My Experience in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. By Nerea

What is Alcalá de Henares like to live in? Would you recommend it? How is it?

It is quite a student-based city, there are lots of young people and it is quite easy to find a home there. Actually they are not only easy to find, but also the homes are quite cheap, too. It is a pretty city, it has quite a special charm about it and the University campuses are spoken about all across the world. It is quite famous.

Here is a picture of the University campus.

Furthermore, another positive point about the city is its location. For those of you who don't know, Alcalá de Henares belongs to the Community of Madrid and can be found only thirty-five minutes away from the Spanish capital by train. If you go by car it takes a little less time, probably about half an hour. It also depends on which way you take to get there, but it is very well-located.

Alcalá de Henares has some quieter neighbourhoods, some livelier ones and some troublesome ones, too. Like in every city, there are areas in Alcalá where you don't want to find yourself alone during the early hours of the morning. Within these areas there are, for example the parts close to Espartales. In general, the further away from the centre you are, the worse situation you will find yourself in. But let's be real, it is not like it is a city with a much higher level of crime than anywhere else, no - nothing like that at all.

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In the centre of the city, by the Cervantes Plaza, Libreros Street and the Complutense Road, there are always lots of people. It is rare that you will find these central streets empty! Ever since I arrived in Alcalá de Henares to study, and ever since I was young enough to think straight, there has always, always, always been a great atmosphere in the centre of town and amazing people living here.

There are also neighbourhoods that are not problematic, but simple more calm than those located in the centre of the city, these areas are, for example, those close to Renfe. Or the areas of the Antonio Machado Institute - a friend of mine lives in this part of town and she has never had any problems, despite the neighbourhood being quiet, but not one of the quietest. You can still hear silence from time to time there.

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So, it depends on what you're looking for in one zone or another. If you like more peace, go to a neighbour a little outside the centre but not too much in the outskirts. There, the houses are cheaper, but what you save in rent money you will spend on transport getting into town and back again. Or, if you like the city's centre better and spending a little more money doesn't matter to you, look for accommodation in the areas: Libreros, Cervantes, los Santos Niños and around there.

I would personally recommend that you get somewhere in an area relatively close to the city centre. With this I mean that you should get a place that is not too far out, but neither is directly in the middle (so that the price isn't too excessive as well), and with this you will kill two birds with one stone, and you will be able to enjoy a little peace and quiet when you get home. You will be in an area close to all of the city's goings-on, but you will be in a more or less calmer area. Furthermore, you will not have to spend so much money on transport as you can get to the centre of town in a 10 or 15 minute walk.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Alcalá de Henares?

It's quite good, every time that I have gone out clubbing here there has been a good atmosphere. There are loads of bars and places to go out to get drinks with your friends, or places to get to know new people. Many students have the tradition of going to a famous bar here that's called Green. It is a bar during the day and a club at night. It is really good in there. Furthermore, loads of people go to get a drink at the Continental. This place there is also shisha and the decoration is really cool. The Hanoi is a club and it has quite a lot of good atmosphere. Another is Casco. The Shutter is a beer bar where you can get beers from all over the world: made with juice, cherry, strawberries, all the different flavours you can imagine. On the other hand, there is another place that is also called Shutter that is a lot quieter they sell buckets with bottles and people usually go there a lot to play pool.

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How much does it cost to live in Alcalá de Henares?

It is quite cheap, you can find a flat in the centre of town for quite a good price. For example, a friend of mine is looking for a flat in Alcalá right now, and he has found one just for him alone, that is to say a studio for himself, without housemates, for 400 euros. Although it is nothing special and it isn't huge, it has attracted a lot of attention. It is not bad in price seeing as it is just for one person. Furthermore, when I was looking for flats to share, I found one for just 200 euro, and another for 170 as well, which were both quite centred. Generally, the people that I know who live in Alcalá de Henares don't pay much rent money. In fact, they are cheaper for being located in the centre of town. Furthermore, generally the rented apartments are well taken care of, and they are not extremely old, and because of this they cost so little. It is certain that, if you wanted to find a more modern or new or innovative flat, the price would rise. If you are just looking for a simple room in a shared flat, you're not gonna leave your salary paying it like you're in London. That's where rooms are expensive.

What is the food like there? What are your favourite dishes?

There are lots of good thing to eat. For example, serrano ham and Spanish omelette are the most popular. My favourite are everything that has meat, especially Serrano ham... I personally do not like Spanish tortilla, but I must be the only one! Don't worry that everyone says it is great. I really like my grandmother's pisto (like ratatouille), chickpeas and chicken with potatoes.

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Where do you recommend to visit in Alcalá de Henares?

Alcalá de Henares is a very historic city, despite its own inhabitants not knowing (not all of them)! Alcalá has a lot of very beautiful places to visit, from museums to beautiful architectural works of art, like the University. I would recommend visiting the University area, the archaeological museum, the Cervantes Plaza, the house/museum of Cervantes and I would recommend a bar called la Sureña as well.

Furthermore, focussing my attention on the architecture and beauty of the city, in Alcalá de Henares there are many gorgeous things to see. Among them, there is el Rectorado de la Universidad (the University Rectorate), which has a beautiful façade and inside this building is where they give classes and sometimes even the graduation ceremony happens here. Alcalá is a city that is considered as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. It is said that the University campuses are among the ten best in Europe. The truth is that the UAH (University of Alcalá de Henares) has a lot of prestige, many writers and scholars studied their degrees there.

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