Segovia: A Roman aqueduct and a castle on a cliff

Segovia is a small city on a ridge an hour from Madrid, and it has two things that are worth the trip on their own: a Roman aqueduct that still strides across the middle of town, and a castle perched on the end of the rock the old town sits on. It is compact enough to see properly in a day, and quiet in a way Madrid never is.

Getting There

• Fast trains from Madrid take about half an hour, which is what makes this such an easy day trip
• The station is outside the centre, so allow for a bus or a taxi at the other end
• Buses are slower and cheaper, and drop you closer to the old town
• Everything in the centre is walkable, though the old town sits above the newer parts and you will climb

What to See

• The aqueduct — Roman, enormous, and standing in the middle of a working city rather than behind a fence
• The Alcazar — the castle on the cliff at the far end of the old town; climb the tower for the view
• The cathedral — the last great Gothic cathedral built in Spain, and it dominates every view of the city
• The old streets between the three, which is where the city is at its best and quietest
• The walls and the viewpoints below the Alcazar, for the classic view back at the rock

Where to Eat

• Cochinillo, suckling pig, is the local dish and the thing every restaurant here advertises
• It is rich and it is not cheap; one portion between two is a reasonable plan
• Ponche segoviano, a marzipan-topped cake, is the local sweet
• The restaurants right by the aqueduct charge for the view; walk a few streets for better value

Making a Day of It

• Half a day covers the aqueduct, the cathedral and the Alcazar at a fast walk
• A full day lets you eat properly and walk the walls, which is the better plan
• Winter is cold here — it sits high on the meseta, and the sierra behind it holds snow
• Combining it with Toledo in one day does not work; they are on opposite sides of Madrid

Walk down and out of the old town to the viewpoints below the Alcazar. The castle only looks like the thing on the postcards when you are standing underneath it.