I have stayed in Chinchon twice (both pre-pandemic) and found the town a true delight. Of course, I think it looks a lot better with the sun shining but I guess you cannot control that. The first time I came we stayed at an atmospheric, converted, courtyard house just down from the Paradore and hence just a short walk from the Plaza Mayor. The plaza featured in the 1956 film "Around the World in 80 Days" with David Niven and was the setting for the bullfight scene. This gives a good feeling of how the square would look like with all the balconies packed with spectators and the pageantry of the 19th century.
Loved the architecture and layout of Chinchón - especially the Plaza Mayor. I'd never have known about the anise-based spirit (chinchón) if you hadn't mentioned it. I read that it comes in three different varieties: special dry, dry, and sweet. Thanks for visiting and sharing your experiences there.
A lovely place Stuart. I've always found it very clean and the food has been off excellent quality and good value. Stunning history, especialy La Plaza Mayor. Very interesting video. Chinchón of course very famous for its anis. Thanks for sharing this with us Stuart.
Lovely little town visited a few years back with my wife enjoyed very much people don’t realise what’s is around Madrid as travel blogs always focus down south and that Barcelona is the only place to visit not promoted enough is Madrid regions
Chinchon "looks" a little dull, it lacks colour, but certainly an interesting area. We'll done Stu, I enjoyed your video. Hope you are making a good recovery from that nasty "cold". Take care!.
I was so excited to stay in Chinchon for one overnight on our way between San Sebastian and Toledo in early May 2022. We had an incredible flat in that building on Plaza Major that looks to the church (white building in the video when Stu is pointing to the plaza, and the front door is right near where Stu identifies "dodgy" people). Unfortunately, I had a hard lesson that one night -- pay attention to the ebb and flow of a town through the week. We were there on a Monday. Very, very little was open: one or two restaurants on the plaza (and the one we chose was terrible), a small little store that seemed to only sell cheese, wine, olive oil, Chinchon liqueur, and souvenirs, the tourist office with a nice courtyard fountain, and the Parador (which we decided not to go in, seemed extra bougie that night). Everything else was closed: the church, the museum, pretty much every bar and restaurant. The guy working in the tiny store told us the town is closed on Mondays because they are overrun with tourists from Madrid on the weekends. We walked to the castle, too, only to discover it was un-visitable (is that a word?). The highlight was sitting on our balcony eating cheese and getting drunk on chinchon watching a bunch of motorcyclists argue with the local policia in the center of the plaza. Show lasted about 90 minutes. Good times. Fun trivia tidbit: Orson Welles filmed most of his classic yet rarely watched/known film "Chimes at Midnight", a script he put together using lines/scenes from Shakespeare's Henry IV parts 1 & 2, Henry V, Merry Wives of Windsor, and Richard II. Gus van Sant "remade" Welles' film as "My Own Private Idaho" (no longer set in Chinchon but Portland, OR, USA). Thanks for the video, Stu.
Visited Chinchon in August 2022 before I unfortunately had to leave Spain as I wasn't able to renew residency. It was very hot but better than in Madrid. I spent a night and went by bus from Madrid. Wished I had gone on to Aranjuez to see it too at the same time. Interesting how the plaza in the center feels like it is in a hole. Good place to get some exercise.
Use to like just chilling in the plaza mayor. One thing to watch out for are some of the bars will pretend they don't have change if you pay with cash. They will always magically find some when it becomes apparent you're not a tourist. Make sure you try a Tetas de novicia. They're delicious.
Nice video Stuart, but what I miss in all these small towns is the green. And I don’t understand why people don't renovate/paint their houses! It looks so much nicer then!❤️Hil
- Thank you, for the tour. One of my old flames resides there now. It is interesting to have a peek of their current haunts. I enjoy your content but, I never seem to catch your live shows. Always a thumbs up from me.
Interesting to see yew trees (if that is what they were) outside the church. They are usually associated with protestant churches - at least in Ireland.
Stayed at the Parador - Chinchon was so empty but nice cheap bar down road from Padador. You are right about dodgy characters, had our broken phone nicked with all our photos on, wont be going back that way 🤷♀
Chinchon doesn't look too bad. Their Plaza Mayor looks really cool. I would say, though, that the 2 small towns you covered, that impressed me the most, are Brihuega & Siguenza(I hope they're spelled correctly).
Hey Stu! Great vids! Could you let us know at the beginning what time of day you actually visit a place ? I know you do sometimes. Cheers, keep up the great content!
Hi Stu, l love Chinchón. I've been there a few times but it's been a while. Back in the day they used to have cuevas where they served wine. Do you know if they still have the cuevas as a tourist attraction?
Chinchón was occupied by British and Irish of the International Brigade during the civil war. Nearby Ciempozuelos, at the same time, was occupied by the fascist Irish legionnaires of the “ Bandera Irlandesa del Tercio”. There were occasional contacts with insults and exhortations to swop sides being exchanged.
Hi Stu. It's great to see a small town with NO GRAFFITI!!! Thanks for continuing to show us these towns.
I have stayed in Chinchon twice (both pre-pandemic) and found the town a true delight. Of course, I think it looks a lot better with the sun shining but I guess you cannot control that. The first time I came we stayed at an atmospheric, converted, courtyard house just down from the Paradore and hence just a short walk from the Plaza Mayor. The plaza featured in the 1956 film "Around the World in 80 Days" with David Niven and was the setting for the bullfight scene. This gives a good feeling of how the square would look like with all the balconies packed with spectators and the pageantry of the 19th century.
