Mercado Cervantino, Medieval festival in Alcala de Henares, Spain
October 2020
Basic Info
When: October 2020
Where; Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Map: Alcalá de Henares on Google Map
Website: mercadocervantino.es
Hotels: Hotels in Alcalá de Henares
Mercado Cervantino – Medieval festival
“A time machine transporting you to the Golden Age.”
Attracting over 200,000 visitors, the Cervantino Market is one of Spain’s great regional historical tourist events.
The market is the biggest attraction of Cervantes Week, which is a celebration in honor of San Cervantes day.
This local festival takes place in Alcalá de Henares and is a homage to Miguel de Cervantes, who was baptized in this town in October 1547.
Cervantes, one of the world’s pre-eminent authors, wrote Don Quixote, which is one of the most highly-regarded works of fiction of all time.
Mercado Cervantino is a family festival that also acknowledges Alcalá as a first-rate city to visit.
Music, shows, and concerts during the festival
Competing for your attention is a long list of activities including music, dance, theater, parades, knights, handicraft workshops, interactive games, and much more.
Festivities take place in the historic quarter of Alcalá and up front and center are Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, characters from his works of fiction.
Each day of the festival, Don Quixote and Sancho will lead an opening parade accompanied by musicians, the falconer, and a snake tamer.
More about Alcalá de Henares
Classified as a World Heritage Site in 1998, Alcalá de Henares has much to offer the history buff.
It’s a part of the “Path of the Spanish Language” – a route that brings together places in Spain that have had a special influence on the Spanish language.
Recognized as a center that has played an important role in developing the Spanish language and culture, it dates back to Roman times (when it was known as Complutum).
Listed below are just a few of the attractions to explore when visiting Alcalá de Henares.
Hotel Tips
Where to stay during the Medieval Festival Mercado Cervantino?
Hotel Parador Alcala de Henares is one of the best hotels in town.
Comfortable rooms, nice pool and fitness room.
Great reviews from visitors. Check it out here >>
Getting to Alcalá de Henares
First head to Madrid and you’ll find Alcalá de Henares just 30 km north.
You can reach Alcalá easily by train, bus, or car.
By train – approx. 40 mins: Take the Cercanias commuter train from Atocha or Chamartin Station.
By bus – approx. 40 mins: Take the bus from Avenida de América Bus Station.
By car – approx. 30 mins: Take the A-11 motorway north.
A really fun way to get there is to take the Cervantes Train.
It departs on Saturdays from Madrid’s Atocha train station from middle of May to middle of July, and from middle of September to middle of December.
Along the way, you’ll be entertained with performances from Cervantes most famous works.
Information on Madrid official tourist website; https://www.esmadrid.com/en/cervantes-train
Tours and things to do around Madrid
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