There’s more than one place to witness the iconic Spanish windmills, particularly throughout the region of Castilla-La Mancha. But perhaps the best location to view (and enter) them is in Consuegra, said to be the inspiration of Miguel de Cervantes’ 17^th-century novel, Don Quixote.

© Aoife O’Riordan

These restored windmills overlook the town below. One begins to understand how the beloved knight from the novel mistook these same windmills for giants when approaching them in person. The wind alone is fierce, strong and relentless, the direction determining the weather and season for harvests and farming. The constant roar from the gusts spurs the mind to truly imagine great giants stomping nearby.

A road winds to the top for easy access to these windmills, of which there are 12. Originally used to grind wheat into grain, these windmills passed through families over the generations. Today, the restored windmills are a standing testament to the endurance of rural Spain. And while you may feel you’re far from everything, you’ll actually find a few shops and even a quaint Spanish eatery within the windmills.

© Aoife O’Riordan

Inside the Caballero del Verde Gabán windmill is a small restaurant reached by a narrow and spiral staircase to the top floor. Small windows, a pointed room with a large beam across the middle to stabilize the actual windmill, and names above the windmills denoting the winds depending on their direction adorn the little room. You’re sure to have an authentic Spanish tapas lunch here, from Manchego cheeses to local wines to Spanish iberico ham. It’s a must-visit.

After exploring the windmills, be sure to head back down the hill a little bit to the Castle of Muela. The site of the original fortress dates back to emperor Trajan, but the current fortress was constructed during the Middle Ages for the Knights Hospitaller.

Consuegra is within easy reach of larger Spanish cities, about 40 minutes from Toledo and between one and two hours from Madrid.