200.
Calle Posada 6, Tel: 969 33 03 01 .
San Sebastian (20 Jan), Fiesta del Emigrante (2nd w/end in Aug), Cristo de la Fé (14 Sep).
Perfectly preserved, the fortified village of Alarcón guards a narrow loop of the Río Júcar from on top of a rock. As you drive through its defences, you may have the impression of entering a film-set for a medieval epic.
The village dates back to the 8th century. It became a key military base for the Reconquest and was recaptured from the Moors by Alfonso VIII in 1184 following a nine-month siege. It was later acquired by the Marquis of Villena. Alarcón has dramatic walls and three defensive precincts. The small, triangular castle , high above the river, has been turned into a parador, preserving much of its medieval atmosphere.
The Iglesia de Santa María is a Renaissance church with a fine portico and an altarpiece attributed to the Berruguete school. The nearby Iglesia de Santísima Trinidad is in Gothic-Plateresque style.