Introduction
52km (32 miles) SE of Madrid; 26km (16 miles) NE of Aranjuez
Many visitors to Chinchón are attracted by the cuevas (caves), where Anís de Chinchón, a strong digestive aniseed spirit, is manufactured. You can buy bottles of Chinchón dulce, seco, or extra seco at shops in the center of town. But it's the Plaza Mayor, or main square, that's the real architectural highlight of Chinchón and the image that will linger on in your memory long after you've returned home. Dominated by its church, this photogenic arcaded plaza, which captivated artist Goya in the 18th century, is surrounded by three-story frame houses with wooden balconies. Its central lamppost is removed, cars that usually park there are told to park elsewhere, and -- shazam -- you have a colorful plaza de toros, where a half-dozen top bullfights take place between June and September.
Wander along the town's steep and narrow streets, past houses with large bays and spacious carriageways. Although closed to the public, the 15th-century Chinchón Castle, seat of the Condes of Chinchón, can be viewed from outside. The most interesting church, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, contains a painting by Goya.
