I must be in an exploration-type mood this weekend. On Saturday, I went on a day trip to Segovia, and today, we’re going to check out another nearby, ancient town: Toledo.
On Saturday, I got myself to Segovia early, at least, Spanish early, which means I arrived by 11am. This involved taking the subway, an hour-long bus ride from Madrid to Segovia and then walking a bit to get to the town’s square, which is dramatically framed on one side by a Roman aqueduct.
Segovia is a partially walled city about 50 miles from Madrid. It was originally started by the Celts, but then the Romans took over, and built an astoundingly long and well-preserved aqueduct (thought to be built around the end of the 1st Century) which still stands today and makes for some damn pretty pictures. There was a large Jewish population in Segovia at the end of the Middle Ages, and it was a bustling hub for textile trade. Today it’s home to lots of strange and cool sculptures and a bunch of schools and is a popular day trip from Madrid.
I joined a tour led by an American woman who’s lived in Madrid for 35 years and who leads walks around the city and the outskirts. Rather than just staying in the walls of the city, our tour guide led us along a clear, shallow, fast-flowing river where where we saw a cathedral, remnants from old mills, and spectacular views of the Alcázar of Segovia, an old fortress/castle which was apparently one of Walt Disney’s inspirations for the Cinderella castle. We were rained on, hailed on, and snowed on. When we ended the two-hour loop, we were back by the beautiful aqueduct in the town’s center, bathed in brilliant and blinding sunlight and I was astounded that a civilization would have the foresight to even attempt to build something that would last for 2,000-plus years.
I’m sure we’ll be going back to Segovia a few more times during our two years in Madrid. So much history and charm and only a mere hour away.
To building things that last,
The Dame in Spain
The Next Dinner Party 
Thanks for posting the pictures, it reminded me of our time spent in Segovia. Absolutely loved the aqueduct, and we were equally amazed how civilization back so many centuries ago had the ability to build such a spectacular structure. Looking forward to hearing more about your time there along with more pictures!