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Number 19 of 20 in Madrid

Segovia: the aqueduct, the cathedral and the Alcázar

You come out of the bus or the car and there it is: the Roman aqueduct, its double tier of granite arches marching across the square and up the hill, as tall as a ten-storey building at its highest. Behind it the old town climbs a ridge to the cathedral and the castle.

What it is
Day trip
Time to allow
A full day
Cost
Train or tour, tickets for the sights
Best time
A clear day, leaving early

Madrid this week

    Why Segovia is worth it

    The aqueduct was built at the end of the first century or early in the second to bring water from the mountains to the Roman town. Its elevated section has 167 arches of granite blocks set without mortar, and it carried water until the 1970s.

    In the Middle Ages Segovia was a city of wool and a favourite of the kings of Castile. Isabella the Catholic was proclaimed queen here in 1474. Its old town and aqueduct have been a World Heritage Site since 1985.

    The cathedral, begun in 1525 after the old one was destroyed in a revolt, is one of the last Gothic cathedrals built in Europe. The Alcázar at the tip of the ridge was a royal palace, a prison and an artillery school.

    What to see

    1. The aqueduct

      Walk under it in the Plaza del Azoguejo, where it is tallest, then climb the steps beside it for the view along its length.

    2. The cathedral

      Pale gold stone, pinnacles and flying buttresses, at the top of the Plaza Mayor. It is called the lady of cathedrals.

    3. The Alcázar

      The castle on its rock above two rivers, with its slate-roofed towers, royal rooms and a tower to climb for the view over the plain.

    4. The old town

      Romanesque churches, the houses of the wool merchants and the Jewish quarter, between the aqueduct and the Alcázar.

    5. Roast suckling pig

      Cochinillo, roast until the skin crackles, is Segovia's dish, served in the old restaurants by the aqueduct.

    How to do it well

    • High-speed trains from Madrid's Chamartín station reach Segovia-Guiomar in about half an hour. A city bus takes you from there to the aqueduct.
    • Coaches from Moncloa take about an hour and a quarter and stop close to the old town.
    • It is higher and colder than Madrid. Bring a layer even in spring.
    • A day trip with a guide often combines Segovia with Ávila or Toledo.

    Where it is

    Address

    Segovia, about 90 kilometres north-west of Madrid, beyond the Sierra de Guadarrama

    Nearest station

    High-speed trains for Segovia leave from Madrid's Chamartín station

    Tickets and tours: Segovia

    Segovia: common questions

    How do you get from Madrid to Segovia?
    By high-speed train from Chamartín to Segovia-Guiomar, about half an hour, then a bus into town, or by coach from Moncloa in about an hour and a quarter.
    How old is the aqueduct of Segovia?
    It was built at the end of the first century AD or early in the second. Its 167 arches of granite stand without mortar, and it carried water to the town until the 1970s.
    Can you do Segovia and Toledo in one day?
    Only on a coach tour, which gives a few hours to each. On your own, one town a day is better.
    How much time do you need for Segovia?
    Allow a full day. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.

    What visitors say about Segovia

    Rating from Google

    4.9

    120,732 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 17 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

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