
Its beautiful 15th century university, its collection of archaeological remains and its medieval quarter not only make Alcalá an attractive destination for those living near Madrid, but also a place worth a visit from anywhere in the country. This week, the city received recognition for Best Urban Tourism Destination in Spain in 2024, a year in which it welcomed half a million people at Christmas and more than 400,000 at its Cervantino Market, one of the most important in Europe.
Competur – an organization formed by Cerveceros de España, Hostelería de España and the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation – presented the award to Isabel Ruiz Maldonado, first deputy mayor and councilor for Tourism of Alcalá de Henares, in a ceremony held at the Congress of Deputies.
The event was held just a few days before the start of the Madrid International Tourism Fair (FITUR), where, for yet another year, Alcalá de Henares will have a stand to present the events it will be organizing this year, as well as the resources it will be using to continue growing in the tourism sector.
A route through the city of Cervantes
On the occasion of the award that the city has just won, it is worth taking a short tour of its most important cultural attractions. For history lovers, the first stop should be made in the Plaza de las Bernardas, where the Regional Archaeological Museum is located: a 16th century building with the best preserved Roman mosaics in the Community of Madrid.
From the same square of the museum you can see part of the fortress palace that served as residence for the Archbishops of Toledo, an essential monument on a first visit to Alcala. Walking towards the famous Cervantes square we find the Cervantes Birthplace Museum, which revolves around the figure of the creator of Don Quixote.
Once in the Plaza de Cervantes, we can enter one of the oldest comedy corrals in Europe, first opened in the early seventeenth century. Before getting lost among the bars of the beautiful Calle Mayor, it is mandatory to visit the architectural jewels of the University of Alcalá, where Francisco de Quevedo and Andrés Manuel del Río studied among other illustrious characters.