Madrid Diary Day 5: Segovia

Madrid, Spain – Wednesday, October 16, 2019 PART 2

[Read this travel series here]

SEGOVIA

After traveling one hour back to MADRID from our morning in Toledo, we boarded a different bus with a new bilingual guide for our second excursion of the day. Segovia is located approximately one hour northeast of Madrid.

This beautiful city was founded in 2 AD by the Romans who built a massive aqueduct system to bring fresh water to the residents. Today, 168 magnificent columns of that aqueduct are still intact. It is a stunning marvel to behold!

We walked through this lovely city seeing multiple churches, sanctuaries, and homes dating back to antiquity. Along the way, we often saw a small brass marker with a symbol of the aqueduct, indicating that an underground aqueduct waterway was below.

The massive Roman Catholic cathedral in Segovia took 52 years to build from 1525 – 1577. All of those intricate decorative spires make my heart dance! I am just sad we didn’t have enough time to go inside. [a good excuse for a return trip!]. This cathedral boasts the 3rd largest bell tower in Spain rising 90 meters [295 feet] high!

Walking through the city to the other side leads to the glorious medieval castle Alcázar – home of the legendary Queen Isabella who agreed to give money to Christopher Columbus to buy ships and make his journey to the end of the earth. Isabella’s decision changed the destiny of Spain, and the world, forever. It felt surreal to stand in the very same room where it happened!

Touring ALCAZAR castle was one of the highlights of our day. The edifice is beautifully maintained and authentic. It almost feels like being on a movie set.

I’ve since learned this castle was Walt Disney’s top inspiration for Snow White’s Castle in his animated film. Later, Alcázar was one of several castles that inspired the Cinderella Castle built at Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Florida.

Bonus: Because this castle is a National Museum, taking photos and videos are allowed inside! The castle and artwork, combined with its history, make this a priceless treasure, and a “must-see” when in Spain. I am excited to share more images in the video.

Watch The Segovia Video I made for you!

If Jeff and I have the chance to return to the Madrid area, we would love to devote one full day to each of these amazing cities we visited today [Toledo and Segovia]! As it is, we only got a “sampler” today, but our tour guides did a great job ensuring we saw the highlights.

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By the time we made it back to Madrid, it was dark, and after 8 PM. We had not eaten anything for hours! We discovered a second VEGA restaurant nearby with delicious vegan tapas! We enjoyed a delightful sampling of tapas – small plates of beautiful and delicious creations. (We can HIGHLY recommend the tapas at VEGA!)

Afterward, we took a leisurely 30-minute stroll home. The weather here is perfect. Clear skies, highs of 65 or 70F, and comfortable “sweater weather” in the evening. We have grown attached to this city. It feels like a home away from home now, and I am sad to think we only have one more day. It has been such a GRAND spontaneous Adventure!