An extraordinary visit, not just for the detail of the stained glass but because you get into parts of the cathedral that are closed to the public on general admission.
The Best Places to Visit in Segovia
A Roman aqueduct in the middle of town, a castle on a rock and the last great Gothic cathedral in Spain.
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Why Segovia is worth the trip
Three UNESCO-listed monuments sit within a 25-minute walk of each other: a first-century Roman aqueduct still standing without mortar, the castle from which Isabella I set out to be proclaimed queen, and a cathedral begun in 1525. Eleven kilometres up the mountain there is a Bourbon palace with 26 gravity-fed fountains. The whole city sits on a rock at 1,000 metres, and almost all of it can be seen on foot.
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE - The old town and the aqueduct have been listed together since 1985.
27 MINUTES FROM MADRID - High-speed trains from Chamartín make this the easiest great day trip in Spain.
TWO ROYAL PALACES - La Granja de San Ildefonso and Riofrío are both Patrimonio Nacional sites.
FREE TO SEE - The aqueduct, the Plaza Mayor and the best viewpoint in the city cost nothing.
Recommended Itineraries: The Best Places to Visit in Segovia
Coming for the day or staying the night: routes that avoid crossing the hill twice.
Segovia in a day from Madrid
The high-speed train from Chamartín takes 27 minutes, which makes this the easiest great day trip in Spain. Bus 11 links the station to the aqueduct in about 15 minutes.
Arrive at the aqueduct
Start underneath it in the Plaza del Azoguejo, then climb the Postigo del Consuelo steps for the view along the arcade before the coaches arrive.
45 min
Up Calle Real to the cathedral
The main street climbs past the Casa de los Picos and the Plaza de San Martín to the Plaza Mayor. Do the cathedral and, if you have the legs, the bell tower.
1h 30m
Lunch, then the Alcázar
Eat around the Plaza Mayor, then walk the length of the old town to the castle on the point. Admission is at the door, so allow for a queue in summer.
1h 30m
Down to the Pradera de San Marcos
Fifteen minutes downhill for the classic view back up at the Alcázar, with the option of carrying on to the Vera Cruz church.
1h
Jewish quarter, then the train
Loop back through the Judería and the Canonjías to the aqueduct for the bus. Trains run back to Madrid until late evening.
1h
Two days, city and mountain
A second day is what separates Segovia from a coach stop. Stay the night and you get the monuments empty in the early morning and the royal sites without rushing.
Aqueduct, cathedral, Royal Mint
Work up Calle Real through the old town, then drop down to the Eresma for the mint. The water-powered machinery is a real surprise.
Alcázar and the Jewish quarter
Castle first, then the Judería walking visit, then out through the Puerta de San Andrés onto the Clamores path.
Night climb of the cathedral tower
The bell tower after dark, with the city lit below. It runs on a limited schedule, so check dates first.
La Granja de San Ildefonso
Bus 11 up the mountain for the palace and gardens. If the fountains are playing, plan the whole morning around them.
Half day
Riofrío or the Glass Factory
Either the empty hunting palace in its deer park, or the eighteenth-century glassworks with the furnaces still lit.
Segovia with children
A castle, a two-thousand-year-old aqueduct and a puppet museum, all within twenty minutes' walk. Segovia is unusually easy with children, provided you plan around the hill.
The aqueduct, from underneath
Standing under 28-metre arches held up by nothing but gravity does the explaining for you.
The muleteer's tour
A costumed guide walks the city in character as an eighteenth-century muleteer. Aimed at families, and funny.
1h 30m
Alcázar and the armoury
A real castle with a real armoury and a tower to climb. The Torre de Juan II is a stair climb, worth knowing in advance.
1h 30m
Puppet collection
Hundreds of hand-carved marionettes, with Sunday storytelling sessions in Spanish for younger children.
Must-See Attractions in Segovia
The five sights to build your day around. The cathedral towers and the Alcázar need planning.
01 Aqueduct of Segovia
Roman arches built without mortar that have stood for 1,900 years.
02 Alcázar of Segovia
The castle on the rock where Isabella I set out to be proclaimed queen.
03 Segovia Cathedral
Spain's last great Gothic cathedral. Climb its tower after dark.
04 Jewish Quarter
Wander one of Spain's best-preserved medieval Jewish quarters.
05 Royal Mint of Segovia
The 1583 water-powered mint that turned Philip II's silver into coin.
Segovia's Museums, Palaces and Churches
Two royal palaces, Spain's oldest industrial building and small city museums.
Guided Tours and Experiences in Segovia
Heritage walking tours, a costumed family tour and a sunrise balloon flight.
Shows and Concerts in Segovia
Candlelit concerts, puppet storytelling and costumed re-enactments.
The Best Free Things to Do in Segovia
The aqueduct, the main square, quiet corners and the best Alcázar viewpoint, all free.
The tallest arches stand 28 metres over the square, and there is no ticket, no gate and no closing time. Climb the steps at the Postigo del Consuelo for the view along the top of the arcade.
- Cost
- Free
- Open
- All hours
- Best time
- Sunrise, or after dark when it is lit
The arcaded square under the cathedral's flank, with the nineteenth-century bandstand in the middle and terraces that fill up at midday. The tourist office on the west side hands out a free map.
