.vegatolosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/AB-alcala-de-jucar-12-1024x683-1.jpg) But Alcalá del Júcar deserves more than just a quick photo stop. **13:30–15:30 · Eating overlooking the Júcar** To eat you can choose between different proposals depending on the type of experience you are looking for. **Restaurant El Mirador** is a good option if you want to enjoy the views while eating and discover a cuisine based on product and gastronomy from La Mancha. If you prefer to eat in the historic center, you can choose **Fogones El Chato**, a proposal focused, among other specialties, on grilled meats. And if you're looking for something more casual, you can opt for **Tapería El Cruce**. Our recommendation is to book in advance, especially during weekends and bridges. **Late Saturday · What to see and do in Alcalá del Júcar** Dedicate the afternoon to discover Alcalá del Júcar and enjoy the landscape Walk its streets and let the town itself take you. **1. The castle of Alcalá del Júcar** Starts with the **castle**, located in the highest part of the town. From there you will have one of the best views of the town and the Júcar valley. **2. The cave houses** One of the most characteristic elements of Alcalá del Júcar are its ** houses excavated in the mountain**. They are a sample of how the inhabitants of the area learned to take advantage of the rock itself to create their homes and spaces for everyday use. Some can be visited and allow a much better understanding of the relationship between the village and the mountain. **3. Stroll through the old town** Afterwards, just walk. Narrow streets, white houses, small squares and slopes are part of the charm of Alcalá. Don't be in a hurry. It is one of those towns that are more enjoyed walking than following a list of monuments. **4. The bridge over the Júcar** Also approach the river and cross its bridge. From below you will be able to appreciate much better how the village adapts to the rock walls that surround it. **5. The viewpoints** Before leaving, look for one of the viewpoints that surround the town. The image of the town perched on the mountain and the river Júcar winding between the snouts is one of the essential photographs of the trip. **And if you still have time...** If the time of year and daylight hours allow it, you can also get close to one of the surrounding trails. SATURDAY · NIGHT **Back to Casas-Ibáñez for dinner and rest** After a day of wine and scenery, it's time to slow down After visiting Alcalá del Júcar, return to Casas-Ibáñez for the night. For dinner you can choose between different proposals of the town. **Restaurant Aros** is an interesting option if you are looking to sit quietly for dinner. You can also opt for **Bar Gardens**, a more informal alternative. Then, it's time to rest. On Sunday another completely different landscape still awaits us. SUNDAY · TOMORROW **La Terrera: discover the landscape of the Cabriel** On Sunday morning we propose you to approach **La Terrera**, one of the most interesting natural spaces in the surroundings of Casas-Ibáñez, where the Cabriel riverside forest mixes with Mediterranean pine forests and agricultural areas. ![Casas Ibáñez](https://test.vegatolosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/la-terrera.jpg)*On the banks of the river, nature and architecture are intertwined in a dance of serenity and charm.* If you want a quiet plan, you can go by car to La Terrera and once there, make the **interpretative path of La Terrera**, of about 2 kilometers, and dedicate the rest of the morning to enjoy the environment of the river. If you feel like **doing a hiking route**, a good option that you can do without having to take the car is the route between **Casas-Ibáñez and La Terrera**, of about 20 **kilometers (round trip) and approximately five hours**, of low difficulty. The path crosses crops, Mediterranean pine forest and riverside forest, offering a very pleasant way to discover the landscape of Cabriel on foot. And if you prefer another way to enjoy the landscape, the **Valle del Cabriel** offers different possibilities for active tourism, such as **bike routes, horseback riding, canoeing or kayaking**. Water activities such as rafting can also be carried out at certain times of the year. SUNDAY · FOOD **Already back in Casas-Ibáñez, it's time to eat.** You can choose **La Fragua Tienda-Degustación**, if you are looking for a proposal linked to the product and the local gastronomy, or **Bar-Restaurant El Parque**, a simpler and more informal option. It's time to sit back unhurriedly, go over everything you've discovered over the weekend and enjoy one last meal before the last part of the route. SUNDAY · LAST **The Virgin of the Head, the Cerro de San Jorge or the Cave of Los Angeles** **Two last viewpoints to say goodbye to Casas-Ibáñez** As the autumn and winter afternoons are shorter, we have left for this moment two visits that you can easily do from the town itself. First, go to the **Ermita-Santuario de la Virgen de la Cabeza**, located on the outskirts of Casas-Ibáñez. ![Casas Ibáñez](https://test.vegatolosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ermita-1024x768-1.jpg)*A prominent corner where serenity connects with the roots of the family.* The sanctuary, built in the 17th century, is part of the historical and religious heritage of the town. Then you can head to the **Cerro de San Jorge**. ![Casas Ibáñez](https://test.vegatolosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/cerro-san-jorge-scaled-1-1024x768.jpg) Cerro de San Jorge.es is one of the points from which you can best appreciate the landscape surrounding Casas-Ibáñez and understand the position of the town within La Manchuela. It's a good way to end the getaway: looking at the landscape that you have been discovering throughout the weekend. The vineyards. The fields. Mt. And, beyond, the landscapes modeled by the Júcar and the Cabriel. Although if you still want more and want to extend the afternoon a little longer, you can approach the Cave of Los Angeles, about 15 minutes by car from Casas-Ibáñez. The Cave of the Angels is a **spectacular hidden oasis** that contrasts radically with the landscape of plain and vineyards of the region. Rainwater, streams and ramblas in the area have eroded the limestone rock creating what is locally known as a **“tollo”**, a narrow, deep ravine with pools. ## A getaway for those who want to travel, eat well and disconnect Come and visit our winery. Taste our wines. Discover Casas-Ibáñez. Get lost in Alcalá del Júcar. Walk by the Cabriel. And he comes home having discovered a new place. A weekend can be enough to give you a first impression of everything that the surroundings of Casas-Ibáñez offer. **[We are waiting for you in Vega Tolosa](https://test.vegatolosa.com/enoturismo/).**