What to visit?
WHAT TO VISIT
Streets and Squares
ALTOZANO SQUARE
Right in the centre of Albacete we find this square, which stands out for being surrounded by magnificently maintained gardens and the statue of the cutler. It is an ideal place to start your visit to the city of Albacete and to take your first photographs. Below this fountain is the Albacete Peace Interpretation and Awareness Centre, in an old Civil War air-raid shelter dating from 1937.
LODARES PASSAGE
The Pasaje de Lodares is a commercial and residential gallery in the city of Albacete. Located between Tinte and Mayor streets, this building is an example of modernist architecture from the early 20th century. The Pasaje de Lodares in Albacete is, together with the Pasaje Gutiérrez in Valladolid and the Pasaje del Ciclón in Zaragoza, one of the only three examples of this type of gallery that remain in Spain.
ROSARIO STREET AND ANCHA STREET
Marqués de Molíns, Tesifonte Gallego, Rosario, Concepción, Mayor, Tinte, Caba streets, etc. These are the most central and busy streets in the city of Albacete, where most of the shops are concentrated, where visitors can shop and have tapas or eat in a multitude of terraces.
Museums
CiAb (Water Museum)
The Albacete Water Museum, located in La Fiesta del Árbol Park, in the former Water Pumping Station, offers a fascinating interactive experience on the importance of water in the region. The visit includes the Water Museum, the Control Centre, the Water Quality Laboratory and the Water Tower or elevated reservoir, which is the highest reservoir in Spain at 70 metres high, from which you can see the entire city of Albacete and part of the surrounding area. Advance booking is required.
Botanical Garden
The Albacete Botanical Garden is a 7-hectare green space that is home to a wide variety of native and exotic flora. Located next to the university campus, its collection includes more than 800 plant species, distributed across different themed areas such as the Mediterranean forest, the desert zone and the collection of aromatic and medicinal plants. It is an ideal destination for enjoying nature and learning about the region's biodiversity.
Archaeological Museum
The Albacete Museum represents the historical and cultural evolution of the province of Albacete, as an integral part of the historical, artistic and cultural heritage of Castilla-La Mancha, and is a valuable archive for provincial archaeology.
Cutlery Museum
It is the first museum of its kind in Spain and joins three other cutlery museums in the world, alongside those in the cities of Solingeun (Germany) and Thiers (France). United under the Albacete Declaration, in defence of the cutlery sector with the slogan: ‘three cities, three museums, three countries’. Rooms dedicated to the history of the cutlery sector, awards from cutlery competitions organised by the APRECU association (Association of Cutlery and Related Industries), European and international cutlery, a craftsman's workshop, a scissors room, audiovisual areas and various temporary rooms are some of the exhibition spaces that make up the museum. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
PARKS AND GARDENS
THE TREE FESTIVAL PARK
Located as a continuation of the fairgrounds, it houses the famous Deposito del Agua (future viewpoint of the city due to its height of 68 metres) and where the future tourist reception centre is planned.
ABERLARDO SÁNCHEZ PARK
Popularly known as ‘El Parque’, it is often said to be the ‘lung’ of the city. With large pine forests and a variety of herbaceous species, you can also find ducks, squirrels, ideal for children, for its swings and play areas. It covers an area of 11 hectares and is in the centre of the city, inside it is the Archaeological Museum.
JARDINILLOS PARK
One of the oldest parks, according to sources, it dates back to the 19th century, and its gate is a recreation of the old iron gate of the Feria. In its central promenade there is a fountain inside a pond of irregular and curious shape, with an abundance of water lilies, to which we must add the magnificent 19th century pavilion, designed for open-air musical concerts and the Caseta de los Jardinillos, a place for concerts and cultural events, which is a key part of the celebrations of the Albacete Fair.
THE PULGOSA PARK
La Pulgosa is a peri-urban park with an approximate extension of 40 hectares belonging to Albacete This pine forest has been for decades a place for recreation and family meals, its proximity to the city has made this place together with Los Pinares del Júcar the favourite places for weekend picnics. La Pulgosa has three concrete multi-sports courts, a skating rink and a BMX circuit for bicycles. It has a couple of large grassy meadows where it is very common to play football.
