Best Day Trips From Madrid: Chinchon
June 4, 2018
The first place we explored was Plaza Mayor. The green wooden balconies reminded us of those we had seen in Almagro last Easter. Even though it's called "square" it's actually round. It was built in the 15th century and has served many purposes including theater and bullfighting ring.
On a side note, I feel sad when I see animals being used for entertainment purposes, although I know children love donkeys. It's not the same but this reminded me of something really upsetting I saw in Santorini: poor donkeys carrying people through a steep pathway in hot temperatures.
One of the streets from the plaza takes you to the clock tower, from that area you can get great views of Chinchon.
At the tourist information office we were told that we could buy sweet treats at Convento de las Clarisas. Nuns make the best sweets and pastries, so if there's a convent in town we always buy sweets there. We were impressed by the garden that leads to the shop in the convent, it was beautifully arranged and kept. A lovely place to sit down and read a book on a summer afternoon.
Our next stop was another landmark of Chinchon: the castle. You cannot go inside, just see the remains of the castle from outside which transport you back to its glory days in the 16th century.
We had lunch at El Parador which apart from a hotel is also a must-see in Chinchon. It used to be an Agustinian monastery back in the 15th century. I fell madly in love with the cloister, the gardens and the decor: blue and white predominate in the indoor common areas with beautiful tiles all around. 
Spanish people like to have their coffee after lunch and here it is usually paired with their most famous drink. If you go to Chinchon you must order anisette liquor with your coffee, you can't leave the place without trying it! They have been producing this type of drink for centuries and it's so famous that people in Spain often call it chinchon.
xo Cristina
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