Segovia

Segovia is a spectacular historical city in Northern central Spain. Situated within the autonomous region of Castile-Leon, the city is located in some of the most spectacular and expansive landscapes in Spain. Famed for its wealth of monuments, including the cathedral and Roman architecture the city is surrounded by the walls built in the 8th Century probably on a Roman base and rebuilt extensively during the 15th century. Within easy reaching distance of Madrid, the city has grown to be hugely popular among tourist day trippers.

Attractions

The old city, apart from being a UNESCO World Heritage site is spectacularly perched atop a long, narrow promontory. The most important monument in Segovia is its internationally famed cathedral, located in one corner of the Plaza Mayor, at the centre of the city. It is widely considered among the most spectacular and emblematic Gothic churches in Spain, together with its neighbouring Salamanca Cathedral. The first Cathedral in Segovia was located out near the Alcazar, but was susceptible to the ravages of war and was later rebuilt in the centre of the city.

At the tip of the promontory and towering over the Castilian countryside below is the fairytale like castle-palace the [http://www.alcazardesegovia.com/ The Alcázar]. Originally constructed by the Muslims in the 8th century, during the Middle Ages the Alcazar was the favourite residence of kings of Castile and each king added new parts to the building. The castle was therefore continually transformed until the 16th century. Tragically, the castle was severely damaged by a fire in 1862 to be later restored and elaborated. Many locals claim that Disney used the castle as a model for the Disney symbol. What is certain is that it is a great place to view the countryside and from one of the towers you can see for miles.

Another mark of its Roman past is the aqueduct that runs right through the middle of the town. An unmissable tourist favorite, the aqueduct was probably built around the latter half of the first century by Trajan, it's near 30 feet high at its highest point. It's still in use as a secondary water supply for Segovia and is one of the best-preserved, existing Roman building projects.

Shopping

There are a number of shopping options in Segovia in which to find the perfect souvenir to remind you of your trip to Spain. A number of excellent shops can be found along the main tourist route between the Roman Aquaduct and El Alcazar. A number of artisans have shops on the roadways that connect these two sights; including Calle Juan Bravo, Marques del Arco, and Calle de Daoiz.

Popular souvenir items to pick up from the region are of course, the fantastic red wines of the Ribera del Duero or the whites from Rueda, textiles and embroidery, hand-blown glass objects, ceramics, leatherwork and metallurgy.

Nightlife and Eating Out

Segovia is famous for its food, drink, and nightlife. The city has lots of restaurants, but there is no doubt that the place to eat is [http://www.mesondecandido.es/ Mesón de Cándido], under the arches of the aqueduct. It is a little on the expensive side, but it is excellent value for money and if you only intend to splash out on a meal, this would be the place to do it. Segovia has a number of culinary specialities is Castilian roast meats, especially lechazo, suckling lamb, and even more so, cochinillo suckling pig, slow-roasted. Other Segovian dishes of interest include sopa castellana, a garlic and bread soup widely available in Spain but at its best here, judias con liebre, white beans stewed with hare, or Segovian trucha, trout. Less expectedly, Segovian cuisine also includes some interesting desserts, particularly a thing called ponche segoviano which will make you feel as if your fillings were dropping out.

For drinking, the oldest tavern in Segovia is [http://www.tabernarubi.com/ Taberna Rubi] that can be found near Plaza Mayor. When staying in the region the locally produced wines must be tasted. Old Castile has two important denominaciones de origen which include a part of Segovia. Rueda normally denotes a white wine, often light and fresh to drink. [http://www.riberadelduero.es/ Ribera del Duero] produces wines of all colours, but the best are reds, which may be drunk young or mature, in which case they are fairly heavy. Another wine-producing place in Segovia is Valtiendas, known for its reds. Such wines can be sought and sampled in most bars in the town.

For a slightly livelier scene some of the most spontaneous good times can be discovered around the Plaza Mayor, Plaza Azagejo, and the busy Calle del Carmen that runs into the Plaza Azagejo. The bars and cafés in this zone are always busy, both during the day and a night and even more so in the hotter summer months.

There are a few decent clubs in Segovia, two of the most popular are Mansión, Calle de Juan Bravo which is open nightly from 11pm till dawn for dancing and drinking with a predominantly 20 to 30 year-old crowd. The somewhat more upmartket, stylish competitor, Bar Ginasio on Paseo del Salon is open nightly from 8pm till dawn, has more atmosphere and is generally full of people from a slightly older age group 25 to around 50.

Tourist Information

Plaza Mayor 10 - 40001Segovia

• Tel. +34 921460334
• Fax +34 921460330

Airports

Segovia, located close to Valladolid is therefore served by the airport at Villanubla. The airport has experienced recent expansion due to the arrival of Ryanair operations. The airline flies to destinations such as London-Stansted, Paris, Brussels-Charleroi, Lisbon, Barcelona and Vigo.

Only an hours drive or train journey is the capital Madrid, where the large airport of Madrid-Barajas serves all major national and international destinations.