Route through the Alfoz (outskirts) of Madrid

Alcobendas [+]

San Pedro Church: 18th-century Baroque confessional. Science Museum.

San Sebastián de los Reyes [+]

Founded in 1492 by some of the inhabitants of Alcobendas and San Agustin de Guadalix, following a request to the Catholic Monarchs. It is famous for running the bulls through the streets during the Festival of Cristo de los Remedios. Parish church: A marble figure of Christ from the 18th century.

San Fernando de Henares [+]

Formerly Torrejón de la Ribera, Philip V gave it the title of Royal Seat (1746) and established the Royal Tapestry Workshop there with craftsmen from all over Europe. Ferdinand VI built the town up, giving rise to its present name.

Coslada [+]

The Royal Galiana Cattle Trail runs through the centre of the town, which Miguel de Cervantes used in his escape from Alcalá de Henares. It is said that, from here, he decided to leave for La Mancha, where he wrote his famous novel.

Mejorada del Campo [+]

Founded in the 12th century, it was granted special privileges in the 16th century. The church of the Natividad de Nuestra Señora (16th century): Gothic with a Greek cross floor-plan, the Baroque chapel of San Fausto contains the saint's remains.

Velilla de San Antonio

Originally, this was a Moorish town although its present name dates from the catholic conquest. Panoramic view of the Shrine of Cristo de los Afligidos de Rivas on the crags above the Jarama River.

Arganda del Rey [+]

The Roman road joining Titulcia to Complutum passed through here. Moorish in origin; the archbishopric of Toledo and Philip II sold it to the Duke of Lerma. San Juan Bautista church (16th-17th centuries): from the school of de Herrera, with Renaissance and Baroque elements; Cervantes's grandparents are buried here; there is a very interesting Renaissance altarpiece. La Casa del Rey (17th century), nowadays a Cultural Centre, the old façade is still preserved. The town gives its name to one of the wine-producing areas of the "Vinos de Madrid" Denomination of Origin. Dehesa del Carrascal: nature path through gall oaks, holm oaks, willows and pine trees.

San Martín de la Vega [+]

Agriculture is still the main source of income. Natividad church: Gothic church from the end of the 15th century, with a four-storey tower and spire from the 17th century. Rural sites of interest: Gózquez de Arriba (16th century) and Gózquez de Abajo. Remains of fortifications and trenches from the 1936 Civil War. Presa del Rey: declared an area of ornithological interest within the South-east Regional Park.

Ciempozuelos [+]

Roman, destroyed by the Moors in 744 and re-conquered in 1085 by Alfonso VI; it belonged to the first Count of Chinchón. Ventura Rodríguez, the creator of the Paseo del Prado and its famous fountains, was born here. Also Felipe Mora, who designed the Real Acequia del Jarama (Irrigation channels), still in use today. Main square with porticoes. The Santa María Magdalena church (17th-18th centuries): contains two works attributed to Claudia Coello.

Valdemoro [+]

Founded by the Moors and re-conquered by Alfonso VI; the old town has been declared a site of historic and artistic interest with grand houses and convents. Constitución Square (17th and 18th centuries): with colonnades and balconies. Baroque Asunción church (17th century): built on the site of a mosque: contains work by Gaya, the Bayeu brothers, Claudia Coello, Carducho and Van de Pere; also carvings and various items in precious metals.

Pinto [+]

This was the Roman Punctum (centre of the peninsula). Fortified tower from the 15th century: remains of a castle belonging to the Duke of Frías; in Philip II's time, the conspirators Antonio Pérez and Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Eboli, were held here. Santo Domingo de Silos church (15th century): three naves, separated by Renaissance pilasters, a very fine Plateresque pulpit and several Baroque altarpieces.

Parla [+]

Roman in origin, although mentioned for the first time in 1338. Asunción church 16th century): the main chapel preserves the Gothic vaulting.

Griñón [+]

La Asunción de Nuestra Señora church (15th – 18th centuries): Mudejar brick tower, contains an ornate late Baroque altarpiece. Order of St. Clare Convent (17th century): brick edifice capped by a belfry, contains a Renaissance altarpiece by Juan de Correa.

Humanes de Madrid [+]

Santo Domingo de Guzmán church: contains a wide range of polychrome images from the 16th, 17th and 20th centuries.

