Things to Do in Alcalá de Henares

Visit itinerary:
Our tour begins in the Palace Square, where we recall the meeting between Christopher Columbus and the Catholic Monarchs that marked the beginning of the Age of Discovery.
-From there, we will walk towards the Casa Cervantes and Calle Mayor to explore the Cervantine universe.
-We will continue to Plaza de Cervantes and the University of Alcalá, where we will admire the façade of the University, the cradle of humanism and a model exported to America.
-We conclude the tour with a look at the city's artistic and monumental heritage: the Plaza del Oidor, the Cathedral of Alcalá de Henares, and convents.

The tour ends where we started, in the palace square.

An experience that intertwines history and culture, ideal for all audiences.

Welcome to my tour, Alcalá World Heritage Site!

I 'm so glad to have you here. 🤗

As a true Alcalá native, I'm passionate about sharing the history and secrets of my city. It was not only the world's first university city , but also the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes , the author of Don Quixote de la Mancha .

On this guided tour , we will walk through its most emblematic places, with entertaining explanations full of curiosities:

✅ Archbishop's Palace
✅ Magisterial Cathedral of the Holy Children
✅ Main Street
✅ Cervantes Birthplace Museum
✅ Cervantes Square
✅ Former University of Alcalá

And many more surprises!

Tour in English, please contact me

So , I'm waiting for you to discover Alcalá together. I assure you, you'll fall in love.

Greetings 😊

Don't book with pirates! We are official guides and freelancers.
Guided tours in Alcalá de Henares, ranked #1 on Google and Tripadvisor since 2019.

If you're already familiar with Alcalá de Henares and are practically an expert, we suggest exploring one of the city's lesser-known areas on this tour: the Christian Quarter. We'll begin our route in the Plaza de los Santos Niños, the place where two of our protagonists, the children Justo and Pastor, were beheaded. We'll then look up to discover the Roman inscriptions hidden in the Cathedral-Magistral, before strolling through Alcalá's ancient "red-light district," revealing the lesser-known secrets of the old brothel.

The War of Independence in the Henares River region will also be one of the topics we'll cover, guided by one of its most popular and beloved heroes among the Cervantes population: El Empecinado.

We'll discover several convents steeped in history, curiosities, and traditions that are still alive, while we follow the trail of duels, fights, and murders that took place in dark alleys, cases of witchcraft, renowned inquisition trials, and even the origin of the world's oldest profession.

All this and much more awaits us on the Alcalá de Henares Insólita Free Tour.

What you will discover about the unusual Alcalá de Henares:

The intimate life of Ferdinand VII

El Empecinado and the War of Independence

Roman inscriptions of the Magistral Cathedral

The origins of prostitution

Former Hospital of Santa María la Rica

Archbishop's Prison

The "red light district" of Alcalá

Convent of the Augustinians of Saint Mary Magdalene

The Inquisition in Alcalá and much more…

Important Information:

* Groups of more than 6 people are not permitted on the free tour. The minimum group size for the tour is 4.
*The tour is done entirely on foot and is fully accessible.
*No ticket or entry is required, the monuments mentioned are visited externally.
*Reservations from travel agencies or wholesalers are not accepted.

Are you visiting Alcalá and want to learn about the history behind the historic center of Alcalá de Henares?

I'll show you Alcalá de Henares with a comprehensive itinerary, packed with verified historical information, anecdotes, and interesting facts. This way, you'll enjoy concentrated information that will give you an insight into the ancient history of the Complutense city, guided by a local guide and professional freelancer.

A close, family-friendly tour with generally small groups where we can get to know each other and ask any questions . It's not uncommon for friendships to develop among participants.

In addition to telling the story of the itinerary, I am happy to take photos, answer questions, provide information on places to eat, etc.

The important thing is to have a good time, have a good experience, and enjoy the city.

The stops on the itinerary will be:

📍Madrid Gate.
📍Antiquarium and Tower of the XIV.
📍Archbishop's Palace.
📍Bernardas Square.
📍Cathedral of the Holy Children.
📍Main Street.
🔺Antezana Hospital (exterior).
🔺 Synagogue Corral.
🔺Danger Alley.
🔺Irish Square
📍Cervantes' birthplace.
📍Cervantes Square.
📍The tower of Santa María.
📍University of Alcalá.

Interiors only during opening hours.

Book for free and pay whatever you feel is fair at the end of the tour.

Finally, thank you for choosing my tour, getting ready to enjoy your day in Alcalá, and remember:

• Positive feedback after the tour is greatly appreciated; it helps me grow and gives other users the opportunity to learn about the tour.

Don't book with pirates! We are official guides and freelancers.
Guided tours in Alcalá de Henares, ranked #1 on Google and Tripadvisor since 2019.

