Community of Madrid Promotes the Uclés Way Pilgrimage Route

The 145-kilometer rural tourism initiative traverses the Las Vegas region, blending heritage, gastronomy, and nature.

Rural route in the Comunidad de Madrid with red arrow signage and a monastery in the background.
IA

Rural route in the Comunidad de Madrid with red arrow signage and a monastery in the background.

The Community of Madrid is promoting the pilgrimage route of the Uclés Way, a 145-kilometer, eleven-stage journey connecting the Uclés monastery in Cuenca with the Church of Santiago in the capital.

The initiative aims to boost rural tourism in the Las Vegas region during the summer, offering an experience that combines cultural heritage, gastronomic richness, and natural landscapes. The trail, starting from the Madrid region, extends to towns in Cuenca.
The route runs parallel to the Tajuña Greenway, passing through Madrid municipalities such as Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Arganda del Rey, Morata de Tajuña, Tielmes, Perales de Tajuña, Carabaña, and Estremera. It then connects with Barajas de Melo, Huelves, and Uclés in the province of Cuenca.
Pilgrims can explore wineries, oil mills, museums like the Rural House and School and the Cave House in Tielmes, and even enjoy the Estremera beach on the banks of the Tajo River. The route is marked with red arrows of the Cross of Santiago.
Similar to the Camino de Santiago, interested individuals can obtain a credential for four euros through the Friends of the Uclés Way Association. The funds raised are used for the preservation and maintenance of the trail's signage.
The origins of the trail date back to the Muslim era, with the construction of a fortress in Uclés. After the Christian conquest by Alfonso VII, the enclave was transferred to the Order of Santiago. The route was revived in 2010 after years of being forgotten.