Free Walking Tour Segovia: Aqueduct to Alcázar

Your Segovia Walking Tour, Place by Place

1. 1

   Roman Aqueduct

   

   Stand at the foot of the arches and look up. This is the elevated section of Segovia's Roman aqueduct, a complete arcade of 167 arches, counted among the best-preserved Roman aqueduct bridges there are. The city treats it as its foremost symbol: you will find it on Segovia's coat of arms, and together with the old town it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

   What you see is only the showpiece of a long water system. Water came from the Río Frío in the mountains of the La Acebeda area, 17 km away, and ran through 15 km of channel before it reached the city, where it fed fountains, public baths and private houses. The builders followed the principles Vitruvius had set down in his De Architectura, and they built to last: the aqueduct carried water until 1973.

   For a long time nobody knew exactly when it was built. A dedication plaque once sat at the top, but its bronze letters disappeared long ago. Late in the 20th century the scholar Géza Alföldy read the text from the anchor holes that had held the letters and concluded that Emperor Domitian ordered the construction, most likely finished in 98 AD. Evidence published in 2016 points a little later, to after 112 AD, under Trajan or early in Hadrian's reign from 117 AD.

   Segovia's own beginnings are just as hazy. The Arevaci people lived here before the Romans conquered the area, and Roman troops sent to control it stayed behind and settled. Take your time; the aqueduct is free and always accessible. Then head into the old town: you leave by Plaza del Azoguejo, the square at the foot of the arches, and after 410 m, about 6 minutes, you reach the Church of San Martín.

   Local name

   Acueducto de Segovia

   Hours

   Always accessible

   Price

   Free

   Website

   turismodesegovia.com ↗

   Location

   Roman Aqueduct on Google Maps ↗

2. 2

   Church of San Martín

   

   The Church of San Martín stands on Calle Juan Bravo, halfway between the aqueduct and the cathedral, and the first thing you notice is its covered gallery. The portico wraps around the whole church except the apse end, a row of round arches resting on columns with carved Romanesque capitals. Walk along it slowly and look at the capitals one by one.

   Then go to the west front. Its doorway is one of the largest in Spanish Romanesque: five archivolts decorated with plant motifs, sheltered by a porch that works like a narthex. The opening of that porch is itself a great set of archivolts, carried by human statues representing figures from the Old Testament. Many visitors walk straight past; stop and find them.

   Above the roofs rises the bell tower in Romanesque-Mudéjar style, with brick arches set on stone columns, and over the crossing sits a brick lantern. The church already existed in 1117, when its abbot appears as a witness in the will of a man named Domingo Petit. Its roots are Mozarabic, its style Romanesque, and not everything is original: some parts were rebuilt or removed, and the central apse was replaced. Inside are three naves and a three-part east end.

   Don't count on getting in; the interior opens only on limited occasions, and the portico and the portal are the real reason to stop. From here it is 350 m, about 5 minutes, to the Segovia Cathedral, and on the way you cross Plaza Mayor, the square where Segovians meet for a drink.

   Hours

   Sat 12:00–14:00 and 16:30–18:30; otherwise only half an hour before services

   Location

   Church of San Martín on Google Maps ↗

3. 3

   Segovia Cathedral

   

   The Segovia Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and to Saint Fructus and seat of the diocese, is built in the Flamboyant Gothic style. It was dedicated in 1768, which makes it one of the latest Gothic cathedrals in Europe. That late date, and its location, both come from a revolt.

   Segovia's first cathedral stood beside the Alcázar. During the Revolt of the Comuneros, the city murdered its own representative after he voted against its interests at the Cortes of Corunna on 22 April 1520. When Rodrigo Ronquillo was sent to investigate, Segovia refused him entry and was blockaded. Supporters of Charles V barricaded themselves in the Alcázar, while the Comuneros wanted the cathedral as a base to besiege them. After six months of constant siege the Comuneros were defeated at Villalar, and the old cathedral lay in ruins.

