Segovia - Spain (May 2019)

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Then, the bus took us on to Segovia, which was a little less than 2 hour drive from Toledo. While Toledo appeared kind of arid with olive trees, the landscape changed quite a bit towards Segovia. The mountains surrounding Segovia still had some snow on the top and it is not uncommon for Segovia to get some snow in the winter.
The bus dropped us off right in front of the famous Aqueduct of Segovia, which was built during the Roman times to get clean water from the nearby mountains for the city use. This is still functional! 
This is where we got some free time to have our lunch. While we were worried about getting vegetarian food in a small town like that, the guide actually suggested a place nearby. This small place, Zumos, had amazing options that ranged from vegan to vegetarian to fresh fruit juices and smoothies. One couldn’t ask for more!
The walking tour took us through the streets of Segovia to the Alcazar, via the Segovia Cathedral. This cathedral has a much more beautiful structure with the beige exterior giving it a distinct look. At the top of the entry door is a sculpture of a saint with a book in his hands. There seems to be a legend that on the festive day of Oct 25, the saint appears to turn the page of the book! The guide was funny enough to remind that when you are drunk enough and anticipate this miracle, of course, it would appear real!
The Alcazar of the Segovia has an interesting history that it had served as a Palace, prison, artillery college and a military academy at different times. This alcazar was also an inspiration to the Disney castle (sometimes, the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany is also supposed to have been inspiration for Disney).
Between the historical streets in Madrid, UNESCO protected cities of Segovia and Toledo, the architecture is amazing with really distinct tall doors to several buildings. It is important to note that these old doors are still in use and not really in a museum.
Overall, this short trip to Madrid, Toledo and Segovia was a very memorable one that is tempting to visit again. Though we were surprised at how little English is spoken (even in Madrid!), the people were very friendly and helpful. We just wish that there are more vegetarian options, especially, the incredibly tempting Tapas type food.



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