Hidden in a public park behind the narrow streets of Villaviciosa de Odón stands this somber-looking castle. 

Built in the early 15th-century, the castle is not far from where the settlement of Calatalifa once stood, which controlled movements up and down the Guadarrama river amid forests and renowned hunting grounds.

In its long life, the castle endured sieges, served as a prison (famously for Manuel Godoy, prime minister and the queen’s lover), and garrison. It also acted as a royal residence for Felipe VI’s son, a forestry school, and a navigation beacon for early aviators. Today, it serves as the Archives of the Spanish Air Force

Villaviciosa de Odón grew around the castle and both are perfect places for bucolic contemplation, walks in the forest, and quiet discretion.