   Charles V ordered a new one, but in a completely different place, so that it could never again be used against the Alcázar. It went up on the site of the Convent of Saint Clare of the Cross and part of the Jewish quarter. The architect Juan Gil de Hontañón laid the first stone on 8 June 1525, and to save money some remains of the old cathedral were reused, among them the cloister. Building ran in three campaigns between 1525 and 1685, and the chancel was closed only in that final year.

   Is the interior worth the admission? If you love Gothic architecture or want to walk the cloister carried over from the ruined cathedral, yes; tower tours run at set times too. If you have already seen several Gothic cathedrals in Spain, the exterior and Plaza Mayor are the real show, and you can save the ticket. Next comes the place where the story began: 650 m, about 8 minutes, to the Alcázar of Segovia.

   Local name

   Catedral de Santa María de Segovia

   Hours

   Nave: Mon–Sat 09:00–21:30, Sun 13:30–21:30. Tower tours: daily 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 15:00, 16:30, 18:00, 19:30

   Price

   4 EUR

   Website

   catedralsegovia.es ↗

   Location

   Segovia Cathedral on Google Maps ↗

4. 4

   Alcázar of Segovia

   

   The Alcázar of Segovia rises above the valley of the Eresma, and its profile is the symbol of the old town. It dates back to the early 12th century, and in almost a thousand years it has been a Roman fort, a medieval fortress, a royal palace, the keeper of the royal treasure, a state prison, an artillery college and a general military archive.

   For more than five centuries it was one of the usual residences of the kings of Castile. The royal family had rooms here, known as the Palacio Mayor, since at least 1135, two centuries before the royal palace of Tordesillas or the Alcázar of Seville. Thirty-one kings from every dynasty have walked its rooms, which is why it is often mentioned alongside Windsor Castle as a seat of lasting royal presence. Its walls saw battles, palace intrigue and royal weddings, and in 1520 Charles V's supporters held out here against the Comuneros.

   Look for the old keep, the Torre del Homenaje. The crown's treasure was kept there, and from it came money for, among other ventures, Christopher Columbus's first voyage. In 1437 the books of the royal administration arrived, creating one of the first royal archives of Castile, the seed of today's archive at Simancas. The royal armoury was housed here too; it is now on display in Madrid.

   Going inside is worth it for anyone curious about royal Castile, and it charges admission. Tickets can sell out, so buy them online in advance on the official website, alcazarsegovia.org. Afterwards the route turns back into the old town: 870 m, about 14 minutes, to the Corpus Christi Church in the former Jewish quarter.

   Local name

   Real Alcázar de Segovia

   Hours

   1 Nov-31 March: 10:00–18:00; 1 Apr-31 Oct: 10:00–19:30 (ticket office closes 30 min before closing)

   Website

   alcazardesegovia.com ↗

   Location

   Alcázar of Segovia on Google Maps ↗

5. 5

   Corpus Christi Church

   

   At Plaza del Corpus 7, in the former Jewish quarter, the Corpus Christi Church hides a second identity. You don't enter from the street but through a courtyard, and what waits inside was built around the middle of the 14th century as the Old Main Synagogue of Segovia, used for worship from around 1373 until 1410.

   Then the authorities confiscated it, and in 1419 it became a church dedicated to Corpus Christi. In 1421 the bishop of Segovia handed it to the Monastery of Santa María de Párraces, which sold it to two brothers, Manuel and Antonio del Sello. They turned it into a convent for the Sisters of Penitence, and the former synagogue is still part of that convent today. It is worth remembering the cathedral you just saw: it, too, was built over part of this quarter.

   The rectangular prayer room is divided into three naves by two rows of five horseshoe arches each, in Mudéjar style, resting on octagonal pillars with large capitals carved with plant motifs. Above each row once ran a smaller arcade. The main altar and choir were added when it became a church. In 1899 a fire destroyed almost everything; restoration began in 1902, and in 2004 the original plasterwork of the capitals was recreated from small surviving fragments. Opposite the entrance hangs Vicente Cutanda's painting Miracle in the Synagogue, from 1902.

