Segovia
A UNESCO-listed old city with a two-thousand-year-old Roman aqueduct, the castle said to have inspired Snow White’s castle, and roast suckling pig: a classic day trip from Madrid.
The high-speed train from Madrid Chamartín takes about 30 minutes to Segovia-Guiomar station, and from there you can take bus line 11 to the old town. A long-distance coach takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Must-sees include the Roman aqueduct, built around the 1st century (about 28 m high, constructed without mortar); the late Gothic cathedral known as the “Lady of European Cathedrals”; and the Alcázar castle perched on a cliff, said to have inspired Disney’s Snow White castle (tickets about €10, and you can climb the Torre de Juan II). For lunch, try the local specialty, roast suckling pig (cochinillo). Plan for a full day.
Opening hours
Castle approx. 10:00–18:00 (extended in summer)
Nearby sights
- Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
- Royal Palace of El Pardo
- Walls of Ávila
- Royal Chapel of St. Anthony of La Florida
- Teleférico de Madrid & Casa de Campo
- Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
- Temple of Debod
- Plaza de España