Fuenlabrada [+]

Founded in 1375 on a site where there had been a "carved stone fountain" in a poplar grove with springs. San Esteban Protomártir Church: Renaissance, but extensively re-built in the mid-20th century; contains an altarpiece attributed to Churriguera and a painting by Claudia Coello.

Getafe [+]

Moorish town, re-conquered in the 11th century. The Church Cathedral of Santa María Magdalena: designed by Covarrubias and overseen by Juan Francés in 1549, it is a monument of historic and artistic interest and contains canvases by Alonso Cano. Other items of interest are: the "Hospitalillo" de San José (1527) and the Piarist School (1737). The patron saint of the town is worshipped at the shrine (14th-18th centuries) at 665 metres above sea level on the Cerro de los Ángeles Hill: the first group of sculptures was built by Alfonso XIII in 1919, was destroyed in the Civil War in 1936, and reinstated in 1965.

Leganés [+]

Salvador Church (1660): an example of Madrid-style Baroque; contains a dozen altarpieces and altars and is Churriguera's greatest work; there is a small museum of religious art. The shrine of San Nicasio is by Ventura Rodríguez, with a circular floor-plan and lit by a cupola. The former Façade of the Barracks of the Sabaya Regiment, by Sabatini, now forms part of the Charles III University. Polvoranca Park and Mari Pascual Lake: natural area of great interest with routes near the town.

Alcorcón [+]

First mentioned in the time of Alfonso VIII (13th century). Santa María la Blanca church is built of brick, with a tower, Latin cross floor-plan and barrel vaulting; it contains a Baroque altarpiece and font decorated with an egg-and-leaf motif. The Valdera Palaces (19th century), built as a castle, were restored by one of the craft school workshops in the area; one of these contains an interesting Glass Museum.

Móstoles [+]

In the 19th century, this was a village living off agriculture and livestock, with fewer than 300 inhabitants. In 1808, the mayor, Andrés Torrejón, declared war on Napoleon, a proclamation which started the War of Independence. Asunción church: Mudejar apse in brick with three rows of horseshoe arches, and a tower with the same features. Shrine of Nuestra Señora de los Santos: built of brick and masonry, it contains a fine Baroque altar.

Villaviciosa de Odón [+]

The castle was damaged during the uprising against Charles I, and was rebuilt at the end of the 16th century, overseen by Juan de Herrera. Ferdinand VI often came here to hunt and walk, and lived in retirement until he died in 1759, after the death of his wife, Barbara de Braganza in 1758; today, it houses the main Airforce Archives.

Boadilla del Monte [+]

Originally Moorish. The palace was built on the orders of the prince, Luis de Bourbon (1765), after he was expelled from Madrid because of disagreements with his brother, Charles III; it was designed and built by Ventura Rodríguez. San Cristóbal church: it has the appearance of a fortress, with a crenellated apse and square towers reminiscent of the Mudejar style. Convent of the Discalced Carmelites (1670): large brick façade in the pure Madrid Baroque style.

Pozuelo de Alarcón [+]

The town was built up round a small well bought by Hernando de Alarcón. Las Escorzoneras Fountain: by Ventura Rodríguez; several medicinal plants grow next to it.

Majadahonda [+]

The name refers to the "majadas" or places where shepherds and livestock stopped on their way to rainier lands in the north. Nowadays, it is a residential area, with good leisure and cultural facilities.

Las Rozas de Madrid [+]

San Miguel church: 16th century Gothic apse, the brick tower has a clear Mudejar influence, and there is a 17th-century crucifix in the presbytery. The large, holm oak wood extends to the El Pardo Hill.

El Pardo Hill and Palaces

With 15,000 hectares, this is one of the largest reserves of Mediterranean woodland in Europe; it is a dense forest containing holm oaks, cork oaks, juniper, ash, poplar, gall oaks, rock roses... and is populated by wild boar, fallow deer, deer, rabbits, golden eagles, black and griffon vultures, wildcats, badgers, etc. El Pardo Palace: After the fire of 1605 in the old hunting lodge, Philip III ordered Juan Gómez de Mora to restore it. Charles III and Charles IV designed the buildings and precinct that can be seen today. The Casita del Príncipe (Prince's Cottage) was ordered by Charles III for his son, Charles, and built by Villanueva. The Duke of Arco’s House: a small palace from the time of Philip V, built among holm oaks and olives, and studded with neo-classical gardens. Capuchin Convent: founded by Philip III; Gregorio Hernandez's reclining Christ is worshipped here.