CASAS DEL CERRO VIEWPOINT IN ALCALÁ DEL JÚCAR

Along the “ceja” (the brow)—the abrupt transition between the La Manchuela plain and the Júcar canyon—many natural viewpoints offer breath-taking vistas of this natural space. However, undoubtedly one of the most spectacular is nestled in the hamlet of Casas del Cerro. This is one of several satellite hamlets that utilised the fertile plains for cultivating cereals, vines, and olives—resources that were inaccessible from Alcalá del Júcar due to its steep location.

“El Cerro” (The Hill), as it is known locally, sits at the very edge of the plateau, facing and dominating the promontory of Alcalá.

From this vantage point, one can admire the meandering course of the Júcar, carved deep into the canyon it has excavated over millennia. You can see the poplar groves lining its banks and the neat, tidy kitchen gardens beside them. The south-facing slope (solana) appears arid, dazzling with its white cliffs, while the north-facing slope (umbría) is carpeted with pine forests and Mediterranean scrub.

Alcalá rises upon its watchtower, with the castle appearing at our feet and the cluster of houses seemingly cascading down the rocky ridge. Across the gorge, the endless plain continues, with the hamlet of Las Eras standing as a twin sentry over the valley.