The birthplace of the greatest figure in Spanish literature, Miguel de Cervantes, the monumental town of Alcalá de Henares has held the title of World Heritage City by UNESCO since December 2, 1998, and is among the cities with the greatest number of assets of cultural interest in all of Spain .
Despite this, and somewhat unfairly, it remains a great mystery for many visitors who have come to Madrid and want to explore its surroundings in addition to the capital. Our tour, lasting approximately 1.5 hours, offers a journey back in time through its medieval layout, Roman remains, Baroque palaces and churches, and its prestigious university, founded more than five centuries ago. This makes Alcalá de Henares a must-see in your travel journal.

Places we will visit externally during the tour:

Cervantes Square

Regional Archaeological Museum

Magistral Cathedral

Cisnerian University

Cervantes' birthplace

Complutense gastronomy

Archbishop's Palace

One of the oldest hospitals in the world

The medieval Jewish quarter and much more…

Important Information:

* Groups of more than 6 people are not permitted on the free tour. The minimum group size for the tour is 4.
*The tour is done entirely on foot and is fully accessible.
*No entrance fee is required, the monuments mentioned are visited externally.
*Minors are not accepted without the accompaniment of an adult.
*Reservations from travel agencies or wholesalers are not accepted.
*Pets are welcome.

A free tour to know the history and beauty of Alcalá de Henares . Our tour consists of a visit that will bring us closer to the fundamental places in the history of Alcalá de Henares. A story linked to the great events in the history of Spain , of which Alcalá de Henares was the protagonist for many centuries.

Some of the places that we will see during the tour are:

• Cervantes Square.
• Main Street
• The Jewish Quarter
• Synagogue Corral
• Exterior of the Cervantes Birthplace Museum and the old Antezana Hospital.
• Image Street.
• Palace Square
• Plaza de las Bernardas and external archaeological museum.
• Plaza de los Santos Niños and exterior Catedral-Magistral
• San Diego Square
• The facade of the university.
• Chapel of the Oidor (Interior)
• And some surprise ...

** It is possible to change the route and schedules depending on the availability of the buildings included in the visit.

Join me as we discover Alcalá de Henares through its convent and university history. Through its secrets and legends, its streets where writers, artists, and legendary figures from our history have passed through. A walk through the history of art that emerges at every turn in this brilliant city of the Renaissance and the Golden Age. We will visit its university colleges, convents, hermitages, and palaces to witness the living history of our city of students, the cradle of knowledge and wisdom.

On our tour we will visit:

-The Magistral Cathedral of the Holy Children: 15th-16th century.

-Archbishop's Palace: 13th-19th century.

-Cistercian Convent of San Bernardo: 17th century.

-Convent of the Mother of God (17th century) and old Muslim quarter (Santiago Street).

-Convent of La Imágen: 16th century.

-Calle Mayor: Cervantes House-Museum, Synagogue Corral and Antezana Hospital (15th century).

-Irish College: 17th century.

-Convent of the Augustinians of Saint Mary Magdalene: 17th century.

-Convent of San José de Los Caracciolos: 17th century-18th century.

-Minor College of Discalced Trinitarians: 17th century.

-College of Malaga: 17th century.

-Tower and ruins of Santa María (15th century) and Chapel of the Oidor (16th-17th century).

-Plaza de Cervantes: Town Hall (Former College-Convent of San Carlos Borromeo (17th-19th century).

-Chapel of San Ildefonso (15th-16th centuries).

-San Ildefonso College (XVI).

-Church of Santa María La Mayor and Chapel of the Holy Forms (17th-18th century).

-Maximum College of the Society of Jesus (17th century).

Imagine arriving in a city where the streets whisper words from the Golden Age, where the walls breathe history, and every corner winks at you...

It's not a dream: it's Alcalá de Henares , and you're about to discover it like never before, with the help of a guide who not only knows it, but lives it .

From the first step you will feel like you are not on just another tour:
You are entering a narrative journey , a story that is built as we advance between walls, squares, cloisters and alleys.

With just the right pace and a guide who loves this city, you'll discover what books don't tell you, what maps don't point out, and what photos don't capture: the essence of Alcalá .

• Madrid Gate and Medieval Walls
• Plaza de las Bernardas and Cathedral-Magistral
• Archbishop's Palace and Palace Square
• Rectorate of the University and College of San Ildefonso
• Calle Mayor and its Jewish history
• Cervantes' Birthplace
• And more corners that only curious eyes will know how to appreciate...

📍 We end at Plaza de Cervantes , the beating heart of the city, where past and present come together.

Explore. Feel. Discover.
Experience history with us.