Albacete is the provincial capital and has all services — the full range of accommodation, restaurants, supermarkets, banks, and transport connections. It's a practical stop rather than a scenic one, though the old town around the cathedral has some character.
Albacete has been famous for knife-making since at least the 15th century, and the Museo de la Cuchillería (Knife Museum) is genuinely interesting. The tradition of forging navajas — the folding knives that were once carried by every Spaniard — is still alive here, and the museum traces the craft from its origins to the present.
The Pasaje de Lodares, a glass-covered commercial passage from the early 20th century, is worth a detour — it's one of the most elegant shopping arcades in Spain outside of Madrid or Barcelona.
Albacete's knife-making tradition dates to at least the 15th century, when Moorish craftsmen established forges here. The city's navajas became so famous — and so feared — that various kings attempted to ban them. The tradition survived every prohibition and continues today, though modern production is as much industrial as artisanal.
