Seven whitewashed windmills crown the long ridge above Mota del Cuervo, their cylindrical towers and conical roofs dating from the eighteenth century. They are among the best-preserved working windmills in La Mancha and are routinely cited as the most authentic surviving example of the landscape Cervantes described when Don Quixote charged his imaginary giants. On a breezy morning the sails still turn, and the grinding sound of stone on grain drifts down into the streets below.
The ridge itself offers sweeping views across the plateau in every direction — a patchwork of vineyards, olive groves, and saffron fields stretching to a flat horizon. A path runs along the top past all seven mills, each slightly different in its state of restoration. One has been converted into a small visitor centre explaining the milling process; the others remain as working monuments. Visiting at dusk, when the low sun turns the towers golden, is especially rewarding.