My tip“35 minutes by Cercanías train from Atocha; a half-day trip: the university, Cervantes's house, and Calle Mayor with its arcades. The tapas there are generous.”
Its name comes from the Islamic fortress that Arab geographers knew as Qal’at Abd al-Salam, whose ruins still stand. It later became the world’s first planned university town and Cervantes’s birthplace. Listed by UNESCO.
What to see
Calle Mayor with its arcades · the facade of the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso in the historic university · the Casa Natal de Cervantes museum · Plaza de Cervantes · the wall and the episcopal palace · the site of Alcalá la Vieja on the hill: remains of the Andalusi fortress of Abd al-Salam
How to get there
Cercanías C-2/C-7 train from Atocha (≈35 min) — by car ≈35 min
Easy to reach
C-2/C-7 commuter train, then a 10-minute walk to the centre. Level pedestrian streets with shady arcades, suitable for pushchairs and older people. Plenty of restaurants and toilets. An easy return by frequent trains until about midnight.
Address
Pl. de Cervantes, Alcalá de Henares