Villanueva de los Infantes Kicks Off the 13th Patios Tour, an Event Celebrating Heritage, Culture, and Traditions

On October 9th, La Alhóndiga hosted the institutional opening of the XIII Ruta de los Patios de Villanueva de los Infantes, an event that brought together the mayor, Carmen María Montalbán; the provincial delegate for Finance and Public Administrations, Inmaculada Jiménez; representatives of the Plataforma Campo de Montiel-Origen del Quijote; patio owners, collaborators, and the general public.

The event, presented by Paqui Castilla on behalf of the Platform, featured speeches by the president of this entity, Clemente Plaza, and the coordinator of the Ruta de los Patios, Miguel Ángel Díaz. 

During his speech, Clemente Plaza highlighted the value of this initiative, which has consolidated itself over its thirteen editions as one of the most significant events promoted by the Platform. The Route was born within the framework of the Campo de Montiel Abierto program, with the aim of contributing to the recognition of Campo de Montiel as a UNESCO World Heritage site, as a territory linked to the origin of the Quijote. 

Plaza also stressed the importance of diversifying the region's tourism offer through proposals that contribute to boosting the local economy and generating activity in sectors such as rural accommodation and hospitality. "We continue to work on something worthwhile: the promotion of Campo de Montiel," he noted.

For her part, the mayor, Carmen María Montalbán, expressed her gratitude for the commitment of the Plataforma Campo de Montiel-Origen del Quijote, its collaborators, and especially the owners who open their homes to share this heritage with residents and visitors. 

Montalbán highlighted that the Ruta de los Patios allows for the discovery of a very special part of Villanueva de los Infantes through its houses, courtyards, and stories, in a program that combines music, theater, poetry, and gastronomy. Likewise, she valued the generosity of those who allow access to spaces that are mostly private, and encouraged residents and visitors to explore them at a leisurely pace, enjoy the activities, and respect these places filled with history. 

The provincial delegate for Finance and Public Administrations, Inmaculada Jiménez, emphasized that "in Villanueva de los Infantes, you can breathe culture, tradition, and heritage," while thanking the Platform for the work carried out over all these years to promote and disseminate the cultural wealth of the region. 

One of the highlights of the day was the recognition of the patio owners, whose collaboration is fundamental to making each edition possible, as well as other collaborators such as Amparo Pulla, Mari Ángeles Jiménez, or Jesús González from Restaurante La Gavilla, who contribute to making the Ruta de los Patios a success every year. 

The Platform also paid a heartfelt tribute to Esperanza Benito, one of its most veteran collaborators, in recognition of her career and dedication. Likewise, Juan Rivas, from Los 23 del Campo de Montiel, and the Villanueva de los Infantes Tourist Office received recognition for their contribution to the cultural and heritage promotion of the city.