Why you shouldn’t skip a day trip to Segovia from Madrid

If you have an extra day while visiting Madrid, Segovia is well worth the trip — especially if you're into stunning mountain views and fairytale castles. This charming town is home to the very castle that inspired the original animated castle in Snow White (1937), making it the perfect spot for a magical day trip.

You can get there by train from Madrid Chamartin Station, and it takes about an hour to arrive. The train station is a little bit outside of the town, but there is a frequent bus that takes you right into the centre. You can buy your train ticket at the train station; however, on busier days (we went on Sunday), the number of tickets might be limited. If you want to be sure, book it in advance. We still managed to get a train leaving around 12 p.m. and coming back around 9 p.m. in the evening, and I think it was plenty of time. By the way, if you happen to be hungry at the station while waiting, make sure you visit DeBAGEL, which is nearby and, at least in my opinion, offers much better food than anything you can get around the station.

When you arrive in Segovia, you will notice how tiny the town is, so if you plan to spend the whole day there, I say slow down and enjoy it! The main attractions are the castle, the cathedral, and the aqueduct, all of which can be easily accessed from the bus stop you get dropped off at. If you happen to visit in early springtime, you might be lucky and get beautiful sunny weather with snowy mountains in the background like below.

Mountain views through the aqueduct's arches

Next, we have the cathedral, which is, like in every European city, in the town centre. This is only a few minutes' walk from the aqueduct. I believe you need an entrance ticket to visit, and you can book online in advance.

Standing tall, the Cathedral of Segovia

Last, but certainly not least, we have the castle, Alcázar de Segovia. As mentioned above, this medieval castle inspired the castle of the 1937 version of Disney's animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. One thing I want to mention here is that the castle looks very different from different angles. In my opinion, I think it looks worst from the entrance side (funnily enough). Once I got there, I soon realized most of the photos I see of it online must have been taken from somewhere else. Obviously, if you want to go inside (there is an entrance fee), you do need to go through the main entrance. But if you want to have a look at it from different angles, then there is a viewpoint further out. It is called Mirador del Alcázar y los dos Valles (Google Maps). If you go up to this area (be prepared, it is not a hike, but certainly very steep, so only suitable if you can climb up steep rocks comfortably). This is the location where you will enjoy the best views of the castle and the city, and of course, take photos if you like. It is a bigger area so you can walk around a little; if you go to the very end of it, that is where you will see the castle only (picture below).

This is the view you get at the end of the viewpoint

When it comes to food and restaurants, there are lots of options around, from more budget-friendly options to nicer restaurants. Just keep in mind that some of them might close or stop serving food around the afternoon hours, so if that's when you get hungry, your options might be limited. Lamb and suckling pig dishes are typically from this area, so if you're up for it, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. Afterwards, if you like cakes with marzipan, trying the Segovia cake is a must. It is called Ponche Segoviano, and it is a creamy, light, and marzipan-wrapped dessert that I fell in love with.

As you might be able to tell, Segovia is the perfect combination of beautiful views, impressive architecture and good food,. This makes it a perfect location for a day trip from Madrid.

Caught some snowy mountains in late March

I hope you found this little guide to Segovia useful. In my opinion it is definitely worth a visit from Madrid if you have the time. Especially of you are craving a day outside of the busy city and closer to nature.

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