Segovia, with about 52,000 inhabitants, is a provincial capital of Castile and León, at about 1,000 metres at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Its old town, on a rocky spur between the Eresma and Clamores rivers, has been a UNESCO site with the aqueduct since 1985. It is one of the favourite day trips from Madrid.
The aqueduct
The Roman aqueduct, probably built in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD, is one of the best-preserved Roman monuments in the world. At Plaza del Azoguejo it reaches about 29 metres, with two tiers of arches made of granite blocks laid without mortar. It carried water to the city until the 20th century.
What to see
- The Alcázar, a castle-palace at the tip of the crag, with pointed towers straight out of a fairy tale: a residence of the kings of Castile, where Isabella the Catholic was proclaimed queen in 1474. John II's tower offers superb views.
- The 16th-century cathedral, the "Lady of cathedrals", Spain's last great Gothic cathedral.
- The Plaza Mayor, with the Juan Bravo theatre and the town hall.
- The Romanesque churches, with the outdoor porticoes typical of Segovia, such as San Martín, San Millán and San Esteban, with its bell tower.
- The Jewish quarter and the Casa de los Picos, its façade studded with diamond points.
- The twelve-sided Templar church of the Vera Cruz.
- Viewpoints over the city, such as the Pradera de San Marcos.
Food
The signature dish is cochinillo asado, roast suckling pig, so tender the cook cuts it with the edge of a plate and then smashes the plate on the floor, as tradition has it at the Mesón de Cándido. Also try judiones de La Granja and the ponche segoviano cake.
Around Segovia
- The Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, with Versailles-style gardens and fountains, and the Royal Glass Factory.
- Riofrío palace and the walled medieval village of Pedraza.
- The Sierra de Guadarrama national park.
Getting there
High-speed trains link Madrid Chamartín and Segovia-Guiomar station in about half an hour; frequent buses take about an hour and a quarter. See also Ávila.