Segovia

Segovia is the correct Madrid day trip. Not Toledo, which is overcrowded and overpriced; Segovia, which is 28 minutes by Avant high-speed train from Chamartín, costs around EUR 15 to 20 return, and has a Roman aqueduct, a Disney castle, and the best roasted suckling pig in Castile all within a 30-minute walk of each other.

The Aqueduct

The Roman Aqueduct runs through the city for approximately 900 metres and reaches 28 metres at its highest point near the Plaza del Azoguejo. Built around the 1st century CE to carry water 17 kilometres from the mountains. The engineering detail worth knowing: the 25,000 granite blocks were fitted without mortar. Precision and weight. Two thousand years later it is structurally sound. The best view is from the Plaza del Azoguejo looking up at the two tiers of arches; the second best is from the mirador above the plaza looking down.

The Alcázar

The fortress-palace on a rocky spur where two river valleys meet is the castle that inspired Walt Disney’s design for Cinderella’s Castle, which explains why it looks immediately familiar. The original fortress dates from the 12th century; the distinctive tower was added in the 15th century. The Hall of Kings inside has 52 royal portrait paintings in a frieze. The views from the tower battlements across the Castilian plateau are extensive. Entry around EUR 8 for the rooms; tower admission is separate.

The Cathedral

The Cathedral of Segovia on the Plaza Mayor is the last Gothic cathedral built in Spain, completed in 1577 long after the Gothic style had been abandoned elsewhere. The exterior is more delicate than the interior suggests. Worth 30 minutes.

Cochinillo

Cochinillo asado (roasted suckling pig) is Segovia’s signature dish. The pigs are three weeks old or younger, fed only on milk, and roasted until the skin crisps. The traditional demonstration involves cutting the pig with a plate rather than a knife to show how tender the meat is; the plate is then smashed on the floor. This is either theatrical atmosphere or a mild gimmick; the pig is genuinely excellent regardless.

Mesón de Cándido directly under the aqueduct has been serving cochinillo since 1905 and is the most famous address. The setting, looking up at the arches through the windows, is hard to match. Casa Duque on Calle Cervantes is the other established address. Both are expensive. Both serve the real product at a quality that justifies the cost if you’re here for this specific reason.

Getting There

Avant train from Madrid Chamartín: 28 minutes, several times daily. The main Segovia station is at the foot of the old city; buses run to the aqueduct or it’s a 20-minute uphill walk through increasingly worthwhile streets.