LINEAR PARK
From 1855 the railway line entered Albacete from the northwest and passed through the city to the southeast. Today this space is occupied by this park, with a multitude of corners that have transformed the area, although without forgetting its origins, as the railway traffic light in what was known as Puente de Madera (Wooden Bridge) and the locomotive located in the area in front of the Fábrica de Harinas (Flour Factory) remind us. A long promenade crosses the city, along the old railway line. This park currently houses a full-scale representation of the Solar System, giving it the characteristics of an open-air museum.
BOTANICAL GARDEN
With a total surface area of 68,697 m2, the Albacete Botanical Garden is divided into five main areas: the entrance area, the entrance square, a third area which, apart from the greenhouse and the shade-house, is dedicated to collections of plant material typical of the ‘40th parallel’ and arranged in three concentric rings, from which spaces are organised radially, the area of the lakes, with two lagoons, one endorheic and the other karst, and the last one, at the back, where the natural area is located.
THEATRES
Auditorium
Located in the same building as the Town Hall, musical concerts and theatrical activities are regularly held here. It has dressing rooms and a box office. The total capacity is 560 people. Art and photography exhibitions are held in the Auditorium hall.
Conference Centre
A modern prism-shaped glass complex designed by the architectural firm Frechilla & López-Peláez, with a floor area of 15,300 m² and located in the Campollano business and industrial park. It is a multifunctional complex that hosts all kinds of events, such as conferences, trade fairs, exhibitions, concerts and plays.
Circus Theatre
A performance venue declared a Site of Cultural Interest in the monument category. Opened in the 19th century, it is the oldest operational circus theatre in the world and the only theatre in Spain that maintains a dual functional role, both for theatre and circus performances. Every year, it hosts the Albacete International Circus Festival, one of the most prestigious in the world.
Theatre of Peace
It hosts theatre, musical and dance performances, seminars, conferences, congresses and even political rallies. It is also used for school plays. It has a capacity for 645 people and eight dressing rooms.
TOWNS
CHINCHILLA
To visit Chinchilla is to return to the past and discover one of the most charming towns in Spain, declared to be of tourist interest. Chinchilla is castle and walls, palaces, Arab baths, temples and convents. At its heart is the Plaza de la Mancha, where many of its numerous monuments are located. The two magnificent façades of the Town Hall are worthy of admiration. Continuing along the route, you can delight in contemplating the Archpriestly Church of Santa María Del Salvador, full of Gothic elements. The Ceramics Museum, a great example of provincial pottery, is also of interest. Fascinating is the castle, protected by a crenellated wall and thirteen towers, with an impressive entrance with a drawbridge.
JORQUERA
From a cultural point of view, Jorquera offers us an interesting tourist route, made up of its main monuments and the remains of the ancient cultures that have marked the municipality. Moving between Gothic and Renaissance, we come across the Church of Santa María de la Asunción, which houses interesting works such as a 16th century processional cross or a canvas of the contemplation of the body of Saint Francis. Among other places of interest, we can stop to contemplate the remains of the ancient wall of Jorquera, an Almohad construction from the 12th century.
ALCALÁ DEL JÚCAR
Spectacular, picturesque, exceptional... Many are the adjectives that can define the municipality of Alcalá del Júcar, as soon as it appears before our eyes, its beauty obliges us to stop and pay homage to it. One of the must-see sights is the castle, made up of a pentagonal tower and two circular turrets. The Parish Church, with a single nave in the shape of a Latin cross. The Roman Bridge, an obligatory stop on the Royal Road from Castile to Levante, whose great importance meant that it was eventually converted into a dry port or customs house. On the other side of the river, on the mountainside, stands the Plaza de Toros, unique in its style due to its irregular shape.
RIÓPAR
Riópar has a historical and cultural centre made up of Riópar Viejo and the present-day Riópar. It is probably one of the most beautiful places in the province. Among other things it hides: Nacimiento del Río Mundo. After a route through the Parque Natural de los Calares del Río Mundo y de la Sima, we enter a valley of enormous vegetation, where the Río Mundo is born. But there is much more. The Cueva de los Chorros is where the river is really born. To get there, you have to ask for permission to go up with an authorised guide. For those who miss museums, you can enjoy the Museum of the Royal Factories of San Juan de Alcaraz, whose heritage includes industrial jewels, such as machinery from Napoleonic France. Declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, it also houses pieces of bronze craftsmanship considered to be among the best in the world.
