My "La Treinta" Trip: Part 1

The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia
(the city's symbol)

Last July 17 we set out for our latest adventure, a 6-day holiday in Spain, as part of my "La Treinta Años" celebration :)

To beat the drum for my turning 30, I chose to do a "memorable" trip to revisit my hometown...SEGOVIA (Spain)... LOL!

For those who have asked me, jokingly and seriously(really!) if this is where my roots are, the answer:I do not know...and, that is not the reason why I chose to go to Segovia. I have not looked that far down to our family tree to confirm any Spanish ancestry(not that it's important to me, proud Filipino kaya ito!) However, if it's of interest to you, we can ask Claveria :)

I wanted to go there simply just for the novel experience of it all :) And to my luck, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a wealth of monuments like the Roman Aqueduct, the Alcazar (believed to be the inspiration for Walt Disney for his Sleeping Beauty Castle), and the Cathedral. Otherwise, it would have been a tad capricious to fly to another country, just because your surname shares the name of the city. Dontcha think? :)

Anyway, let me share some useful tips and information about this trip

Segovia, Spain (July 17-19)

Getting There (Amsterdam-Madrid-Segovia)

From Amsterdam, we flew to Madrid Barajas Airport via KLM. The KLM flights, arrive on Terminal 2. From the airport you can choose to take the taxi to bring you to the city center which will cost you 30 euros (minimum) or take the Metro for only 2 euros. Need I explain further why you should take the Metro? ;-)

We decided to go directly to the city of Segovia(north of Madrid) when we arrive in Spain. There are 2 options to go to Segovia from Madrid via public transportation: by bus (La Sepulvedana) and by train. We chose the former based on the recommendation from internet travel sites and the Lonely Planet. There are frequent trips, the travel time is shorter and the bus station is a comfortable walk towards the old center.

Anyway, the La Sepulvedana terminal in Madrid is in Principe Pio. Note that the old La Sepulvedana Bus Station on the Paseo de la Florida 11, has moved across the street to the new "Intercambiador" at Príncipe Pío Station. All the old guides, and some of the new ones, still list the Old station as the location to travel from Madrid to Segovia by bus. It no longer exists.

Trip Summary
(From Madrid Barajas Airport to Segovia)

Upon leaving the baggage claim area in Terminal 2, find the signs for the Metro station entrance in Terminal 2 (T2), the National terminal. So, if you've arrived at T1, the International Terminal, you'll have to walk to T2 to find the metro access.

From Terminal 2 take LINE 8 (pink) to stop "Nuevos Ministerios"

From Nuevos Ministerios take LINE 10 (dark blue) to stop "Principe Pio"

At Principe Pio, look for signs to lead you to the Bus Terminals. There is a La Sepulvedana Ticket Office/Counter from where you can buy your tickets. One-way ticket cost us 6.95euros(cheap!)
From Principe Pio, the trip to Segovia takes 1.5 hours.

*After buying your tickets, ask where ( "door number" ) your bus departs

Excited to reach Segovia!

We always come prepared!
"¿Habla inglés? Si si cung gamay talaba kung daku!"

Accomodation

Segovia can be visited as a "daytrip" from Madrid. Most of the sights are nearby and can be toured within a day. However if you have a special itinerary planned like we did (i.e. hearing Mass, visita Iglesia,visit museums) and need to spend the night, Segovia has several hotels to choose from.

The Hotel Infanta Isabel is a strategic choice to stay in Segovia because of its ideal location. It faces the Plaza Mayor, steps away from the Cathedral, and within walking distance to almost all must-see sights (Aqueducto,Alcazar,Murallas).

Hotel Infanta Isabel

Things to See & Do in Segovia



Note: When visiting Segovia the best mode of travel around the city is by foot. Be sure to wear "proper" walking shoes or sandals. And by "proper", I mean those that have cushioning and arch support (cobbled stones dearie!); reserve those Brazilian flip-flops for the beach :)

We didn't have enough energy that evening of the 17th to do much more than just wander around the Plaza Mayor and admire the Cathedral, went for a short walk to Plaza of Azoguejo for the Aqueduct, then had dinner at one of the restaurants along Calle Real.

The following morning (18th), me and Rey did the "city walk" towards the Alcazar passing by other historical sights along the way, the Murallas and culminating at the Museo de Segovia. For lunch, we sampled the local specialty "cochinillo" and did more sightseeing with Mama(we went inside the Alcazar) and then attended the anticipated mass at the Church of San Miguel where Queen Isabel the Catholic was proclaimed Queen of Castile in 1474. There is a commemorative plaque on the church's main facade marking this decisive moment in Spanish history.


Plaza Mayor

One of the interesting places to hang out at is the Plaza Mayor, where you will find the Town Hall, the Cathedral and the Theatre. Locals meet here to enjoy the sun or shelter from the rain in one of the many nearby bars. Several nice restaurants can be found in this busy square.

@ the Segovia Plaza Mayor
*behind Mama is the Hotel Infanta Isabel and across it is the Church of San Miguel



@ the bandstand

"First Trio Shot"
(Trying out Rey's new gadget, the monopod, which never fails to elicit curious glances from passers-by)


water brought to you by...The Aqueducto!


