Where to stay in Alcalá de Henares, Spain

City
Alcala de Henares
Population
204574
City size
#36 largest city in Spain
Country
Spain
Travel score
# 1 visited country in Europe
Hotel (avg. price)
€ 118.13
AirBnB (avg. price)
€ 80
From Int. Airport
24,2 km
Taxi (Start + per km)
€ 3.50 + € 1.45
Quality of Life Index:
Very High (172.54)
Cost of Living Index
Low (46.27)
Safety Index
High (64.74)
Health Care Index
High (78.02)
English Proficiency
Poor (25'th out of 33 in EU)
Income Level / month
€ 1,670.32
Tipping
5 - 10%
Power Outlet
Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Drinkable tap water
Yes
Meal, Inexp. Resta.
€ 12.00
3-Course Meal Mid-Range Resta.
€ 25.00
Beer (0,5 L)
€ 0.91
Milk (1 L)
€ 0.81
Water (1,5 L)
€ 0.64

Welcome to the city of Cervantes. Alcalá de Henares is a town in the Community of Madrid in the center of Spain, northeast of Madrid City. With over 2000 years of history, one of the oldest universities in the world, and one of the oldest comedy theaters in Spain, Alcalá de Henares is one of the region’s most important hubs of history and knowledge. Known also as the city of three cultures, Alcalá de Henares is a university town full of a cultural legacy. You can see this in its medieval historical center and its year-round activities that bring other times to life for locals and visitors alike. Also, this city has plenty to see in the region’s film, theater, and music culture through festivals and vibrant nightlife, making it a great destination to discover and connect to other areas of the Community of Madrid and the whole of Spain.

Our recommendations on which areas to stay in:

  • If you plan a luxury stay in Alcalá de Henares, we recommend a stay in the south of the city’s historical center, in the city’s central district. Stay close to Plaza Santa María la Rica to have easy access to all the historical and cultural activities of the city within a 5-minute walk.
  • Are you traveling with your family? This town has a lot to offer. We recommend the perfect accommodation for the areas close to Sementales Park, between the central and the second districts of Alcalá de Henares. You can enjoy parks and amenities that make your trip a great experience.
  • If you’re on a tight budget, you can still enjoy everything the city offers and stay anywhere, even near the historical center. It has plenty of affordable accommodation and is a walkable city with everything you need at a short distance, or take advantage of the well-connected urban public transportation.
Transportation
Restaurants
Shopping
Cafes & Bars
Arts & Entertainment
Fitness
Playgrounds

These are our recommendations on accommodations in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, in 4 categories:

Luxury travel

Family stay

Budget trip

Hotel

    Walking through medieval streets

    Enjoy discovering a historical city in the heart of Spain. The city of Alcalá de Henares o simply Alcalá, as the locals affectionately call it, is an 87-square-kilometer city with many things to do and discover. The University of Alcalá is where all the magic and history of the town started and helped consolidate it as one of the first planned university cities in the world. The city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so it’s no coincidence that education is one of the essential elements of the city’s identity. The town grew in medieval times and was home to Jews, Catholics, and Muslims in its quarters, where it got its nickname of the “city of the three cultures.” Its privileged location made Alcalá de Henares the travel home of kings and a place of historical events. 

    Also, the city of Alcalá de Henares is the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, the author of one of the most beloved and cherished books of the Spanish language, The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, and discover its history in the Cervantes Birthplace Museum. The city has several historical areas, parks, great restaurants, and cultural and leisure spaces. A visit to Alcalá is a trip back in time, with all the modern elements to make a stay here a unique window to the past, where you can learn and enjoy the living history of Spain.

    Luxury stays in the heart of the city

    What about staying close to all the city attractions and feeling like another era? Find luxury accommodation just 300 meters from Calle Mayor, the heart of the historical city center, with its beautiful architecture from the medieval period. Discover all the religious sites around your accommodation, such as the Cathedral of St Justus and St Pastors, one of the foremost cathedrals of the city, or the Convento Los Caracciolos, a building from the XVI century and part of the faculty of philosophy and letters of Alcalá University.

    Enjoy all the activities at a walkable distance while staying in the city’s center. You can visit theaters nearby, such as Teatro Salón Cervantes in Calle Santiago, or go to Plaza Cervantes to the famous Corral de Comedias and enjoy a comedy show in an XVII-Century theater.

    If you visit this city around the 9th of October, commemorating the birth of Miguel de Cervantes, there is a big festival called Cervantes Festival. You will find historical representations, theatrical performances, concerts, and the Cervantes Gastronomic event with dishes from the book or Quixote Market, an XVI and XVII-century-style market.

    But don’t forget this city is known for its tapas and gastronomy! So you can enjoy delicious local food everywhere in the center, such as La Zarza, tapas at Lazarran, or a drink in Bar Elena Vermuteria; all of them are close to your accommodation and ready to make you feel part of the neighborhood.

    We recommend a stay in the south of the city’s historical center, specifically close to Plaza Santa María la Rica, to enjoy the best of the city.

    Learn and enjoy as a family

    Alcalá de Henares is an excellent place to have a fantastic time with family. This city is full of landmarks to visit and learn from and a great city to stay in and relax in during your trip.

    • We recommend staying in Alcalá between the central district and the city’s second district. Stay close to Calle Montauban, where you can easily access several parks and amenities to make your stay practical and accessible.

    And you will be just a short walk away from the center of Alcalá and from its main attractions, where you can enjoy the local architecture, history, and family activities. Visit the Cervantes Birthplace Museum to learn from one of Spain’s most famous authors, or try the Regional Archeological Museum of Madrid to discover the long human history that this city has been part of. You can plan a short trip to the south of town to the former Roman city of Cumplutum or visit the House of Hippolytus archaeological site to learn more about its roman history.

    We recommend the areas close to Sementales Park to quickly move around with your family and have a great time in the city.

    A budget-friendly stay

    As this is a university city, you will find accommodation at an affordable price and great options to experience the city on your own. Stay in the city center for better access to activities, restaurants, bars, and historical places. We recommend the areas near Calle Teniente Ruíz where you can easily access banks such as Santander or supermarkets such as Carrefour in Via Complutense near Don Quixote Monument. You will be near Plaza Cervantes, bus stops, and the Alcalá de Henares Train Station to move around and between cities.