After three weeks in Granada, one of my friends and I decided it was time to explore a new part of Spain. We decided on Segovia, a small city one hour north of Madrid, famous for a Disney-esque castle and an ancient aqueduct. After some transportation troubles, we arrived late Friday night to our Airbnb and had all of Saturday to explore.
Our first stop was the giant Roman aqueduct, which was built in the FIRST CENTURY, meaning it has stood there for almost 2000 years. How crazy is that! There are 166 arches, extending 15,000 meters from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the city. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
We then walked to the Catedral de Segovia, an incredible building featuring Gothic architecture and intricate religious illustrations. We spent a few hours walking through each of the capillas (chapels) and identifying Bible stories in the artwork.
Lunch was a three-course event at a local restaurant: ensalada mixta (consisting of lettuce, tomato, olives, and tuna), famous Segovian cochinillo (pork) with patatas fritas (French fries), and a delicious layered chocolate cake.
Finally, we made it to the Alcázar – the former home of Spanish kings, queens, and knights. The fairy tale loving part of me definitely came out during this visit! I thoroughly enjoyed walking through the passageways and rooms, listening to the audio guide and imagining the halls filled with medieval castle folk.
My friend and I walked over 12 miles through the city. We wandered through cobblestone streets in the Jewish Quarter, “appreciated” paintings in the contemporary art museum, and hopped in and out of countless stores. Throughout the afternoon, we ran into a fancy wedding party, cheered on several ultra-marathon runners as they made it to the finish line, climbed the city wall to watch the sunset, and found a peaceful nature path along a river.
Overall, it was a lovely weekend and so fun to explore a new part of Spain. This week I am back to my classes in Granada, getting ready to take my final exam for the intensive language month next Monday! I am doing well and feel like I am thriving here.
Gracias for all your thoughts & prayers!
Cora the Explorer 