Current Time in Segovia, Spain

Segovia is a historic city in central Spain, the capital of the Province of Segovia in the Castile and León autonomous community, situated on a rocky promontory at the confluence of the Eresma and Clamores rivers, about 90 kilometers northwest of Madrid. One of the best-preserved medieval cities in Spain, Segovia is home to some of the most magnificent monuments in the country, including a near-perfect Roman aqueduct, a fairy-tale castle, and a magnificent Gothic cathedral — earning its old town UNESCO World Heritage recognition since 1985.

With a population of approximately 52,000, Segovia is a relatively small city that nonetheless attracts an enormous number of day-trippers and visitors from Madrid, drawn by its extraordinary concentration of monuments and its reputation for one of Spain's greatest culinary specialties, cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig). The city's proximity to Madrid — about 35 minutes by high-speed train — has made it one of the most popular excursions from the capital.

The Roman Aqueduct of Segovia, constructed around the end of the 1st century AD and miraculously intact, is one of the most impressive surviving Roman engineering works in the world. Its 166 arches, built entirely without mortar from precisely fitted granite blocks, stretch for 728 meters across the old city and stand up to 29 meters high at their tallest point. The aqueduct continued to supply water to Segovia until the 20th century and remains the defining image of the city.

The Alcázar of Segovia, a castle whose origins lie in a Moorish fortification and which was extensively rebuilt and expanded by the medieval kings of Castile, is one of the most visually striking castles in the world. Its distinctive ship-prow shape, multiple towers, and blue slate spires dominating the western end of the old town promontory are said to have inspired the design of the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. The castle served as a state prison and later as Spain's first military school, and today it is a museum with outstanding collections of armor, tapestries, and historical exhibits.

The Cathedral of Segovia, completed in 1577 and one of the last great Gothic cathedrals built in Spain, dominates the city center with its soaring nave and graceful tower. The Romanesque churches scattered throughout the old city — San Millán, San Esteban, San Martín — reflect the city's importance in the medieval Kingdom of Castile. The Jewish Quarter (Judería), centered around Judería Nueva and the adjacent streets, adds another layer to the city's multicultural history.

Segovia's gastronomy is centered on Mesón de Cándido, one of Spain's most famous traditional restaurants, and other establishments in the old city, where roast suckling pig is served so tender it can traditionally be cut with the edge of a plate. The segovia wine region and the local lamb (cordero lechal) are other gastronomic highlights.

Segovia is served by high-speed AVE trains from Madrid Chamartín (35 minutes) and from Valladolid. The AP-61 motorway connects it to Madrid. The old city is compact and best explored on foot.

Segovia offers one of the most concentrated and visually spectacular collections of historic monuments in Spain in a setting of intimate human scale — a city that delivers on its extraordinary reputation at every turn.