When we were in Madrid we opted for a few day trips to explore some nearby cities. We’d already visited Toledo and next up was a day trip to Segovia.
We got to see the major sights in Segovia and snack on some local delicacies during our time there. We had a private tour guide for our family who picked us up in Madrid and drove us out to Segovia and back. It was about an hour’s drive out but it did take a bit longer getting back into the city as we hit rush hour traffic and just more people heading into Madrid than out of it.
Segovia was so pretty and had so much history that I’m really glad we opted to go see it while we had the time. Here’s what we did during our one day in Segovia.
A day trip to Segovia
The aqueduct
First stop was at the aqueduct which pretty much acts like a giant wall and gate on one side of the city. It honestly impresses me how people were able to build such structures like this in the past when I couldn’t make a cabin out of Lincoln Logs as a kid.
The aqueduct dates back to the first century AD (rough estimates say it was built in around 112 AD) and was still in use until 1973! That’s crazy! It was granted UNESCO status only 12 years later in 1985. It’s said to be one of the best-preserved Roman aqueducts and has more than 150 arches.
The Alcazar
Our first big tour of the day was at the Alcazar, the famous medieval castle that’s served as a royal residence for more than 22 kings.
The castle dates back to the 12th century and was the site for many famous historic moments. The signing of the Concord of Segovia took place at the castle, Isabel the Catholic proclaimed herself the queen of Castile there, and it was where Christopher Columbus last met with King Ferdinand.
The Alcazar is beautifully preserved and now houses museum exhibits and is a military archives building. On a visit you can see many of the rooms, the chambers, the halls, and the chapel. It was so interesting to see how they would put carpet and tapestries on the walls in the bedrooms to trap the heat as it was quite chilly in the castle!
This was definitely a must-see in Segovia.
Lunch at El Cochifrito
We then stopped for lunch at a restaurant recommended by our tour guide, El Cochifrito, named for a famous dish in Segovia. Of course this is what I ended up ordering and it was delicious! It’s fried pork and reminded me of bone-in wings. It was extremely crispy, crunchy, and so salty. Which of course meant we had to order plenty of delicious Spanish wine to wash it all down with!
The Jewish Quarter
We then took a walk around the Jewish Quarter to learn how different religious groups lived in Segovia peacefully for many years and how many different people have claimed Spanish territories over the years. There are so many different influences and cultural periods in and around Madrid.
There are still many original Jewish buildings (though some were repurposed after the expulsion of the Jewish people in the late 1400s).
Photo session
We ended our day in Segovia by taking the trail up to the top of the aqueduct to see the city from above and snap some great pictures. I love views like this over cities, and I loved having my family there to act as photographers so we didn’t just have to get selfies with these gorgeous backdrops.
We then made a little stop before heading out of town to see the Alcazar from a different viewpoint, looking up at the towering castle.
It was a wonderful day exploring Segovia and it was such an easy day trip from Madrid. If we find ourselves back in Madrid, what other day trips should we plan to do? Tell us your recommendations in the comments!