   Go in if Jewish Segovia interests you at all; it charges admission, the visit is short and the opening windows are limited, so plan for it. This is the end of the route, and the GPS navigation leads you back to the aqueduct on request.

   Hours

   Mon: 10:45–14:00 | Tue: Closed | Wed–Thu: 10:45–14:00 | Fri: Closed | Sat: 10:45–14:00, 16:00–18:00 | Sun: 10:45–14:15

   Price

   1 EUR

   Location

   Corpus Christi Church on Google Maps ↗

Shorter Ways to Walk Segovia

Not every day has room for three ticketed interiors. These versions keep the order of the full route and simply end earlier or stay outdoors.

Aqueduct to Cathedral

Stops: 1, 2, 3

For a short visit or a morning before lunch around Plaza Mayor. 760 m and 11 minutes of walking; the only admission is the cathedral, and only if you go in. With a cathedral visit, plan about an hour and a half.

End at the Alcázar

Stops: 1, 2, 3, 4

For day-trippers who want the two big interiors and no walk back. 1.41 km and 19 minutes of walking; admission at the cathedral and the Alcázar. With both visits, allow just under three hours.

All five from the outside

Stops: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

For anyone who prefers façades, squares and stories to ticket lines. The full 2.3 km and 33 minutes of walking, no admission at all, and you are done in under two hours.

How Long This Segovia Tour Takes, With and Without Interiors

The pure walking time is 33 min over 2.3 km. The legs are short, and the longest one is the last: 870 m and 14 minutes from the Alcázar back into the old Jewish quarter to the Corpus Christi Church.

With time to look at the aqueduct and San Martín's portico, plus visits inside the cathedral (around 45 minutes), the Alcázar (allow an hour and a quarter) and Corpus Christi (a quarter of an hour), the walk takes about three and a half hours. Lunch comes on top. Ending at the Alcázar saves the last leg and the synagogue visit; staying outdoors everywhere brings the whole route under two hours.

Before You Set Off at the Aqueduct

• Start and finish: The recommended start is the Roman Aqueduct, but you can join at any stop. The route ends at the Corpus Christi Church, and the GPS navigation leads you back to the aqueduct on request.
• Time of day: Start in the morning so the cathedral and the Alcázar both fit in before a late lunch back in the old town.
• Admission: The aqueduct is free and always accessible. The Segovia Cathedral, the Alcázar of Segovia and the Corpus Christi Church charge admission; the Church of San Martín is mostly a sight from outside.
• Getting there from Madrid: The bus from Moncloa in Madrid drops you right near the aqueduct. The AVE high-speed train stops at Segovia-Guiomar, about 5 km out of the old town, so budget a taxi or bus line 11, a ride of about 20 minutes.

Food and Breaks Along the Segovia Route

Segovia eats roast suckling pig, cochinillo, and finishes with ponche segoviano, a custard, cake and marzipan dessert. The best stretch for food and a drink on this route is around Plaza Mayor, which you cross between San Martín and the cathedral.

Tourist Traps to Avoid in Segovia on This Walk

• Mesón de Cándido: Over a century old, visited by Hemingway and Nixon, famous for carving the cochinillo with a plate and then smashing it on the floor. The show is real, but you pay for the location, service gets mixed reviews and there is no children's menu. It does make sense if you are heading back to the AVE: taxis are easy here and bus 11 leaves across the street. (Plaza del Azoguejo, beneath the aqueduct)
• Churros by the aqueduct: The convenient churro shop here may disappoint. Santamera or La Churrería, south and southeast of the old town, are the better bets. (Near the aqueduct)
• Ponche and wine upsell: Tourist shops near the aqueduct charge a premium for ponche and local wine. Confitería El Alcázar is famous but known for being rude to tourists; Limón y Menta is the friendlier alternative. For wine, shop off the main drag.
• Friendship bracelets: Someone ties a bracelet on your wrist and then demands money, a trick common near major monuments. If a stranger reaches for your hand, pull it back and say no clearly.

Common Questions About Walking Segovia