Located at the south of the province of Albacete, you will encounter in this town a cultural and natural heritage which will leave you speechless.
We are talking about Yeste, an area that belongs to the “comarca” or geopolitcal division of Sierra del Segura, that is
This “comarca” is divided into 13 small districts and, at the same time, each of them sometimes includes several small villages in it, reaching up to a total of 100 of them in this area.
The first records which mention this town are from 1242 since, at the beginning, it belonged to the region of Murcia, which means that its history is closely related to that of said Spanish region.
As for its heritage, this town is home to some of the richest and most impressive religious and non-religious monuments in the whole province of Albacete.
One of the most important of them is the castle which, like most castles, is located at the top of a promontory under which lies the historical center of the town. The castle is of Arab origin, from the 12th century, and inside of it awaits you a parade ground where some remains from the second half of the Gothic period, are also left. It is one of the most important monuments in this area since it is the only castle left in the entire area of Sierra del Segura.
Another important element of its historical and cultural heritage is the Parroquia de la Asunción, which was built during several decades of the 16th century. It is divided into two parts, each of them corresponding to the different stages it took to build it; the first one belongs to the Gothic period, whereas the second one is closer to the Renaissance trend of architecture.
Convento de San Francisco, the chapel of Santiago, and the town hall, where the arms and weaponry of the Spanish king Carlos I are displayed, are some other important elements that complete a very long list of the historical heritage of Yeste and its surroundings.
And, in order to get to know its natural heritage in depth too, you cannot forget to check out the natural reserve of Los Calares del Río Mundo y de la Sima, which is also part of the five natural reserves that belong to the territory of Castilla La Mancha.
Mountains and mountain ranges predominate in Yeste's physical geography, something you will be able to appreciate at the Centro de Interpretación, a museum which exhibits the flora and fauna of this natural reserve, and which helps visitors learn more about it and about each aspect of its natural surroundings.
This is an ideal place for those who would like to engage doing active tourism activities such as hiking, hill walking, mountain bike riding or climbing, amongst the most popular ones.
If you decide to visit Yeste during summer, let us tell you that between the 22nd and the 26th of August, the local festivities which honor its patron, San Bartolomé, are held.
And, to put an end to such a complete tourist experience of Yeste, there is nothing better than to try the local gastronomy. In its recipe book you will find traditional dishes such as “ajo pringue”, “migas”, or “andrajos”, amongst many others. An explosion of flavor with the very essence of La Mancha!
