Segovia was a town of many churches and attractions that took my breath away. Visiting Segovia with kids was fun and easy too. Entering the town through the aqueduct, the visitor’s center was on the right side which opened at 9 AM. The staff was helpful and spoke English to help plan tours. They had a town map but there were no English versions. The restrooms were clean and they had a few souvenir items for sale.
It was a compact enough town to explore and would be hard to get lost in. For the most part, we followed the crowds through the winding roads and it led us to Plaza Mayor and the Alcazar Castle. The cobblestone roads leading to the Alcazar castle are narrow with barely any sidewalks. We were there on a Friday in October so I can imagine this could get very crowded on a summer weekend. Pedestrians have to share these narrow streets with cars and scooters. It was a little uneasy with these streets the size of an alley having cars and scooters speed by us.
Roman Aqueduct – This iconic symbol of Segovia was completed around the early 2nd century and was built to carry the water from the Frio River (10 miles away) into the city. It was truly impressive as it formed a sort of entry way into the city and also served as an enclosure. It has been labeled as “the most impressive Roman structure in Spain”.
The aqueduct has 166 arches, 120 pillars and is 92 feet at its maximum height. The whole structure was erected without the use of mortar, clamps or cement to hold the granite blocks together. It was a civil engineering marvel of its time.
We decided to go up the stairs next to the tourist office by the city walls. It was a fairly easy climb for the kids and we were rewarded with close-up views of the arches and the details of the structure. The very top of the staircase led us to the walls with a great view overlooking the aqueduct. The stairway provided different vantage points of the aqueduct including where the water passed. It was amazing to see how well preserved this almost 2,000 year old monument was.
Cathedral – The Segovia Cathedral adjacent to the Plaza Mayor was just absolutely gorgeous with its golden exterior and spires. Entrance was not free and no picture taking was allowed inside. It almost took up one whole side of the main square. It truly was a sight to behold and added that uniqueness to this city.
It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was often called Las Dama de Las Catedrales or the Dame of Spanish Cathedrals. It was completed in 1768 and was the last Gothic cathedral built in Spain. This majestic architecture almost shimmered with the sun rays. We did not go inside and bypassed it on the way to the castle. The kids were anxious to go to the castle but I’m sure we missed something beautiful in here along with its 20 chapels.
Plaza Mayor – Segovia’s small square has plenty of restaurants with outdoor seating areas with expensive menus to match. There was a circular, covered structure with a stage in the middle of the plaza. There were also some souvenir and specialty shops around the square. We found a toy/doll shop near the cathedral entrance that had some of the best selections in dolls. The plaza was a nice place to sit, relax and people watch.
Segovia’s other main attraction is the the castle on the hill which deserved its own post because we couldn’t stop taking pictures and there was so much to see within in. Here is: Alcazar of Segovia with kids
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