Loved the architecture and layout of Chinchón - especially the Plaza Mayor. I'd never have known about the anise-based spirit (chinchón) if you hadn't mentioned it. I read that it comes in three different varieties: special dry, dry, and sweet. Thanks for visiting and sharing your experiences there.
A lovely place Stuart. I've always found it very clean and the food has been off excellent quality and good value. Stunning history, especialy La Plaza Mayor. Very interesting video. Chinchón of course very famous for its anis. Thanks for sharing this with us Stuart.
My favorite place in Spain
One Of my favorite places in Spain. Love the Plaza Major.
Plaza Mayor featured in 'Around the World in 80 Days' with David Niven.
Lovely little town visited a few years back with my wife enjoyed very much people don’t realise what’s is around Madrid as travel blogs always focus down south and that Barcelona is the only place to visit not promoted enough is Madrid regions
This was great Stu. I thoroughly enjoyed it some great shots thank you.
Great sky Stuart
Loved ‘visiting’ this town. Very pretty & interesting. Thanks for sharing this!!
Chinchon "looks" a little dull, it lacks colour, but certainly an interesting area. We'll done Stu, I enjoyed your video. Hope you are making a good recovery from that nasty "cold". Take care!.
Hi Stu. Great video, thanks. A pleasure not to see no Graffiti! All the best, John.
Glad you enjoyed it
I was so excited to stay in Chinchon for one overnight on our way between San Sebastian and Toledo in early May 2022. We had an incredible flat in that building on Plaza Major that looks to the church (white building in the video when Stu is pointing to the plaza, and the front door is right near where Stu identifies "dodgy" people). Unfortunately, I had a hard lesson that one night -- pay attention to the ebb and flow of a town through the week. We were there on a Monday. Very, very little was open: one or two restaurants on the plaza (and the one we chose was terrible), a small little store that seemed to only sell cheese, wine, olive oil, Chinchon liqueur, and souvenirs, the tourist office with a nice courtyard fountain, and the Parador (which we decided not to go in, seemed extra bougie that night). Everything else was closed: the church, the museum, pretty much every bar and restaurant. The guy working in the tiny store told us the town is closed on Mondays because they are overrun with tourists from Madrid on the weekends. We walked to the castle, too, only to discover it was un-visitable (is that a word?). The highlight was sitting on our balcony eating cheese and getting drunk on chinchon watching a bunch of motorcyclists argue with the local policia in the center of the plaza. Show lasted about 90 minutes. Good times. Fun trivia tidbit: Orson Welles filmed most of his classic yet rarely watched/known film "Chimes at Midnight", a script he put together using lines/scenes from Shakespeare's Henry IV parts 1 & 2, Henry V, Merry Wives of Windsor, and Richard II. Gus van Sant "remade" Welles' film as "My Own Private Idaho" (no longer set in Chinchon but Portland, OR, USA). Thanks for the video, Stu.
Oh, there was a bakery open, but she had very little on the shelf. She told me she doesn't bake on Mondays.
Visited Chinchon in August 2022 before I unfortunately had to leave Spain as I wasn't able to renew residency. It was very hot but better than in Madrid. I spent a night and went by bus from Madrid. Wished I had gone on to Aranjuez to see it too at the same time. Interesting how the plaza in the center feels like it is in a hole. Good place to get some exercise.
Fascinating town, great video. It sounds like an onomatopoeia.
Use to like just chilling in the plaza mayor.
One thing to watch out for are some of the bars will pretend they don't have change if you pay with cash. They will always magically find some when it becomes apparent you're not a tourist.
Make sure you try a Tetas de novicia. They're delicious.
Nice video Stuart, but what I miss in all these small towns is the green. And I don’t understand why people don't renovate/paint their houses! It looks so much nicer then!❤️Hil
Hi, you and me both!
- Thank you, for the tour. One of my old flames resides there now. It is interesting to have a peek of their current haunts. I enjoy your content but, I never seem to catch your live shows. Always a thumbs up from me.
Interesting to see yew trees (if that is what they were) outside the church. They are usually associated with protestant churches - at least in Ireland.
Good on you Stu, great video walkabout, the fresh Spanish air will do you good, you sound much better mate 😎👊🍻
Stayed at the Parador - Chinchon was so empty but nice cheap bar down road from Padador. You are right about dodgy characters, had our broken phone nicked with all our photos on, wont be going back that way 🤷♀
Chinchon doesn't look too bad. Their Plaza Mayor looks really cool. I would say, though, that the 2 small towns you covered, that impressed me the most, are Brihuega & Siguenza(I hope they're spelled correctly).
It's Sigüenza, a bit of a hard spelling! But Siguenza would be all right in English, I suppose.
Yes the church offers great views but what a climb for us west aussies who enjoy flat country and enjoyed the special cakes sold there
Hey Stu! Great vids! Could you let us know at the beginning what time of day you actually visit a place ? I know you do sometimes. Cheers, keep up the great content!
He stated Tuesday morning around 11.00
No graffiti. Gracias Chinchón 👏
Thank you for your comment! I agree, preserving the beauty of Chinchón without graffiti is important.
Hi Stu, l love Chinchón. I've been there a few times but it's been a while. Back in the day they used to have cuevas where they served wine. Do you know if they still have the cuevas as a tourist attraction?
Chinchón was occupied by British and Irish of the International Brigade during the civil war. Nearby Ciempozuelos, at the same time, was occupied by the fascist Irish legionnaires of the “ Bandera Irlandesa del Tercio”. There were occasional contacts with insults and exhortations to swop sides being exchanged.
Este es mi pueblo no as bisitado las cuevas del vino ni la tenda San roque