As Azorín said, every guide or story about the city features the tagline that Albacete is “the New York of La Mancha”. And the writer wasn’t wrong. The most populated city in Castilla-La Mancha is bustling and commercial, with an attractive cultural and leisure programme. Visitors are taken by its architecture. The gardens, parks and public spaces encourage a calmer, more relaxed stroll.

Don’t miss the main square (Plaza Mayor) or the Altozano square. Admire the modernist buildings, the Posada del Rosario, where the tourist office is located, and the iconic Pasaje de Lodares, the Provincial Government Palace, the unique Teatro Circo, the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, the Depósito del Sol –now the Municipal Library–, the fairground also known as the Frying Pan or the Circle- which hosts thousands of people during the city’s festivals held from 7-17 September, the Casa del Hortelano (the House of the Manger), which is home to the Cutlery Museum, or the Municipal Museum, which features the International Museum of Popular World Art with over 10,000 pieces from every corner of the globe.

For relaxing, there’s nothing better than visiting one of Albacete’s parks - it is one of the Spanish cities with the most green areas. The Abelardo Sánchez Park, the Jardinillos Park -with centuries old trees-, the Lineal Park, the Botanical Garden or the Fiesta del Árbol Park, with its impressive Water Deposit that almost acts a watchtower over the city, all leave visitors impressed.

Two aspects stand out in Albacete: its rich, varied cultural programme, with the film library, the José Saramago House of Culture and the Teatro de la Paz (Theatre of Peace). This Theatre and the Teatro Circo are cultural and stage benchmarks, and the commercial activity dominating the city’s streets features establishments offering artisanal products and typical food from La Mancha. Ancha, Mayor and Concepción streets offer a vibrant commercial triangle, as does the Isabel la Católica boulevard.

All of this magnificently complements the city’s restaurant scene. Eating tapas is a “religion” in itself, and the areas near the cathedral and the Altozano square provide excellent options for enjoying tapas and pinchos (different types of snacks). The kitchens blending traditional La Mancha cuisine and modernity will not disappoint, and will delight even the hardest-to-please foodie. If night-life is your thing, then you’ve come to the right place in Albacete.