A day trip to nearby Segovia is this morning’s action, and we arrived at Moncloa for our 10:45 am bus promptly. A quick bus ride drops you off in the heart of this beautiful, old city. And I mean pretty old, like two thousand years or more old. It is a microcosm of the change Spain has seen over the centuries, from its soaring, humbling Roman aqueduct and beautifully maintained old city, to its medieval, imposing, frankly unassailable Alcázar.
We began with a quick and surprisingly cheap breakfast right under the Roman Aqueduct, which was absolutely marvelous to behold. Easily one of the best-maintained aqueducts in the world, and thought to be from the first century AD. This baby used to carry so much water from miles away, even up until 1973! They could probably use it right now if they needed to! I was pontificating to Laura about gravity the whole time, and I’m not even close to a physicist. A truly awesome sight that I will never forget.
From there, we meandered up onto the streets near the top of the aqueduct to take in the surrounding city. There are many churches and cathedrals to peek into, old markets bearing the passage of time, a Jewish Quarter decidedly devoid of Jews, but that’s how it goes in Spain. Our next stop was the Alcázar of Segovia, a craggy, imposing castle. Alcázar is a Spanish word deriving from an Islamic word that means castle, itself deriving from a Roman word. Funny how it all comes full circle, but that seems to be the theme today.
The Alcázar’s landscape is phenomenal, but the interior is, I’ll admit it, a little dated. For a building that was the castle of kings, then an artillery school, then a military academy, I expected a little more elbow grease. Perhaps it went into the Royal Palace. But the formidable redoubt it rests on leaves little doubt as to its strategic importance.
Laura and I opted for some tapas on Segovia’s main thoroughfare in between a couple of hours of reading at El Secreto de San Clemente before our bus ferried us home. We also made a crucial stop for ice cream. Originally we were going to make another day trip to Toledo tomorrow, but I think we will end up resting instead after a long couple of days.
Segovia is a small but incredible city. I highly recommend you take a trip to it if you’re a history buff, as there’s a great deal to appreciate. But a guided tour to Segovia along with Avila and Toledo might be your best bet. The highlights of all three can be done in a day.
