Photo taken in Ayna, Spain
Any time of the year is good to take a route through the Sierra del Segura , a jewel of our natural heritage that is gaining more and more followers among lovers of rural tourism . This past January one of its towns appeared in all the media as a result of the snowstorm; because nobody could think that the population could be buried in such a peculiar enclave. We are talking about Aýna, one of the most picturesque towns in the province of Albacete.
A VILLAGE WITH ARAB REMAINS
The road that leads to Aýna is an adventure in itself . It almost looks like something out of one of those car ads that take you to the end of the world, keeping your speed down nicely on a highway. sinuous meanders , between steep mountain slopes and following the route of the riverbed world.
Arrival in Aýna after the winding road
The Tourist Office is located in the center of the town and is the best starting point for outline a route in which nothing is left to be seen . The same office is the headquarters of the Village Ethnological Museum , which reproduces very exactly what a farmhouse was like more than 100 years ago . There you can sign up for guided tours of the town.
Very close to there is the Hermitage of Our Lady of Remedies , which was probably a synagogue from the 13th century and which hides an impressive Mudejar ceiling from the 16th century inside. It was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1992 and currently houses an exhibition hall.
Going up those impossible alleys that Aýna has, you can reach the remains of the Yedra Castle , a Muslim fortification from the 12th century that is currently known as the “ cave of the moors ”. Although it is in a dilapidated state, you can see the remains of what was a wall whose stones were used to build the Church.
Aýna, return to one of the iconic towns of cinema
EXCURSIONS, ADVENTURES AND NATURE
Ayna is known as the Manche Switzerland (that's a slogan and the rest is nonsense) and reasons are not lacking. The town seems to be taken from a story, embedded in the same mountain and defying the laws of gravity , suspended on an impossible precipice and warning upon arrival that it is not a place for those who suffer from vertigo.
In such a picturesque location there is no shortage routes to discover unusual nature in this part of the map . One of them is towards Cave of the Child , which is located in the well-known hell ravine at no less than 700 meters high. Inside the cave you can see Paleolithic paintings in good condition . To do this excursion you have to book a few days in advance at the Tourist Office.
In addition, the gorge through which the Mundo River descends allows for various hiking trails in direct contact with nature. Following the road you can reach the Devil's Lookout , which offers the best panoramic view of the Aýna landscape and is the place where the film that has made the town famous begins: Sunrise, which is no small thing.
The views from any street in the town are impressive.
THE ROUTE OF THE 'DAWN MAKERS'
More than 30 years ago, the late director José Luis Cuerda ran into Aýna looking for locations to Sunrise, which is no small thing , a film that would become one of the jewels of our cinema, a silly humor icon which added three nominations for the Goya awards. Cuerda walked through the Sierra del Segura and chose three towns to paint his scenes: Ayna, Liétor and Molinicos , turning its streets into props and its inhabitants into characters.
Corral of the Pacheca
In 2010 the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha decides to open the first “Ruta Amanecista” , visiting the places where the main sequences of the film were shot. “Aýna has an important role, in fact, on the doors of each neighbor who has participated in the film, her character can be identified. The whole town turned to filming , it was an experience that everyone remembers with great affection”, he explains to Traveler.es Juan Ángel Martínez, mayor of Aýna that in addition to making us tour guide in the movie played the role of the “Depressed Boy” . And he does it while he opens the doors of the Corral of the Pacheca which remains exactly the same as in 1989 and which can be visited.
From there everything is wandering until you find the path that goes down to the river Mundo . Along the way, different scenes from the film can be found recreated, such as the Pumpkin that has always been there in difficult times or the terrace where Pastora Vega's men grow.
The end of the path allows us to reach the banks of the Mundo river that flows transparent and icy from its source. Following the course, you reach the waterfall of the Toba stream , one of the most picturesque and instagrammable areas of the tour. Of course, the most “dawny” photo is found leaving the town up the road, in the viewpoint where the famous sidecar motorcycle has been recreated that has remained eternal in our retinas and in our memory. “ This is possibly the most photographed corner of Aýna . Tourists can't help but get on the sidecar and experience a piece of the film firsthand” tells us Juan Ángel who, with all certainty, has taken thousands of photos with the travelers who have decided to stop here.
Sunrise, which is no small thing
GASTRONOMY FOR THE BRAVE
In Aýna you eat a lot and very well. We must not forget that we are in Albacete, a land of peasant gastronomy and exploitation , of kitchen of shepherds and gardeners , a place where calories are modern things. here you come to eat jams (a dish of cod, potatoes and walnuts), porridge, Mataero garlic (or ajopringue) and fried cheese.
There are several good places to eat in Aýna, but without a doubt the best jam is served in the tufa (Av. Manuel Carrera, s/n), a roadside bar-restaurant without fuss or finesse. Also a good place to eat migas ruleras, torreznos and gazpacho manchego for those who dare with strong emotions. And you can always end her homemade limoncello, which is delicious.
Another very good option is The casino (Industrias, 10) where you have to order the fried cheese, the snails and the octopus. It is located in the center of town and is open on weekends. Dispose of a terrace where you can end the evening enjoying the air of the Sierra del Segura . Also very close there is a bakery where you can buy the famous Albacete sighs.
To spend the night in Aýna there are two options, the Philip II Hotel and the hostel Miralmundo , located very close to La Toba restaurant. This second option is the most recommended, even more so if you have the possibility of sleep in one of the rooms with views of the mountain , they have the best views of the town, they also surprise you at breakfast with sweets from the region and many tips to make the most of your trip. Impossible to say no.
Aýna, return to one of the iconic towns of cinema