Alcalá de Henares: Holiday Apartment – University, Cervantes and Nature

Alcalá de Henares was the world’s first planned university city.

Culture

The university district begins at Plaza Cervantes and extends east of the medieval city. The walled medieval district has the Iglesia Magistral (Cathedral) at its centre. The Ciudad Romana de Complutum is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the category Zona de Interés Arqueológico. Three clearly named reference points help you organise the historical highlights in your mind.

The historical attractions differ in character: the university district represents the development of the planned university city, the walled district the medieval urban fabric, and Complutum Roman archaeology. In this way, institutional heritage, urban history and a protected archaeological site come together in Alcalá de Henares.

The Museo Casa Natal de Cervantes reconstructs the home of a prosperous family from the 16th and 17th centuries. The museum is located at the site identified by Cervantes scholar Luis Astrana as the family home of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547–1616). The Ruta Cervantina leads to several places in Alcalá de Henares associated with Miguel de Cervantes, including the Capilla del Oidor, the Imprenta La Galatea and the Museo Casa Natal. The Servicio de Visitas Guiadas of the University of Alcalá offers public and accessible guided tours of the institutional heritage from Tuesday to Sunday, including specialised and themed tours.

Nature

The Ruta de la Laguna offers birdwatching at an artificial lagoon and crosses part of the observation area of the protected great bustard (Otis tarda). It is an easy, flat 6-kilometre circular route suitable for all visitor groups. Its six-kilometre length, flat terrain and circular format provide specific features for comparing this nature outing with other day-trip ideas.

This provides different formats for planning your day: public and accessible guided tours of the institutional heritage, specialised and themed tours, several sites associated with Cervantes, and a flat circular route around the lagoon. The days of operation, circular format and route length make these attractions in Alcalá de Henares clearly distinguishable.

Museums

The Museo Arqueológico y Paleontológico de la Comunidad de Madrid is located in the former Madre de Dios Dominican convent, which was built in several phases during the 17th and 18th centuries. The museum safeguards, stores and restores archaeological material from excavations in the Comunidad de Madrid. Where appropriate, this material is researched and presented in the permanent exhibitions.

Getting There

Travel options to the Museo Casa Natal de Cervantes include the Cercanías-Renfe C-2 and C-7 lines and interurban bus route 223 between Madrid and Alcalá de Henares.

Other places: El Gasco, Villavieja Del Lozoya, Torrejón De Ardoz, Jardín De Serracines, Los Santos De La Humosa, Torrelodones, Moraleja De Enmedio and Alpedrete.

Food and Drink

The Semana Cervantina includes the Jornadas Gastronómicas Cervantinas, during which restaurants in the city create menus inspired by the cuisine of El Quijote.

To the main travel overview: Madrid.