Alcalá De Henares: Tapas In The City Of Letters

Just 32 kilometers from Madrid, Alcalá de Henares is an ideal place for a weekend getaway or a day trip from the Spanish capital. One of its main attractions is the great historical heritage. But also, we can enjoy the best tapas in the so-called “city of letters”. We propose you a most delicious tour of the city. Can you come with us?

Alcalá de Henares: tourism and heritage

Although you can go to Alcalá just for tapas, the truth is that you must first visit its tourist attractions. The Cervantes city is a World Heritage Site, so it is easy to imagine that its historic center is spectacular.

Knowing its old university and the house of Miguel de Cervantes is essential. But you should also stroll through its beautiful Calle Mayor, and visit the Archbishop’s Palace, the Magistral Cathedral or the Corral de Comedias, one of the oldest preserved in Europe.

And, if you have time, direct your steps towards the Hospital de Antezana, the Capilla del Oidor with the Torre de Santa María or the Puerta de Madrid. As the origins of the city date back to Roman times, it is also essential to see the ruins of the ancient Complutum and visit the Archaeological Museum.

Tapas in Alcalá de Henares

Any day of the week you can visit Alcalá from Madrid, but we recommend that you do it Friday, Saturday or Sunday to enjoy tapas with all the letters. There is a whole route of bars to be able to taste tapas at very affordable prices (and in some places they are even free with the drink), with an excellent atmosphere and surrounded by monuments and heritage.

Going for tapas is always interesting, as it shows Spanish culinary specialties and, above all, local customs. You can eat two, three or the tapas you want and in different bars, each one accompanied with a beer or a soft drink.

And the best thing is that, to make everything more pleasant, the center of Alcalá de Henares becomes pedestrianized on weekends. In this way you can easily go from one place to another and, incidentally, burn some calories.

We are going to propose a route for you to have tapas in Alcalá, but you can modify it as you go. In the city there are many and very good places for tapas. The best thing, therefore, is that you let yourself be guided by your smell and by your sight, they will surely take you to places where your palate will enjoy the beauty.

A route to enjoy with all the senses

You can start at El Índalo, one of the best places to taste the typical Alcaine cuisine. It was founded in 1989 and is a must stop for everyone who goes to the city. It is located on Calle Libreros and for each drink you can choose a tapa. The recommended ones are the toast of gulas, the salad and the ham thread.

Continue towards the historic center of Alcalá, towards the Plaza de San Diego, with the façade of the University as a companion. On Calle Bedel is the El Hidalgo brewery, which offers draft beer, homemade vermouth, Iberian specialties and preserves. The decoration will catch your attention, with Talavera tile walls that tell the life of Cervantes.

To get to the third stop you must go to Plaza de Cervantes. From there take Calle Mayor (where there are dozens of bars) and stop at Maimonides, with a beautiful terrace where you can enjoy a beer with broken eggs. Very close to there is also the Bar Nino, the oldest in the center of Alcalá famous for its mushrooms.

More tapas bars

Tapas in Alcalá is almost an art and there are many other places to practice it. You can go to El Tapón, known for the large size of its tapas, including patatas bravas, hamburgers and bacon with cheese. Another option is the Taberna de Don Rosendo, which offers a green pepper omelette and vegetable tempura.

If you have time and are hungry, you can stop at La Taberna de Rusty, with a great variety of tapas and hamburgers. More unique is El Gato de Tres Patas, with vegetarian and even gluten-free tapas, or El Españolito, with tapas named after the Spanish city or region to which they belong.

It is always a good time to visit Alcalá de Henares and taste its fantastic tapas. However, if you go during their Cervantes week you will enjoy a lively atmosphere and countless cultural and gastronomic events. It is celebrated at the beginning of October.