Segovia
The best travel guide to Segovia with recommendations on where to stay and eat, top sights and insider tips
Segovia city and capital of the province same name, and in the region of Castilla y Leon, played an important role even in ancient times. Standing on a rocky out-crop between the two river valleys of the Eresma and Clamores it looks like a stranded ship. Discover in this city guide of Segovia all the information to ensure you make the most out of your visit.
Segovia is the most beautifully organised of cities. She is a planner´s dream. Segovia lies along an elongated rock between the affluent Eresma river and the Clamores river.
Segovia travel guide - Contents
Our 3 top accomodations in Segovia
San Antonio el Real
San Antonio el real is both a hotel and a restaurant, housed within what was once a palatial estate belonging to King Enrique IV, located where the famous aqueduct of Segovia begins. The building has been standing since the XV century. After serving as a royal residence the complex was re-purposed as a church and a cloister. The building has survived numerous wars perfectly intact and is one of the hidden gems of the Medieval city of Segovia.
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5 Top Reasons To Visit Segovia
Segovia is a Unesco heritage site
It is an unspoiled medieval town located at a fantastic setting and with many monuments to enjoy
The aqueduct
One of the word´s best preserved roman aqueducts. You can spend hours looking at it and yet you will continue to wonder how they built it without any kind of mortar
The Alcazar
A castle cannot get more beautiful than this fairy tale fortress that could have inspired Disney himself
A walk in the old quarter
Beautiful cobbled streets, palaces, Europe´s last Cathedral, one of Csastilla´s most beautiful squares…
Gastronomy
Segovia is a favorite weekend destination for locals from Madrid who visit to enjoy Segovia´s 3 most famous dishes: judiones de la Granja (a bean soup), Cochinillo (Suckling pig) and Ponche Segoviano dessert.
Weather In Segovia
Segovia is located northwest of Madrid. It enjoys continental weather with cold winters and hot and dry summers. Warmest days are from June 16th to Septemebr 10th with a daily average of 76F for high temperatures. The coldest days are from November 14th till March 3rd with daily high averages of 52F.
The probability of rain is rather low, with 15% chance from September to June and 6% in summer.
Best Time To Visit Segovia
Weekends are normally pretty busy due to all “madrileños” that arrive to Segovia to enjoy a walk, shopping and gastronomy. We would recommend to avoid weekends if possible.
Our favorite months to visit Segovia are april, may, september and october. september
Most popular attractions in Segovia
Best excursion from Segovia: La Granja de San Ildefonso
Located in the province of Segovia, just 15 minutes drive from the city of Segovia (a Unesco heritage site) La Granja de San Ildefonso is one of the royal palaces in Spain near Madrid. Its gardens and fountains make it look like the Spanish version of Versailles.
A favorite weekend destination for Madrileños, and segovianos alike, many restaurants serve the famous cochinillo (suckling pig) and La Granja beans.
The origin of La Granja de San Ildefonso dates back to King Henry IV. In 1450, as be was hunting in the woods of Balsain, it occurred to him to build a hunting-lodge
on a beautiful spot known at the time as Casar del Pollo. In 1447 Ferdinand and Isabella gave the site to the monks of the El Parral in Segovia, and they built a Granja and a rest-house for guests. The Granja was near the village of San Ildefonso. When Philip V was hunting around Balsain castle and came upon the spot with its chapel and houses he was so impressed by its picturesque setting that he decided to buy it from the monks and build his own ‘mini-Versailles’ to serve as his summer residence and, later, as a place of retirement after his abdication. He entrusted the work to the court architect, Teodoro Ardemáns, giving. instructions that the monks’ buildings should stand unaltered.
Highly recommended: Parador de la Granja
One of the latest hotels in the chain of Paradores, this luxury hotel is built on two historical buildings that have been totally refurbished. The hotel is 5 minutes walk from the Palace and gardens at La Granja de San Ildefonso. The Parador boasts a pool, a spa and gym and a luxury restaurant where you will be able to enjoy local traditional Castilian food, one of the top gastronomy styles in Spain and where a fantastic breakfast is also served. The hotel has 77 rooms, 14 of them suites.
The Spa offers 5 different rooms for treatments and a sauna, steam room, and Turkish bath beside an indoor pool. The hotel offers an overall excellent experience (gastronomy, culture, relax) and it is very convenient for a visit to Segovia or for a short break or stop during a vacation in Spain on your way to Madrid since it is only 100 kilometers from the Spanish capital.
Weather In Segovia
Segovia is located northwest of Madrid. It enjoys continental weather with cold winters and hot and dry summers. Warmest days are from June 16th to Septemebr 10th with a daily average of 76F for high temperatures. The coldest days are from November 14th till March 3rd with daily high averages of 52F.
The probability of rain is rather low, with 15% chance from September to June and 6% in summer.
Best Time To Visit Segovia
Weekends are normally pretty busy due to all “madrileños” that arrive to Segovia to enjoy a walk, shopping and gastronomy. We would recommend to avoid weekends if possible.
Our favorite months to visit Segovia are april, may, september and october. september
Most popular attractions in Segovia
Brief History of Segovia
Segovia is one hour north of Madrid. This Unesco site has a rich history. The romans were in Segovia but before them the celts had already created a settlement in this area. The nearby forests were guarantee of food and the 2 rivers that cross the city brought fresh water from the Sierra de Guadarrama.
The city can only thank the romans today. The military outpost they established in Segovia gave birth to its most iconig construction: the magnificent Roman aqueduct.
During the Reconquista Segovia flourished again. Arts, merchats (mainly for the trade of wool) and scholars established in Segovia. At around the 11th Century it was a very important city. Segovia´s secondmost emblematic monument, the Alcázar, was constructed during this time.
During the XVth century Segovia witnessed crowning of Queen Isabella I in 1474. The city continued to prosper during the Renaissance, leaving behind splendid palaces, churches, and monasteries as well as a very specific style to decorate the façade of buildings. Segovia was home of Juan Bravo and the main spot for the revolution of Los Comuneros, one of the most important events in Spanish history.
In more recent times Segovia has become a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular tourist destination. Come and enjoy it! There are many tours that depart from Madrid and the high speed train takes you to Segovia in 30 minutes!
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