Everything you Need to Know about a Day Trip from Madrid to Segovia!
I HIGHLY suggest adding a day trip from Madrid to Segovia to your Madrid itinerary! Our original 5 day itinerary to Madrid did not include Segovia; it was added while sitting at dinner in Madrid on night 2 out of 5 😄
However, it was SUCH a good addition to our itinerary. The city is beautiful and it ended up being a highlight of our trip!
This guide to Segovia will answer questions we should have researched a little better before heading to Segovia! How to get there, how to get to the historic center from the bus station, what to do and more!
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Why Visit Segovia?
As clean and great as Madrid is, we found the CHARM in Spain when we got outside the city. But why Segovia, specifically?
I think there are few places in the world that have as charming architecture as Segovia. Between the giant aqueduct, the terracotta tiled roofs and the INCREDIBLE castle, the small Spanish town is one of the most beautiful towns surrounding Madrid!
This, plus its cultural history plus its proximity to Madrid make it a great option for an incredible day trip!
Getting from Madrid to Segovia
We really wasted time on the “getting to Segovia” portion of our trip, so learn from our mistakes! First of all, we headed to the main metro hub we arrived at when we landed in Madrid (and the same one we used to day trip to Toledo, which is Atocha).
Little did we know, there are TWO major intercity train hubs (Atocha in the south and Chamartin in northern Madrid). To get from Madrid to Segovia:
Go to the Chamartin train station where you will train from Madrid to Segovia. You will arrive a couple of miles from the Segovia city center, so you won’t be within walking distance of immediately.
To get to the city center, you can take a taxi or a bus.
- The bus is cheaper, but be aware, that it is cash only! (learned this the hard way🙃)
- Taxi is more direct but a little more pricey
The bus and taxi will likely drop you off near the aqueduct. Once you arrive in Segovia, it is easily navigated on foot!
What to do in Segovia
The lure of Segovia for us was the architecture. Segovia really is a beautiful city and our favorite things we did were free! The top 5 things to do include:
1. Take in the Aqueduct
When you arrive in the center of Segovia, the first and most notable thing you’ll see if the aqueduct. It is easiest to admire the size of it from below it. It is really neat architecture!
However, I also recommend going through the aqueduct and taking a right up the stairs, to a point called Postigo Del Consuelo.
At the top of the stairs is a great view of the city and the aqueduct (first photo of the article was taken up these stairs!)
2. Visit the Plaza Mayor
- As in any city, the plaza mayor is the center of the city and worth walking around. It is home of the cathedral as well as many shops and restaurants.
- If you want to eat while in Segovia, the side streets from this plaza are a great place to look (also the side streets near the aqueduct).
3. Admire the Catedral de Segovia
While you are at the Plaza Mayor, take in the beauty of the cathedral of Segovia! The cathedral in Segovia is a gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral and is beautiful! Each side provides its own beauty, so I recommend walking around the entire cathedral.
Cost: 3 euros to go into the cathedral
Hours: 9:00 am- 9:30 pm during peak season (9:30 am- 6:30 pm November-March)
4. Explore the grounds of the Alcázar de Segovia
I mean look at that photo 👀.. it’s one of the most symmetrical, fairytale-looking castles I’ve ever seen!
Take the time to walk and admire the grounds. The castle is built into the cliffside of Segovia (😍), so to the right of the castle is a great view of the hills below.
This photo is also just the back of the castle. From the front you see spiraling columns and a tower that LITERALLY was inspiration for the Disney Castle (along with the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany). It really provides all the fairytale vibes.
To note, the castle isn’t immediately visible when you arrive in Segovia. It is about a 25 minute walk from where you will likely be dropped off near the aqueduct.
Entry into the Castle: 9 euros
To book tickets online, click here!
5. Get lost in the streets of Segovia
As you make your way from the aqueduct to the alcazar, you’ll pass a beautiful overlook showing the town below and the mountains behind the city. Stop and take it in!
Segovia is quaint and full of cute shops and restaurants.
After you explore the castle and cathedral, I recommend just walking around the streets of Segovia to end your day. Maybe have a Sangria before heading home 😉
How much time do you need for your day trip to Segovia?
Segovia is a quaint city, making it very ideal for a day trip from Madrid.
You can easily walk around the city of Segovia in an hour or two (if you are power walking without looking around). So you can really see most of the city on a day trip!
With our late start, we spent only about 5 hours in Segovia and were able to walk the streets, grab a snack, explore Plaza Mayor, walk around the cathedral and explore the grounds around the Alcazar.
However, more is always better. We were able to see a lot of what Segovia offers in a short amount of time, but I would really recommend getting an early start so you have more time to explore the beautiful city!
Cost of Our Day trip to Segovia
Another perk of visiting Segovia is that it is a relatively low-cost day trip from Madrid!
- Train ticket Madrid to Segovia: ~20 euros round-trip
- Bus from train station to city center: 2 euros per person
- Snack: ~4 euros
- Entrance to cathedral (if you want to go inside): 3 euros
- Entrance to Alcazar de Segovia (if you decide to go inside): 9 euros
- Sunset view overlooking aqueduct: priceless. Jk 😂. But it is free
- Sangrias: ~8 euros
- Taxi back to train station: ~10 euros
Total Cost: ~37 euros without entry into the cathedral or Alcazar. ~50 euros with entries into both
Guided Tour to Segovia from Madrid
If you aren’t keen on the idea of figuring out the train system to Segovia or exploring the town on your own, you can do a guided tour of Segovia from Madrid!
This tour will provide transportation to and from Segovia as well as make a stop in Avila, another incredible picturesque, walled city in Spain! A perk of taking a tour is having a guide to provide great history into the two towns!
- Cost: 77 euros
- Length: 9 hours
- Rating: 4.6 stars (3230+ reviews) on Get Your Guide
- Tickets to the cathedrals in Avila and Segovia plus tickets to the castle in Segovia are included
Worth the day trip from Madrid to Segovia?
Definitely recommend a day trip to Segovia! We really enjoyed our time in Madrid, but it was nice to get out of the city and explore a more quaint Spanish town. With our very short (5-day!) itinerary, it was a great option for a quick day trip ( as well as Toledo!) Read our full 5-day itinerary to Madrid!
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