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Fans of La Mancha
Spain’s Castile-La Mancha region is preparing to commemorate the 400th anniversary of one of the world’s most beloved literary heroes: Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote. The $66 million celebration will include 2,005 art exhibitions, 30 plays and a 620-mile ruta, or cultural and ecological route, following the path of the would-be knight’s adventures. The journey will bring visitors to the region from the windmills of Toledo and the castles of Siguenza, Belmonte and Alarcon to Cervantes’ home in Esquivias and the 12th century ruins of Atienza. The ruta is both environmentally friendly and accessible to the disabled, and more than 50 hotels, inns, agrotourism lodgings and paradores (government-owned hotels, mostly in historic buildings) are participating in the tour. For more information, contact the Spanish Tourist Office at 212 265 8822 or visit www.okspain.org.