Community of Madrid · Spain
Where to stay in Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares is a city in Community of Madrid, Spain, home to about 203,000 people.
- Best months
- April, May, September and October
- Nearest airport
- MAD18 km · Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Madrid
- Language
- Basque, Catalan, Galician
About
About Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares is a Spanish municipality of the Community of Madrid. Housing is primarily located on the north bank of the Henares.
There are two tourist information centres: one in Plaza de los Santos Niños (near the Cathedral) and another in Capilla del Oidor (the place with a tower in Plaza de Cervantes). Alcalá is placed in a flat field on the right side of Henares River, while the left side is a natural space with high hills. The historical centre is at 500 metres from the river, to avoid the frequent floods; however, the last overflow happened in the 1940s and new neighbourhoods have been built in the river banks since then.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Alcalá de Henares
See
The heart of the old town is Plaza de Cervantes, with all the main sights close by, and storks nests teetering on the rooftops. The north side of the Plaza leads into the colonnaded Calle Mayor, with many bars and eating places.
- Universidad de Alcalá
- Casa Natal de Cervantes
- Hospital de Antezana
- Cathedral
- Archbishop's Palace
- Archaeological Museum
- House of Hippolytus
- Castillo de Alcalá la Vieja
Do
- Corral de Comedias
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Alcalá de Henares
7 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Colegio de Dominicos de Santo Tomás de Aquino | 1529 | 0.2 km |
| Colegio de los Manriques | 1551 | 0.2 km |
| Parador de Alcalá de Henares | 2009 | 0.2 km |
| Colegio-convento de los Mercedarios Calzados | 1518 | 0.3 km |
| AC Hotel Alcala de Henares by Marriott | 2.3 km | |
| Hotel Isla de La Garena | 3.3 km | |
| Rafaelhoteles Forum Alcala | 1.1 km |
All 7 hotels in Alcalá de Henares, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Alcalá de Henares
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Alcalá de Henares are April, May, September and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; October is the wettest, with about 65 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Alcalá de Henares: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD), about 18 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting in
Madrid Barajas airport is 15 km west, with extensive connections across Europe and beyond. Bus 824 runs between Alcalá and Terminals 1 & 2 (via Torrejón de Ardoz), every 30-40 min weekdays and hourly at weekends from about 07:00 to 22:00, taking 40 min. These buses run between Barajas and central Alcalá (corner of Via Complutense and Calle Murillo); some of them continue to the University.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MAD · Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Alcalá de Henares
Eat
Since the 90s Alcalá has been famous for its tapas: food that you get when you order a drink at no extra cost, that can amount to a small burger or hot dog. In many bars there is a menu of tapas and you must chose one when you order your drink. Tapas in Alcalá are the most generous in the Community of Madrid. Alcalá is known for its almendras garrapiñadas, a sugar-coated almond candy. You can buy them at El Convento de San Clarisas de San Diego (Calle Beatas 5), a cloistered abbey where the nuns make the candies with nothing but "almonds, sugar and love.". They make a nice present.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Alcalá de Henares: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Alcalá de Henares?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Alcalá de Henares are April, May, September and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; October is the wettest, with about 65 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Alcalá de Henares?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD), about 18 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Alcalá de Henares?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Alcalá de Henares
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.