ALBACETE FOR DISCOVERING

Albacete is the capital of 143.000 inhabitants, activates and industrious, with a strongly diversified economy and a high quality of life, placed in a strategic zone for the communication between the Plateau and the Mediterranean. But, for paradoxical that it could seem, it is the great stranger among all the capitals that form the South Mediterranean Arch. The paradox is still bigger if we realize this situation so special, its exceptional situation as door of the Levant and anteroom of the Central Spain. Every year, millions of travellers circulate along the highway that surrounds it in east direction, but just a few of them dare to stop there and know its intense history and its not less intense present. One of the aspects the traveller surprises at the first sight is the recent of good part of its buildings and infrastructures, up to the point that in the offices of the European Union we are able to speak, without any objection, of "Albacete Effect" as model of development to be followed by other capitals of province. The mentioned phenomenon is due to three fundamental pillars: the creation of the Campollano's industrial Polygon, the transformation and modernization of its economic traditional sectors - cutlery, trade and agriculture - and, over of this, the capacity and overshot of people used to work and to bet for their land even in the most adverse conditions.

To all this, it is necessary to add one more feature, that the personality of the city defines not only as the economic capital of Castilla-La Mancha , but also: a enormous university population in relation to inhabitants' number, since there is almost a student of top education for every ten citizens of Albacete . Between the campus of the Regional University, the bigger one of the whole Autonomous Community, and the Associate Center of the UNED , amount almost 13.000 pupils. For it, the image that finds the traveler who decides to detain in its streets, is that image of the modern capital, with an intense commercial, industrial and financial activity, but that can live and enjoy an attractive gastronomic, cultural offer and leisure. And whose main flag is the Fair of September, which is celebrated between 7 and 17 of the same month in honor of the Mistress of the Capital, the Virgin of Los Llanos (the Plains). For ten days, the entire city and good part of the province are dated among the walls of the Fairground Enclosure, an enormous building that serves as an idea about what Albacete and its peoples seem. In fact, it is made of simple and humble mud and adobe, built 300 years ago. In spite of it, it has survived without difficulties until today and confronts the beginning of the XXI century with the same strength of always.

The Fair is, moreover, one of the biggest of Spain and its promotion is due to be on everybody lips. Nevertheless, in only 24 hours, almost half a million people, who enjoy an opened environment to the visitor of any origin and condition, can pass under the door of Irons (Puerta de Hierros), the principal access to the Fairground Enclosure,. In fact, the people of Albacete have to show that the immense majority of the stands and places of the Fair are of free access, without any type of restrictions. Likewise, we cannot speak about the Fair of September without any reference to its Bullfighting Fair, one of the last ones of the bullfighting into the Spanish calendar, very well known between the fans of our country. The fans from "La Mancha" have a reputation of understood, demanding and lightly impartial of giving trophies or being given to the easy applause. Nevertheless, probably the most significant and attractive of Albacete goes beyond all the features before mentioned, and it is in the mood of its people. The citizen can work, but at the same time it has supported all these small social rites and human relations that other cities have lost jumping to the modernity. For it, the best way of defining this city is, the capital for authentic travelers and not for mere tourists because, to enjoy it, it is necessary to have the attentive look, the opened heart and the clock and the calendar be left at home. Though, you may run the risk of wanting to stay forever.