Church of San Miguel

walk along the Calle Real

*This is a pedestrianized street which joins the Plaza del Azoguejo to the Plaza Mayor - it has lots of interesting monuments like:

• Palacio de los del Río (16th century)
• Palacio del Conde de Alpuente (5th century)
• Palacio de los Torreagero (15th - 16th century)
• Iglesia de San Martín (15th century), one of the best examples of a Roman church in the city.

Surely, me and my mama had fun with all the "Segovia" signages!
"Sus meron pa tayong banko! :)"

The Cathedral

"It is located in the main square of the city, the Plaza Mayor. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The Cathedral is in late Gothic style and replaced a building damaged in the Revolt of the Comuneros. It was built between 1525 and 1527 by Trasmeran mason Juan Gil de Hontañón, and the work was continued by his son Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón. This cathedral is called the "Dame of (the Spanish) Cathedrals" ('La dama de las catedrales españolas'). (from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segovia_Cathedral)

Cathedral of Segovia
*Called the "Dame of the Spanish Cathedrals", it is the tallest building in Segovia and a must-see

The Roman Aqueduct

The Aqueduct, I have always wanted to see, after I heard about it from my Tito "Father" Rev. Fr. Norman Segovia when he did a trip to Spain when I was in high school. He emphasized on the lovely "coincidence" of our surname being similar to the name of a city whose symbol is about "giving life"...It is but a matter of family legacy on generosity and survival so inspired by Lola Eva and Lolo Eduardo that makes a visit to this place special for us :) Something personal and needs no further elaboration :)

"Pag ikaw nahulog..."

"The Aqueduct of Segovia is one of the most significant and best-preserved monuments left by the Romans. It is among the most important symbols of Segovia, as is evidenced by its presence on the city's coat of arms.It was built at the end of 1st to early 2nd century AD by the Romans during their occupation of the Iberian Peninsula to bring water from the Río Frío (Cold River), about 18 km away, to the city, requiring an elevated section in its last 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) from the Sierra de Guadarrama to the walls of the old town. This elevated section, largely dominating the nearby scene, is supported by an engineering marvel of 166 arches and 120 pillars in two levels. It is made of 20,400 large, rough-hewn granite blocks, joined without mortar or clamps. Its maximum height of 28.1 m (100.53 ft) is found at the Plaza of Azoguejo."(from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segovia)



The Alcazar

"The Alcázar, or castle-palace is perched at the tip of the promontory and towers over the countryside below. Like many fortifications in Spain, it started off as an Arab fort. At the end of the 11th century it was conquered by king Alfonso VI. During the Middle Ages, the Alcazar of Segovia was the favourite residence of kings of Castile, and almost each king added new parts to the building, transforming the original fortress into a courtier residence and prolonging the construction of the castle till 16th century, when King Philip II added the conical spires and the slate roofs. A fire in 1862 destroyed part of the roofs, but they were restored in the very same style they were built more than 300 years ago."(from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segovia)

This Moorish fortress is widely recognized as the inspiration for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle

Mama at the Alcazar

@ the "Throne Room"

Rey at the Hall of the Monarchs

Ooops, don't forget to look up....

The Hall of the Monarchs is considered to be the heart of the castle – along the top of the room are 52 carved, gilded portraits of the kings and queens of Spain.



their Royal Bed in the royal bedroom
*this red canopied bed is trimmed with real gold


another of those "few" ornate ceilings inside the castle..

and another one...

and....another one...tsk3x such wealth ;-)


At one of the castle's towers

The Murallas (City Walls)

"The walls which surround the city with a length of more than 3,000 metres start and end at the Alcázar.

They are made of limestone and are strengthened in parts with large granite blocks. Tombstones from the old Roman necropolis were also used in its construction. The walls had five gates named Santiago, San Cebrián, San Juan, San Martín and San Andrés." (From here)

The Murallas surrounded Segovia during the medieval period.

Museo de Segovia

" Here you can see almost 1,500 pieces of all descriptions, relating to the history of Segovia and the surrounding province.

The museum was created in 1842. Highlights of its collection include a pair of Celtiberian boars, Roman mosaics, Visigoth enamels, and a series of panels by Castilian and Flemish 15th- and 16th-century painters, as well as important collections of coins. There are also crystal and glass items from the Royal Factory at La Granja de San Ildefonso, along with religious sculptures and engravings by Dürer and Rembrandt. " (From here)

Checking out the Visigoth's tomb

Dining

A visit to Segovia would not be complete without trying the typical Segovian lunch. Their specialty is the "cochinillo", a roasted suckling pig so tender the waiter will show you it can be cut with the edge of a plate :) (However, if you hail from the Philippines, whose one of it's culinary pride is the Lechon, then this is not really new to you. In fact you might even have a thing or two to say about the method of cooking :) )

cochinillo

"Roast Beef and wine lang ko ya ah"

Whew! 'Twas 2 busy days indeed...

We still had the morning of the 19th for some last-minute sight seeing at Segovia.
By lunchtime, we were bound for Madrid...More pictures at next post :)