Secrets of Alcalá del Júcar Revealed From The Air

Alcalá del Júcar is one of these places you visit and never forget, indeed it is among Spain's prettiest villages and yet one of the least visited. From the air the village is revealed as being perched in a breathtaking gorge: white houses chequer along a narrow rocky outcrop, crowned by it’s castle, set in the middle of a spectacular bend of a ravine circled by the turquoised water river Júcar. On it’s pinnacle sits the castle which was built by the Caliphate, later refortified by the Almohads and rebuilt in the 15th century. You can see the beauty of the village from the aerial video shot with my drone. Legend has it that the Christian princess Zulema was in love with the Muslim Garadén and committed suicide by throwing herself down from the rock, because her faith forbade her love. Tragedy aside the little village reveals it's secrets as you view it from above: the houses are carved into the white cliffs, many of them extend into caves (!), while below a lovely 18th century bridge, whose foundations date to Roman times, crosses the river to the Baroque 16th century Church of San Andrés. Although the city is over a three hour drive from Madrid, in the province of Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, it is well worth a visit.