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So you’re taking a day trip from Madrid to Segovia, but with so much to see in such little time, how do you spend one day in Segovia?
Segovia is, without a doubt, one of the most historic and fascinating day trips from Madrid. There’s a Roman aqueduct, cathedral, and Alcazar. Plus, delicious traditional food!
It is, however, one of the most popular day trips from Madrid, so you might have to plan ahead a little to see everything in just one day in Segovia.
How to Get From Madrid to Segovia
Madrid has great transportation options to get to and from Segovia, making for a simple day trip.
You can either get to Segovia by train, bus, or car. All of them being relatively fast and affordable.
The train from Madrid to Segovia takes about 30 minutes if you take the lightning fast AVE. However, it does drop you off at the new train station outside of the city center. There is a bus that leaves 15 minutes after each train arrives to take you to the city center, and it only costs €1.
The bus from Madrid to Segovia takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes, but the Segovia Bus Station is much closer to the city center.
Lastly, you can always drive from Madrid to Segovia for a day trip, and it takes about an hour.
If you don’t want to drive, you can always check BlaBlaCar to see if people are going to Segovia for one day and get a ride there and back with them. It’s a great option if people are driving on the day you want to go, and it’s a fun way to meet locals!
What to Do in Segovia in One Day
Now that you have your transportation figured out for your one day in Segovia, you need to know what to do in Segovia!
Luckily, there is plenty to do on this day trip from Madrid, including things to do, see, and eat, so you won’t get bored in the beautiful city of Segovia!
Alcazar of Segovia
First up is the Alcazar of Segovia. It’s the only attraction you will probably want to book tickets for ahead of time because it can sell out, especially if you are visiting during a peak season!
So if you know you will only be in Segovia for one day then, buy your Alcazar of Segovia tickets online before you go to guarantee you can see this incredible piece of history.
One tip is to pay the extra €3 when visiting the Alcazar of Segovia to go up the tower to get some of the best views of Segovia! Honestly, it’s worth paying the full €9 (Alcazar visit + tower) just to go up the tower itself!
While it’s a marvelous castle that’s filled with history, it’s perhaps best known as serving as an inspiration for the Disney castle!
Mirador de la Pradera de San Marcos
After visiting the Alcazar, you will want to head down the cliffside to the Mirador de la Pradera de San Marcos to get a view of it from down below.
When exiting the Alcazar, stay to your left and follow the road downhill where you will see some metal steps going down the side of the cliff. Take this down to the bottom and cross the river until you reach the small park with an amazing view of the striking Alcazar from below!
It’s definitely a little hike back up, but it’s well worth the views from below as you can really take in the views of the front of the Alcazar much better than you can from the other side you saw before visiting it.
The park below also generally has far fewer tourists than the rest of Segovia, so it’s pretty peaceful.
Cathedral of Segovia
The second of the 3 must-see places in Segovia during your day trip is the Cathedral of Segovia. It sits right in the Plaza Mayor, so you cannot miss it.
It’s a massive Gothic style cathedral that claims the highest point in all of Segovia with its tower.
You can visit the Cathedral of Segovia for €3 and pay extra to take the hour-long tour up the tower. The tour is all in Spanish, but even if you don’t understand anything, you can always go just for the views!
There’s no need to buy your tickets for the Cathedral of Segovia ahead of time, but if you want to, you can buy them here.
Aqueduct of Segovia
The last major sight to see during your one day in Segovia is the Aqueduct of Segovia, and quite frankly, you will not be able to miss it!
This enormous stone aqueduct is 9.3 miles long and over 93 feet tall in some parts! It goes right through the center of Segovia and is arguably the prominent feature of this majestic city.
The Aqueduct of Segovia dates back to between 81 and 117 AD and was built by the Romans. It has sections of both single and double arches, with the tall double-arched section being the most astounding!
It’s also incredible that this aqueduct actually carried water from the Guadarrama Mountains to Segovia up until the 19th century!
Cochinillo
Since you are only spending one day in Segovia, the number one thing to eat is cochinillo (suckling pig). It’s arguably Segovia’s most popular dish and one you should try when visiting.
Cochinillo in Segovia is going to be a little more expensive, but if you want something traditional, go for it! It’s available all over the city, but we recommend trying it at Mesón Cándido right near the Aqueduct of Segovia.
If you are looking for dessert, skip it at the restaurant and get…
Ponche Segoviano
Ponche Segoviano is a traditional dessert from Segovia and is the perfect way to end your one day in Segovia.
It’s a cake-like pastry that’s filled with cream and covered in a thin layer of marzipan, a traditional Spanish Christmas dessert.
We recommend getting it at Limón y Menta because they serve individual size ones, so you don’t have to buy a huge one if you just want to try a little bit!
While there are so many other parts of the city to explore, this will probably wrap up your one day in Segovia and allow you to see all the highlights of this incredible city in Castilla y León just outside of Madrid.
