Alcalá de Henares
The birthplace of Cervantes and a UNESCO-listed university city, with 16th-century university buildings and the Cervantes birthplace museum.
About 30 km from Madrid, this is the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, author of “Don Quixote.” The former campus of the Complutense University, founded in 1499, was the world’s first planned university city and is a World Heritage Site. Visitors can see the main university building, the Colegio de San Ildefonso (guided tours available), the Cervantes Birthplace Museum (free), the arcades of Mayor Street and Cervantes Square. Storks’ nests are often seen on the rooftops. Take commuter line C2 or C7 from Atocha or Puerta del Sol in Madrid, about 35 to 40 minutes. The tradition of serving a free tapa with each drink is still well preserved here.
Opening hours
Open all day; museum closed Mon
Nearby sights
- Metropolitano Stadium
- Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
- El Retiro Park
- National Archaeological Museum
- Puerta de Alcalá
- Sorolla Museum
- Plaza de Cibeles & Cibeles Palace
- Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid