What to do in Brihuega

Brihuega is Guadalajara's "lavender city". Every July and August, the fields surrounding the town turn violet, drawing thousands of visitors to stroll, photograph and attend music festivals among the flowers. It is one of Spain's most viral tourism phenomena in recent years. But Brihuega is far more than lavender. The walled town preserves a medieval castle with towers, the Royal Cloth Factory of Charles III (18th-century industrial architecture), the church of San Felipe and the Plaza del Coso, where bull runs and festivities are held. The walls and medieval gates can be walked. The natural surroundings include Arab caves beneath the castle, the Alcarria garden and hiking routes through lavender fields and the páramos. Brihuega is 90 km from Madrid and 40 km from Guadalajara city.