- Cost
- Free
- Nearby
- Cathedral, Calle Juan Bravo
- Note
- Thursday market
The meadow below the confluence of the Eresma and the Clamores, and the best free view in the city: the Alcázar head-on from underneath, with the cathedral behind it.
- Cost
- Free
- Walk
- 15 min downhill from the Alcázar
- Best time
- Late afternoon
The canons' quarter between the Alcázar and the walls: Romanesque doorways, esgrafiado façades and almost nobody about. The quietest walk inside the old city.
- Cost
- Free
- Time
- 30-45 min wander
- Note
- Evening heritage tours run here in summer
A footpath running the length of the walls beneath the Jewish quarter, passing the Jewish cemetery and coming out near the Puerta de San Andrés. Shaded and level.
- Cost
- Free
- Distance
- About 2 km
- Ends at
- Puerta de San Andrés
A nineteenth-century viewpoint on Calle Cervantes, on the climb from the aqueduct next to the Casa de los Picos, looking over tiled roofs and the towers of San Clemente and San Millán to the Sierra de Guadarrama.
- Cost
- Free
- Time
- 10-15 min
- Best time
- Just before sunset
Day Trips from Segovia
Royal palaces in the Guadarrama, the castle of Coca, La Pinilla and Ávila.
Practical Tips for Visiting Segovia
Getting there
Avant and AVE trains from Madrid-Chamartín reach Segovia-Guiomar in 27 minutes. The station is 6 km out; bus 11 meets the trains and stops at the aqueduct in about 15 minutes. Buses from Moncloa take 1h 15m but drop you in the centre.
When to go
May, June, September and October are the best months. July and August are hot and busy at midday. December to February can be very cold at 1,000 m, but the monuments are empty.
How long you need
The three UNESCO-listed monuments fit into one full day. Two days lets you add La Granja, Riofrío and the smaller museums without rushing the hill.
Tickets
The cathedral tower visits run on limited schedules and sell out on summer weekends, so book those ahead. Alcázar admission is sold at the door. Most of the smaller museums can be bought on the day.
Accessibility
The old town sits on a rock and most of it is cobbled and steep. The aqueduct, Plaza Mayor and cathedral are reachable on the level; the Alcázar towers and the cathedral bell tower are stairs only.
Eating cochinillo
Roast suckling pig is Segovia's signature dish, served in the traditional asadores around the aqueduct and the Plaza Mayor. Mesón de Cándido, at the foot of the aqueduct, is the best known. Book ahead for weekend lunches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Avant and AVE trains from Madrid-Chamartín take 27 minutes to Segovia-Guiomar, which is 6 km outside the city; bus 11 connects the station to the aqueduct in around 15 minutes. Direct buses from Moncloa take about 1h 15m but arrive in the centre. Trains are faster, buses are cheaper.
Yes for the three UNESCO-listed monuments. The aqueduct, the cathedral and the Alcázar are all within a 25-minute walk of each other. You need a second day if you also want La Granja de San Ildefonso, Riofrío or the smaller museums.
No. The aqueduct stands in the open in the middle of the city and is free to see at any hour. Guided visits are available if you want the archaeology of the Azoguejo stretch explained, but no ticket is needed simply to see it.
Visits start from €3. Five separate options run: the nave and cloister, the bell tower, the stained glass from the roof walkways, a combined ticket with the Episcopal Palace, and a night climb of the tower on selected dates.
The Pradera de San Marcos, the meadow below the confluence of the Eresma and Clamores rivers. It gives you the Alcázar head-on from beneath with the cathedral behind, and it is a 15-minute walk downhill from the castle.
The aqueduct, the Plaza Mayor, the Canonjías quarter, the church of San Millán, the exhibitions at the Torreón de Lozoya and the Pradera de San Marcos viewpoint are all free. The city walls can be seen from outside at no cost; the Puerta de San Andrés interpretation centre charges a euro.
Cochinillo asado, roast suckling pig, is the city's signature dish, served in the traditional asadores around the aqueduct and the Plaza Mayor. The best known is Mesón de Cándido at the foot of the aqueduct. Lunch is the main sitting, and weekend tables fill up, so book ahead.
What People Are Saying About Segovia
Verified reviews from Fever guests in Segovia, translated from the Spanish.
A lovely visit and the views from the top are wonderful. Highly recommended.
Beautiful cathedral and enjoyed the episcopal palace as well!
I loved it. The cathedral and the episcopal palace are both in perfect condition and the staff are excellent. I would do this visit again.
The guide made the whole visit entertaining, and both the cathedral and the tower are spectacular (as is the whole city).
A walk through history, and staggering views.
I really appreciate the rescue of this site. Very well presented, and it holds a history that should not be forgotten. Congratulations.
A thorough visit, perfectly researched and presented by the guide in an engaging, very professional way. It did not disappoint.
Fantastic. An enviable piece of conservation work on a fragment of this country's history. Wonderful.
Really worthwhile, both for the content and for the guides from the tourist board and the Foro por la Memoria de Segovia.
Great fun, hands-on, well pitched for children and very lively. A really good way to spend a morning with kids.
The guide looked after everyone in the group attentively.
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