Author: Jennifer Kirsch

Travel in Spain

DAY TRIPPING FROM MADRID TO SEGOVIA

Madrid, with its superb museums, fabulous parks and great shopping districts is a mecca for all things tourist but take a little trip, get out of the hot sweaty city and venture out to ancient cities like Segovia and Toledo.

Anyone brave enough to vacation in Madrid in July or August will need to be heat resistant and curious beyond the nearest cafe to take full advantage of the less crowded, more easily negotiated local eye candy and cultural feasts.

Segovia and Toledo are just two of the nearby ( within an hour) treasures to be experienced at any time of the year and well worth the short train rides from Atocha and Chamartin, both stations easily accessible from the Metro. This blog will center on the finer points of Segovia; my next will visit the beauty of Toledo.

SEGOVIA-A LITTLE HISTORY

Segovia is different , more grand somehow and dominated by its 2000 year old Roman Aqueduct, world famous as the largest and most complete Roman structure remaining, with the possible exception of the Coliseum in Rome, Italy.

It towers above the city center with its multi faceted arches, under which is nestled a multitude of excellent local restaurants, all seemingly unaware of their massive imposing backdrop. These white linen tablecloth cafes serve excellent local food as well.

FOOD IN SEGOVIA

I had an amazing tuna dish and my friend sampled the “special” pork entree, all washed down with a bottle of delicious, inexpensive Spanish Rioja. Worrying needlessly about my inadequate Spanish language skills, we were served by an English speaking Romanian waitress who had been in Spain for ten years.

It could have been the sister of the gal who recently served me in my home town of London, England! Handsome Spanish guides in white trousers and rippling muscles sauntered around the square offering their services as guides; it was hard to resist, which is of course their intention.

CAFE HOPPING ON THE PLAZA MAYOR

A short walk up a manageable hill, with plenty of stop off bars and cafes en route brings you to the Plaza Mayor of Segovia, with a mammoth cathedral on its East side.

The rest of the Plaza boasts a band stand and cafes; their white and pink table decor inviting you to people watch and enjoy a libation. Meanwhile the locals passionately discuss more important things, like family feuds and local politics.

Like most Spanish towns and villages it becomes more lively as the evenings darken and by 11 pm it is buzzing; a hive of local activity. Taking a direct route though the square and a short walk past gift shops and more cafes you arrive at the end of the city.

ALCAZAR CASTLE

A steep drop and magnificent vista reminds you that this city was strategically built to act as a protectorate and overseer of the local area when marauders and foreign armies threatened. At the end of this road and to this purpose is the magnificent Alcazar.

This beautiful castle dating back to the 14th century and reputed to be the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella Magic Kingdom Castle, is an enduring icon.

It is very much the Disney castle with its turrets and a drawbridge and of course the view to die for, easy to imagine the grandeur and rich history of Spain being played out in its ornate rooms.

I declined the tower climb, 261 circular steps to the top but my friend did the tricky and tiring plod up to the top. I am not sure her view was much better than the one I experienced from the turret walls but each to his own!

I embraced the museum shop. Not too expensive, it is full of lovely kids books, interactive coloring books and various models of the knights of the crusades, book marks, sketch pads and lovely scarves, glasses cases and wallets. My mainstay of travel gifts and souvenirs came from this little shop.

CONCLUSION

Segovia is a beautiful little town and while I love Spanish food we were able to eat dinner in a Persian restaurant which made a pleasant change and was delicious.

Our little hotel was comfortable, friendly, charmingly Spanish and less that $100 right in the city center. This was my second visit to Segovia and I am sure I will make repeated visits to soak up its history, culture and good food. I hope you see how easy it is to take a good day trip from Madrid to Segovia!

You might enjoy reading more posts under Guest Bloggers. Let me hear from you in the comments section if you have any questions or want help with your travel plans in Spain and watch for my next blog on the latest day trip to Toledo! Until then…

Best,

Jenny

Jenny Kirsch is a British expat living in Palm Desert. She travels extensively when she returns each year to the UK and guest blogs about her experiences and tips. Follow her on Instagram.

You might be interested in reading other posts by ArtsyChowRoamer under Explore the World. Follow me on You Tube, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter

TO MY READERS: This post was updated with info, pics and video on 5/14/2020