Its streets lined with majestic buildings and its rooftops full of stork nests, this city of 194,000 (top) is famously the hometown of Spain's greatest writer Miguel de Cervantes. Stroll several blocks from the train station to commence your perambulations at Plaza de Cervantes. That's where you'll find for example the 423-year-old Corral de Comedias, one of Europe's oldest preserved theatres, where among other things the works of legendary 17th-century playwrights Calderón de Barca. Nearby you'll find historic landmarks such as the Alcalá city hall, Oidor Chapel, the St. Ursula Convent, and the Colegio de Málaga. Down the arcade-lined Calle Mayor you'll find the Casa-Museo Cervantes, a very Castilian affair with a central patio and rooms set up to display furnishings and some exhibits relating to the 17th century and the life/work of the great man himself. Also well worth a peek is the Gothic cathedral, the expanisve Archaeological Museum, and of course the most famous local institution of all, the University of Alcalá de Henares, one of Europe's oldest, with its elaborate, plateresque 15th-century facade and peaceful gardens (tours offered, though they're a bit on the pricy side).
Read more in our post 4 Delightful Day Trips from Madrid.
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