Segovia

If you were to picture a medieval Spanish town in your mind, you most likely would be thinking about a city that looks almost like modern day Segovia. Located in the mountainous area just over 50 miles from Madrid and close to the Spanish ski resort of Navacerrada, Segovia is a like a historic town with all the amenities of a modern city.

Overlooking Segovia is the Alcázar castle, originally built and used as a fortress by the Romans. The Alcázar has also been a royal palace and has been used in the filming of many movies and television productions, too. The style of the castle is one of the strong influences on the fanciful Walt Disney castles, with its spiraling towers and beautiful design. Another ancient Roman structure is the aqueduct, over 2000 years old, that cuts through the center of Segovia. This immense and still standing aqueduct, with its double row of arches, is one of the symbols used to identify the city throughout history.

Plenty to Do

The city of Segovia itself is home to huge plazas, open air markets and an amazing array of restaurants, boutiques, shops, galleries, museums and outdoor cafes. The city is always busy with things to see and do as well as foods to sample and cultural activities to attend.  In the historical center of the old, original city of Segovia, the protective walls that kept out invading forces can still be seen and form some of the more interesting walks around the historical area. The huge Cathedrals and churches throughout the city are truly breathtaking in both their size and the beauty of their architecture. In many of the older parts of town vehicle traffic is completely prohibited and the narrow winding streets and alleys have to be explored on foot or by bicycle, just as they have been for hundreds of years. The huge watchtowers that are located throughout the city are a reminder that this was a highly desirable area in historical as well as modern times.

The Eresma River forms a green belt area of parks through and around the city, giving visitors lots of places to explore, hike and picnic within easy travel from the hotels and city center. The Mint, which is open to tours and visitors most days, is a great example of the attention to detail of ancient industry. The Mint has been preserved exactly as it has always been used, without the addition of any modern buildings in this production complex.