ALCALA DE HENARES , a little over 30km from Madrid, is one of Europe's most ancient university towns, and renowned as the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes . In the sixteenth century the university was a rival to Salamanca's, but in 1836 the faculties moved to Madrid and the town went into decline. Almost all the artistic heritage was lost in the Civil War and nowadays it's virtually a suburb of Madrid. It may not be somewhere you'd want to stay longer than it takes to see the sights, but that's no problem with regular trains (Chamartín or Atocha; every 15-30min from 5.30am-11.45pm ) and buses (every 15min, operated by Continental Auto) from Madrid throughout the day. If you like everything organized for you, the tren de Cervantes leaves Atocha at 11am on Saturday and Sunday (May, June & Oct-Dec; tel: 915 066 356 or 915 067 103) complete with staff wearing period costume and includes a guided tour of the main sites, before returning to Madrid at 7pm.

The Universidad Antigua ( 45-minute guided tours Mon-Fri 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 4.30pm & 5.30pm, Sat, Sun & holidays 11am-2pm & 5-8pm;stands at the heart of the old town in Plaza de San Diego. It was endowed by Cardinal Cisneros ( also known as Cardinal Jiménez ) at the beginning of the sixteenth century and features a fabulous Plateresque facade and a Great Hall, the Paraninfo (entered through the Hostería del Estudiante , an expensive restaurant at the back), with a gloriously decorated Mudéjar artesonado ceiling. Next door, the Capilla de San Ildefonso has another superb ceiling, intricately stuccoed walls, and the Italian marble tomb of Cardinal Cisneros.

The Museo Casa Natal de Cervantes at Calle Imagen 2 (Tues-Sun 10.15am-1.30pm & 4-6.15pm; free) claims to be the birthplace of Cervantes in 1547: though the house itself is hardly thirty years old, it's authentic in style, furnished with genuine sixteenth-century objects, and contains a small museum with a few early editions of Don Quixote and other curiosities related to the author.

To the west of the university, the Monasterio de San Bernardo , Via Complutense (guided tours Mon-Fri 1.45pm & 6.30pm, Sat & Sun 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 5pm, 5.45pm, 6.30pm, 7.15pm & 8pm; was founded by the Cistercians in 1617 and has recently opened its doors as a museum of religious art, re-creating the atmosphere of a monastery of that era, complete with cells and kitchen.

Just off the central Plaza Cervantes is the oldest surviving public theatre in Europe, the Cervantes Theatre , whose twenty-year restoration is nearing completion, although dispute continues over the theatre's future use. Discovered beneath a crumbling old cinema by two drama students in 1980, the theatre, like Shakespeare's Globe, was a hub of rowdy heckling and lively dramatics throughout the first half of the seventeenth century. The local turismo ( daily: summer 10am-2pm & 5-7.30pm, closed Mon in July & Sept; winter 10am-2pm & 5-6.30pm; tel: 918 892 694, alcalaturismo.com ), just off the central Plaza de Cervantes, can arrange guided tours for , has maps and other handy information, and from here nothing of interest is more than a short walk away. There is another office in Plaza de los Santos Niños ( same hours, but closed Tues in July & Aug; tel: 918 810 634 ).

You'll find no shortage of places to eat centrally and, if you want to stay, there are plenty of hotels and several pensiones on the Plaza de Cervantes itself which is conveniently located by the train station.

A popular choice for accommodtion in Alcala is the Sercotel Isla de la Garena . All guests at Sercotel Isla de la Garena enjoy free access to the spa and free private parking. All rooms have a large terrace and free Wi-Fi. The spa centre includes a heated indoor pool with a cascade and water jets. There is also a gym and an outdoor pool, open in summer. Around the pool there is a lovely garden and a spacious sun terrace. The Apartamentos Turisticos Solficus also come well recommended. Situated just a few minutes walk from the attractive historical old quarter, this accommodation is a great choice for those who prefer the independence of apartments without compromising on service.