Exploring Spain: A Knight's Journey Through Quixote's Land

A scenic view of traditional windmills against a cloudy sky, with people exploring the area.

I’ve fulfilled my long-held dream of becoming a knight errant. Am I ready for battle?

After spending 10 days and 10 nights chaperoning a group of 18 teenagers (16-18 yrs-old), across 7 provinces in Spain, I have finally made it back, and am almost ready for more adventures. But first, I needed a long nap, akin to the stupor besetting Don Quixote in the cave of Montesinos. And like our famous knight, I too, had encountered hallucinations stemming from a less than regal sleep schedule– I averaged a miserly 4 hours a night! Thankfully, we traded Rocinante for a chic coach bus that shuttled us back and forth through the pages of the 17th century novel. Below are a few tales, some resources, and the link to the itinerary for this trip!

Teaching Spanish Made Easy Resources for teaching themes related to Spain.
Spanish Civil War Reading (Spanish 1+)
Brief History of Spain (Spanish 1+)
Spain Travel Activity (stem-changing verbs)

If you haven’t figured it out by now, our trip was dedicated to following the footsteps of Miguel Cervantes Cortinas (his real name), and his ingenious character, Don Quixote de la Mancha. We saddled up and paid homage to the plethora of iconic places mentioned in the book. We even got to bow to his lovely Dulcinea of El Toboso, and she was a beauteous sight! Before we delve into the fray, let’s first go behind the scenes!

Planning Adventures

I wish I could take credit for planning this trip, but our adventure was penned by my illustrious English department colleague and counterpart, Kerry. I was literally her Sancho Panza, on my donkey as she led us across the rocky and monster-infested plains. Fun fact: she and her husband also produced Circus Quixote through their theatre company in Chicago –click here for more information about the upcoming shows. Last Fall, I got my chance to see the show, and it appealed to all my senses. My husband, who is not a fan of the arts per se, loved it as well. Although was not involved in the play or initial pre-planning, I do, however, configure a little bit in the backstory.

Smiling woman wearing a vest with a backpack, holding hiking poles outdoors.

Approximately two years ago, she and I were walking the El Camino, with another group of globetrotters, when she shared about a year’s long project she and her partner were embarking on. It was the initial planning stages of Circus Quixote. That summer (2024) following our trek, they visited major landmarks and cities referenced in the book. This excursion would later become the template for our trip.

Prepping for The Adventure

After selecting the students through an arduous application process, we used our built-in biweekly seminar time (90-minutes) to read & discuss passages of the novel. Frankly, I was very surprised by students’ interest and fervor in discussing the book. It was a stark reminder of how talented, timeless, and universally appealing Cervantes was as a storyteller. While traveling, it was equally affirming to witness students make connections to the novel. For instance, in Esquivias, one of our students, Ellen, surveyed the paintings adorning the wall of Cervantes’ house and immediately recalled the specific passages. Likewise, another unexpected, albeit pleasant part of the trip was when students demanded to use their free time to visit some of the optional museums in Ciudad Real. On one occasion, they even skipped sleeping in (we were all sleep deprived) to go to museums. As chaperones, this choice made us feel validated and that our hard work had paid off!

My Favorite Parts of the Trip

I have so many favorite parts of this trip–and keep in mind, this was my 4th time to Spain. I had visited Toledo, Madrid, Barcelona, etc. The aforementioned places stand on their own. However, for this trip, I’ll focus the novel aspects. I very much appreciated all the tour guides; they really made a difference. From El Toboso to the Cave of Montesinos, they were all so passionate, dynamic, and routinely referenced the book. At times, I felt like I was living in some type of literary bubble. However, if I had to narrow it down, I’d say my favorite parts were visiting the windmills in Consuegra, and descending into the Cave of Montesinos, were a spell was cast on Don Quijote the novel (Click here for the summary of the chapter).

Tilting At Windmills

Surprisingly, each of the windmills is owned and operated by a family. You can see the name of the family atop the entrance. I was not expecting this, in fact, I thought they’d be empty except for the mechanical aspect.

A traditional windmill with a stone path leading up to it, with people walking and cloudy skies overhead.

As you enter, each one has a shop particular to what that family produces. The first one I visited sold saffron, journals and keepsakes. The second one sold baked goods and gourmet coffee. I ordered a pumpkin spiced latte, made with pumpkins from the valley (the owner PROUDLY pointed out), and homemade carrot cake. It was so delicious- if we did not have a two-hour bus ride afterwards, I would have enjoyed two cups instead of one! The experience was unique.

Cave of Montesinos

Click here for the summary of the chapter

The cave was also something else!

Group of six people wearing helmets inside a cave, smiling and posing for a photo.

It was dark, wet, slippery with bats hovering above our heads. I would not have seen them if it weren’t for the guide (pictured above) pointing them out! We descended from the mouth of the cave to the belly of the beast, where one student, whom I had warned previously on the descent, lost her earbuds. Now, they remain with the ghost of Montesinos.

In the cave, we saw images on the rocks, seemingly created by the moisture, and chiseled sculptures that resembled Dulcinea, and the ghost of Montesinos. The guide told us the stories, then quickly flashed the light to a specific corner of the cave, where these images came alive; we heard audible gasps from students as we all marveled at the depictions… while simultaneously watching out for the bats hanging upside down from the ceiling of the cave.

This was HANDS DOWN one of the best trips I have chaperoned- some of my Spanish IV and Dual Credit students were accepted and came along. They got a chance to improve their communication skills and generally felt empowered. However, even with all the fun and memories, I think I will be stepping back as a chaperone for the next few years. The build up and prep exceeded my capacity in some ways. My colleague is taking on the global connections role at school, and I am hoping that we can make these trips less intense and more feasible for teachers.

If you are interested in this trip or some of the places visited, click on the link below.

https://mailchi.mp/7ef91b69216c/donquijote

Teaching Spanish Made Easy Resources for teaching themes related to Spain.
Spanish Civil War Reading (Spanish 1+)
Brief History of Spain (Spanish 1+)
Spain Travel Activity (stem-changing verbs)

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