You don’t have to go to Italy to see remanents of the once great Roman Empire. It’s crazy to think that the Roman Empire extended from northern Africa all the way to the British Isles at one point in time. Evidence of their influence can be seen all over Spain in the forms of ruined temples and amazingly intact aqueducts. A second (half-)day trip we took from Madrid was to the town of Segovia to see the well-preserved aqueduct and sample the famous Cochinillo (roasted suckling pig).
After arriving at the Segovia train station, we took Bus #11 to the base of the aqueduct at Plaza del Azoguejo. We stopped in the tourist office to grab a map and met a lovely staff lady, who not only looked up the return bus/train schedules for us but also helped us plan a sightseeing loop around the town. Segovia was pretty small with only three attractions to see, so half a day (plus lunch) was plenty of time to see it all. The parents were a bit worn out from the full day of exploring in Toledo, so Sam and I were on our own. Quick note, the train to Segovia departs from the Charmatin Station, which was 30min from the city center (Atocha Station) by taxi.
Cathedral
We followed the old city wall and first arrived at the cathedral. It was said to be the last major Gothic building in Spain before the Renaissance styles took over. The cathedral was huge with pointed spires, flying buttresses, and sandy yellow walls. It actually looked more like a fortress than the Alcazar did to me. It was less over the top compared to the Toledo Cathedral but also had those iron cages blocking off parts of the interior. The “Tree of Life/Warning Bell” painting and the modernist “Last Judgement” were the most thought-provoking points inside. By this point of the trip, we were all a little “churched out” so we didn’t stay long.
Alcázar
There was an Alcázar (a fortified palace) in most of the major southern cities we visited in Spain left over from the Moorish days. The Segovia Alcázar was perched at the top of a cliff surrounded by a moat. Walking across the small bridge over the moat made my legs tingle. How were they able to build at such a dangerous location back in the Middle Ages without modern-day safety systems? How many workers fell off the cliff during its construction? Mind, blown.
The interior of the castle wasn’t big and quite empty, with typical Moorish ceilings and pointed windows. The castle has been turned into a museum for many years and hosted many suits of armor. There was even one that was my size! Man, those were some pointed toes on those armors! I would hate to dance with someone wearing those.
Compared to the inside, I was more amused by the vegetations that were growing against the walls.
Cochinillo
With some prior research, I had decided on tasting the famous roasted suckling pig in the Don Jimeno’s restaurants. It was a quaint little restaurant with super friendly staff. We ordered a 2-3person portion for 36 euros and it was more than we could finish. We felt somewhat cruel to be eating an 8-week old baby pig and were definitely glad it didn’t come whole like the display. But the meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender and full of flavor, and the golden skin was satisfyingly crispy. While I was sure the much-praised and advertised Jose Maria was popular and more expensive for a reason, we were happy with our choice of the less crowded place. I mean, where else could you order a carafe of “bleeding” (sangria)?
Roman Aqueduct
It was raining harder when we finished lunch and made our way to the top of the aqueduct. Every time I saw one in person, I was always amazed by their dimensions. Over two thousand years of history was still standing right in front of us. As civil engineers, there was a different level of awe that hit us. There was even a plaque by the American Society of Civil Engineers (which we were members of at one point).
On the outside of the aqueduct, we found a replica statue of the Capitoline Wolf (a she-wolf suckling two human boys who later founded the city of Rome). It was gifted from Rome to Segovia on the bimillennial of the aqueduct’s construction. Funny how my trip was circling back in on itself.
So was it worth the trip?
Looking back, I think I would choose to spend the day in Madrid to explore Retiro Park and shop around the city rather than braving the rain and cold to visit Segovia. With that said, if seeing a Roman aqueduct (and tasting some of the best pork) has been your lifelong dream, go! It was a lovely town to visit with few crowds and a slow pace. Although, if you want to make more out of your travel days, I would recommend to visit it with a rental car and combine it with another city like Avila. Happy travels!