Segovia, Spain is one of the most beautiful places I have come across during my travels. With a backdrop of breathtaking Spanish countryside, Roman aqueducts, cathedrals and castles, the city has a magical quality to it. UNESCO has also named Segovia as a World Heritage Site.
Located only an hour’s drive from Madrid, Segovia offers a nice escape to city dwellers looking for a getaway to the mountains. The region of Segovia has a number of holiday-homes, boutique hotels and authentic restaurants as well.
Segovia is rich with ancient history dating back to Celtiberian tribes. It is said that the origins of the city are unknown, but it was reoccupied in 1088 AD. The 166 arches of the aqueduct that stands as gates into the old city was built to carry the water from the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains to the city.
Gothic style Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción and San Frutos were built in the 16th century and can be seen from everywhere in Segovia and far out. While the Cathedral is beautiful inside (and worth the tour), its splendor is much more notable from a distance.
One of the charms of Segovia is its narrow cobble stone roads and Roman-Arabic houses on either side. The entire city is walkable, but cars are also allowed. As you can see, the roads are extremely narrow and only one car can pass by at a time, sometime squeezing the pedestrians into corners. The drivers here are exceptionally talented, maneuvering around the sharp bends and parking into spaces inside the buildings.
