A city, municipality and province, located to the north-east of Madrid, Guadalajara was once greater than its illustrious neighbour, which is of course now capital of Spain. Many centuries of conflict and wars brought Guadalajara to its knees, and rendered it a mere shadow of its former self. Sitting beside the River Henares, present day Guadalajara has a population of 75,493 inhabitants, with its history, which stretches back to the times of the Romans, lost in its modern day look, though some gems can still be found by its visitors. Once a favourite base of the Mendoza family, Guadalajara still boasts the former palace of this rich family (now restored), in the form of the Palacio de los Duques del Infantado, well worth a visit if you are in the area.