Paris1972-Versailles2003

If you have read my blog, you know blood runs thru my veins (Tenerife) of this wonderful kingdom of Spain. And you should know I used to lived in my beloved Madrid. If there are many wonderful cities in my dear Spain, one of the closest to my heart would be Segovia. I like to give you an overview as already written several posts on its sights in my blog on my dear Segovia!

I first wrote an introductory piece in my blog on Segovia back on March 2011. However, I have come here many many years before , in fact came with my girlfriend 30 years ago , later my dear late wife Martine (28 yrs married and 3 boys). So , very emotional memories coming back to write on Segovia. Even if always stop in Madrid, Segovia is special for this and the magnificent stable of monuments of wonderful beauty and architecture.  Segovia is the cradle of Castilla y Léon, worth a kingdom and a very nice day trip from Madrid. It is UNESCO heritage site and for good reason.  Here was the seat of the kings of  Trastamara ,and one of them the queen Isabel I the Catholic was crowned here at the Church of San Miguel  queen of Castilla in 1474! , later the main supporter for the colonisation of the Americas.

So where to start ,this is very emotional for me and many nice memories that my mind is going back to when my Mom took me here as a young early teen boy in the early 1970’s. Then coming with what was my Wife of 28 years, and finally coming up with my grown boys in their 20’s. So special family memories and now to continue sharing. Hope you enjoy it as I do.  We took off by car always either from Madrid and a couple of times from Cuenca. Our last trip together was from Cuenca on the A40 direction Tarancon, then ,A3 direction Madrid and, then the M30 tunnel until getting off the AP61  entering Segovia by Calle de Jose Zorilla and just landed at the underground parking of Ezequiel Gonzalez and then walk all over. The parking is named on Calle Los Barreros / Pº. Ezequiel Gonzalez;photo is from parking. More on this parking and others here: http://segoviaturismo.es/routas/parkings-de-la-ciudad

 

The walls or murallas of Segovia, they used to be  3 kms long ( about 1.8 miles); today it is still visible the gates archway towers of San Cebrián, of  Santiago,and the San Andrés, as well as three archways such as Consuelo, de San Juan, del Sol, and de la Luna.  We passed by the Puerta de Madrid (see post) to find the parking and then walked up  the hilly back around the Cathedral and direction the Alcazar we passed by the Museo de Segovia at Casa del Sol, (see post) museum is on since 1842 and the house or casa is very old from the time of king Enrique IV.  

We walked on the Paseo de los Tilos by a nice fountain encrusted on the ramparts walls, we took a look at the city and Alcazar from a mirador or lookout of the museum of Segovia and walked passed the Puerta San Andrés (see post) that connected to the old Jewish quarters, and we passed the tourist office too! Wonderful walks and views!!! We arrive on the side of the Alcazar (see post) following the high end of the old ramparts and with beautiful views of the country below. The Alcazar have older photos can see myself become of age lol! This is a beautiful fortress records show it from 1122 but probably it was there before, and a must visit with armor and statues of past Kings and portraits all beautifully kept. Inside the Alcazar, do not missed the section on the Real Colegio de Artilleria, royal college of artillery a wonderful museum of military history of the times. 250 years of history!! 

We went around back into Calle de Daoiz and we found our first shopping spree on leather bags on 50% off!!! real bargain from Fernando. We continue on munching on ice cream until we reach the Cathedral or Catedral de Nuestra Señora de  la Asunción y San Frutos , (see post) a masterpiece and another must see here.  It has 27 chapels and the cloister, sacristy, Corum, Altar nave included. The work on its construction began in 1525 and completed in 1768! Considered the last gothic Cathedral even if many styles are renassaince. I am nostalgic about the Chapel of Sainte Barbe or Santa Barbara of which my mother was a devotée. Its a must to visit.

You can see a nice building on calle Juan Bravo just before the Plaza San Martin that today acts as a Municipal Library but once was the Royal Prison where the great Spanish writer Lope de Vega spent time…!

You come running if you can to see the Aqueduct and all its splendor, a must ! (see post) It is from the 1C or early IIC  AD, it has 818 meters long ( 2699 ft)with more than 170 arches and its highest point is at Azoguejo with 29 meters (95.7 ft). We came from above the aqueduct goes into the city upper side you come down on a grand stair alongside the aqueduct and see the Plaza de Azoguejo below and the famous restaurant Candido.  This goes beyond words of mine, you just have to come and see it.

Another wonderful building that I came straight for it is the Casa Museo Antonio Machado , (see post) one of Spain leading poet/writer.  He first came here in November 25 , 1919 to hold a place as professor of French in the Instituto General y Técnico where he stayed until 1932.  And even thus he leaves the city in September 1932 to teach French in the Instituto Calderón de la Barca in Madrid. He did came back for visits afterwards; Segovia keeps a very big heart for him. He was actually born in Sevilla in 1875 , and founder of the Spanish Modernismo been part of the famous Generation of ’98 and member of the Spanish Royal Academy.  One of the poems I always remember was dedicated to the assassination of another great Poet/writer of Spain, Federico Garcia Lorca in the early stages of the Spanish Civil War, “El Crimen fue en Granada” = Se le vio, caminando entre fusiles, por una calle larga, salir al campo frío, aún con estrellas de la madrugada. Mataron a Federico cuando la luz asomaba” IN short, it translates as, He was seen walking amongt rifles on a long street, going out into the cold field still with stars of the night. They killed Federico when the daylight looms. One of my favorite poets of Spain! There is a guide map where you can trace the walks of his daily routines in the city ask the tourist office.

You can see the Church of San Andrés, on the street near the ramparts walls and the beforementioned Puerta de San Andrés. We came by to see the Church of San Clemente, built in the 12-13C. A nice one was the Church of San Martin, built from the 12C in Romanesque style. A historic one, Church of San Millàn, in the moorish area built by 12C, similar to the Cathedral of Jaca (see post) . Another nice one we passed by was the Church of San Sébastian built in the 12-13C however, dismantled and rebuilt in the early 20C. Convento de Carmelitas Descalzas de San José, founded by Saint Teresa de Jésus in 1574. The Monasterio Santa Maria del Parral we saw at a distance as time is of the essence. However, is a worthy place to visit too. The monasterio de San Antonio el Real, old hunting lodge of king Enrique IV before becoming a monastery, the rooftiles dates from 1455 all of them! Most of the above see separate post in my blog.

Of course, we walked around and the Plaza Mayor is a must and Plaza de la Merced, and Plaza San Martin as nice too. And we ate here too lunch in the Plaza Mayor at the La Oja Blanca restaurant (see post). We had of course our bathful of beers, codfish croquettes, chorizo a la cazuela, hot dogs! and omelettes all for about 8€ per person. On the way back we took a different route and slept for the night at my old reliable at Venta Magullo, lodging and restaurant on site for road travelers. We came here first in 1990! So close it was time to visit again before returning to Cuenca! on the same AP61, A6 to M30 tunnel road in Madrid and A3 to Tarancon, and then A40 to Cuenca in about 2h40! Nice ride indeed for this road warrior!!!

The Province of Segovia tourist office on Segovia city in English: http://segoviaturismo.es/en/ven-a-segovia/destinos/segovia

The city of Segovia tourist office in English: http://visitsegovia.turismodesegovia.com/

The Autonomous Community of Castilla y Léon tourist office in English: https://www.turismocastillayleon.com/en/destinations

There you go folks, one of the best of Spain, and plenty to see in architecture, history, personalities, and gastronomy/wines you should be there and we will be back! Segovia forever!

As not to duplicate photos will only post here different ones. And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!