The best thing to see in Segovia in one day, the city of the Aqueduct

Segovia is fundamentally known for its Aqueduct, but there is much more to see in Segovia. A walk through this beautiful city will take you through some streets with a lot of history and some monuments that will leave your mouth open.
Visiting Segovia in one day is possible thanks to the fact that its main monuments are very close. And if you have more days, do not miss our article with the best things to see in Segovia in 2 days.
It is also a perfect excursion to do from Madrid thanks to its proximity and its good communications with the capital of Spain. Do not forget that if you are from outside of Spain and you are planning a road trip to Segovia you need the International Driving Permit.
The best things to see in Segovia in one day
The Aqueduct, the main attraction of Segovia
To begin the visit to Segovia, there is nothing better than doing it next to the Aqueduct. If you have gone by car you have a parking lot next to it, which is perfect.
The Segovia Aqueduct, perhaps the most important in Ancient Rome, was built between the 1st and 2nd centuries when Vespasian and Trajan were emperors to transport water 15 km to the city.
The Aqueduct begins near La Granja and leads the water first to a cistern called El Caserón and then to a second, called Casa de Aguas, where it is decanted and filtered before continuing on its way.
In this way it reaches the Plaza de Díaz Sanz, where it makes a turn and begins the most spectacular area of the Aqueduct that we can admire with two monumental rows of arches made up of 20,400 stone blocks and with a maximum height of 28 meters.
It must be remembered that the more than 20,000 stones that form the 167 arches in this area of the Aqueduct are not joined by any type of cement or mass, which gives a magnitude of the magnificent work of Roman engineering.
The Aqueduct is the best known in the city and the most important thing to visit in Segovia, but it is not the only thing. So you should keep walking through the following places that we offer you.
The Square of the Azoguejo
The Segovia Aqueduct is located in the Plaza del Azoguejo, which was once the city’s market square and has always been a meeting place for Segovians and tourists.
In it we find the Tourist Office and next to it there are some stairs that take you to the top of the aqueduct.
It is an area full of life and restaurants, perfect to start visiting the city.
From there starts Calle Cervantes, the main street of the city and that takes us to the Plaza Mayor, although before it changes its name to Calle Juan Bravo and then to Isabel la Católica.
Cervantes Street
Calle Cervantes is an interesting architectural ensemble with buildings from the 15th and early 20th centuries.
The first point of interest that we find along this commercial street is the Mirador de la Canaleja, from where we can contemplate the Barrio de San Millán and the Montaña de la Mujer Muerta, which belongs to the Sierra de Guadarrama.
Next to the viewpoint we have the Cervantes Theater and the Casa de los Picos, which is reminiscent of the Casa de las Conchas in Salamanca and which houses the School of Applied Arts and Artistic Crafts.
Previously it was called Casa el Judío, but it changed its name when diamond points were added to its façade. There was the Puerta de San Martín, which the Catholic Monarchs crossed after playing to save the privileges of Segovia, as stated on a commemorative plaque.
Further on we find the Plaza del Platero Oquendo, where the Palacio del Conde Alpuente is located, built in the 15th century with beautiful Gothic windows and a beautiful façade. If we deviate a little from the route through the alley that is next to this palace, we arrive at La Alhondiga, an old cereal warehouse and current exhibition hall.
Medina del Campo Square
Returning to the main street, we arrive at the Plaza de Medina del Campo, an interesting architectural complex where the Church of San Martín stands out, in Romanesque style, built in the 12th century and of which its bell tower stands out.
In this square, full of bars and restaurants, we can also find numerous noble houses or the Torreón de Lozoya.
They also stand out in the Plaza de Medina del Campo, the statue of Juan Bravo and the neoclassical sphinxes that are at his feet at the beginning of the staircase.
Before reaching the Plaza Mayor, the last stop is the Plaza del Corpus, where the Corpus Christi Convent is located and which was previously the Mayor Synagogue.
The Plaza Mayor of Segovia
The building was rebuilt at the end of the 20th century after being destroyed by fire in 1899.
The Plaza Mayor is the heart of Segovia and emerged thanks to the urban policy of the 17th century.
Its appearance has varied throughout history and it is home to the Town Hall, which stands out for its granite façade, its towers with slate spiers and the clock.
Inside we can admire the White Room and the fresco on its ceiling where the taking of Madrid in the 11th century by two Segovian captains is represented.
In the Plaza Mayor there is also the Teatro Juan Bravo, the Church of San Miguel, where Isabel la Católica was proclaimed Queen of Castile in 1474 and of course, the most important building in this Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral of Segovia.
The Cathedral of Segovia
From the Plaza Mayor we can admire the apse of the Cathedral as well as its dome and we can access its interior through the door located on Calle Marqués del Arco.
Inside, in the late Gothic style, we can admire the Main Chapel, the Choir, as well as the different chapels that are located throughout the cathedral. Its stained glass windows are also very interesting and the Cloister is also a highlight of this spectacular Cathedral.
After visiting the Cathedral, one of the best things to see in Segovia, we can continue our way through Calle Marqués del Arco, which hides the pipes from the Airport, and we head towards the next great point of interest to see in Segovia, the Alcázar.
Mercy Square
On our way we will find the Palacio del Marqués del Arco and the old Corral del Mudo, one of the last Islamic corrals that we can find.
In this way we reach the Plaza de la Merced, where the Romanesque church of San Andrés is located, with a beautiful green space to rest and a very typical corner of Segovia. Before reaching it is a small Carmelite convent, founded by Santa Teresa de Jesús and where San Juan de la Cruz officiated his first mass.
Next to the Plaza de la Merced is the Barrio de Canonjías, the best preserved neighborhood in the upper part of Segovia. Its name is due to the canons, the ancient inhabitants of the area who were characterized by their ecclesiastical activity, a situation that gave them privileges and immunity. The main streets are Daoíz and Velarde.
The Alcazar of Segovia
Following the street we finally arrive at the Alcázar, which is behind a gate and a garden in which the monument to the Heroes of May 2 is located.
The Alcázar, essential to visit, stands on a hill under which the rivers Edesma and Clamores meet. It was built in the 12th century to be a fortress but throughout history it has had different uses, from a royal palace to a prison. It is currently a military museum.
On both sides of the Alcázar you have great views of the surroundings of Segovia and visiting it, both inside and outside, is an essential activity in Segovia.
From here we can return to the Plaza Mayor following the walls and admiring the views of the Alcázar that are offered from there.
The surroundings of the Plaza Mayor
Both to the south and to the north of the Plaza Mayor of Segovia we find two very interesting neighborhoods that we can visit. To the south we have the Jewish quarter and we reach it following the walls and leaving aside the Puerta de San Andrés.
Little remains of the original Jewish quarter, but walking through its narrow streets you can get an idea of what the old Jewish Segovia was like.
To the north of the Plaza Mayor is the Barrio de Canonjías, which we have talked about previously.
In this area, in addition to the aforementioned Daoíz and Velarde streets, we must visit the Antonio Machado House Museum, the Plaza de San Esteban, with the church of the same name that has one of the best Romanesque towers in the world, and the Episcopal Palace. But above all, we must admire the Romanesque houses that flood the neighborhood.
For more information about the best things to see in Segovia, you can visit its official tourism page.
Photo source: Wikipedia