Segovia: Spain's Fairytale Town

One of the many tourism gems that Spain boasts of, Segovia is perhaps the dreamiest, with its amazing history that is reflected in extremely well-preserved monuments, ranging from a Roman Aqueduct to a 12th century Castle and a flamboyant 16th century Gothic Cathedral.Varsha Singh

Two words. Fairytale Town. That’s all that I need to describe Segovia, a historic city, about 100 km north of Spanish capital Madrid.

It was definitely love at first sight. The moment I laid my eyes on it, I was immediately transported to another era as if I were in a lovely dream or back in my childhood when I used to look at my fairytale books and get a yearning to be in a place with the same kind of Castles and Palaces as depicted in the books.

We were in Spain and headed back to Madrid after a beautiful and well-rounded trip to Castilla-y-Leon region where I was exposed to a sample of all things that Spain could be proud of – fascinating architecture, unique culture, great wines and amazing food, not to mention the friendly and warm people whose enthusiasm and energy levels seemed to peak long after I was exhausted!

Chaperoned by my cheerful and extremely well-informed guide, Marta Guia, I was now headed for a quick dash to Segovia, a unique gem in Spain’s rich collection of touristic sites.

While driving to Segovia, as the undulating road climbed, I got my first glance of the fairyland, a castle just like the one which is featured in a typical Disney story where the beautiful princess is imprisoned. And I was not entirely wrong, but more on that later.

With its narrow turrets rising high above, the 12th century castle is a fortress that was built with a military purpose in mind and stands on the highest point in Segovia, overlooking not just the city but large swathes of valleys all around. Indeed, Alcazar is one of the highest points in this rather flat land.

Approaching the city, other monuments also emerge on the horizon, with the Segovia Cathedral as well as the Roman Aqueduct being the most prominent.

Roman Aqueduct: Two-tiered wonder