Guides ·Itineraries

Day one: free sights and cheap eats

Start at the Aqueduct of Segovia, which is free to view at all hours. Walk the perimeter and take photos from Plaza del Azoguejo, then climb the stairs to the upper viewpoint on Calle de San Juan for a different angle. From there, walk to Plaza Mayor via Calle de Cervantes, a 10-minute uphill route. Stop at a supermarket on Calle de Juan Bravo, Dia or Mercadona, to buy a bocadillo and a drink for lunch, total cost around €4. Eat on a bench in Plaza Mayor.

The cathedral exterior is free to admire, and entry is €5 if you want the interior. Skip it if funds are tight and walk west to the Alcázar. General entry is €10, but you can view the exterior and surrounding ramparts for free. Walk the northern walls from the Alcázar east to Puerta de San Andrés, a 30-minute circuit with valley views. Return through the old town and stop at Mercado Municipal on Calle de Cronista Ildefonso Rodríguez for an afternoon snack, where a ración of olives and bread is €3.

Day one evening: budget dinner and sunset

For dinner, head to Bar La Taurina on Calle de Escuderos, a local spot with tapas from €4. Order the patatas bravas and a small beer for €7 total. The bar fills with locals after 8pm, and standing at the bar is cheaper than table service. After dinner, walk to the Mirador de la Pradera de San Marcos for sunset views of the Alcázar and cathedral. The viewpoint is free and there are benches if you bring your own drink from a supermarket.

Return to your hostel by 10pm if you are staying at Hostal Don Jaime on Calle de Ochoa Ondategui, where a dorm bed is €18 per night. The hostal has a shared kitchen where you can prepare breakfast with supermarket supplies. Stock up on bread, cheese, and fruit for the next morning. Total day one spend: accommodation €18, food €18, monuments €10 if you entered the Alcázar, €0 if you skipped it.

Day two: museum morning and village walk

Visit the Museo de Segovia on Calle Socorro, free on Sundays and €3 other days. Go on Sunday if your schedule allows. The museum covers Roman artifacts, medieval carvings, and 19th-century costumes. Budget one hour. After the museum, walk to the Church of San Martín on Plaza de San Martín, free to enter and open from 10am. The Romanesque portico and carved capitals are worth 20 minutes.

For lunch, return to a supermarket or try a menú del día at Restaurante La Almuzara on Calle de los Leones, €12 for three courses including wine. This is your cheapest sit-down option if you want a hot meal. After lunch, walk east to the Monastery of Santa María del Parral, free to enter and a 20-minute walk from the old town. The cloister and grounds are quiet and worth an hour. Return via the Casa de los Picos, free to view from the outside, and stop at a bakery on Calle de Juan Bravo for an afternoon pastry, €2.

Day three: cochinillo splurge and final walk

Day three is your splurge day. Book a table at Restaurante José María on Calle Cronista Lecea for lunch at 1pm. A quarter suckling pig is €28, which you can split with another traveler if the restaurant allows, though most insist on one portion per person. If you go solo, this is your big expense. Add a glass of house wine for €3 and bread is included. Total lunch cost €31, which is half your daily budget but worth it for the signature Segovia dish.

After lunch, walk off the meal with a full circuit of the old town. Start at the aqueduct, walk west through Plaza Mayor and out to the Alcázar, then follow the southern ramparts east to the Eresma valley viewpoints. The circuit takes 90 minutes at a slow pace. Stop at Café Juana on Plaza Mayor for a coffee, €2, and sit outside if weather permits. Finish your afternoon at the Church of Vera Cruz, a 13th-century Templar church outside the walls, free to enter and open until 6pm except Mondays.

Day three evening: cheap tapas and departure prep

For your final Segovia dinner, go to Bar El Sitio on Calle de San Millán, where tapas are €4 to €6 and a small beer is €2.50. Order two or three small plates to share if you are with other travelers, or stick to one plate and bread if you are solo. The jamón and chorizo a la sidra are both solid. After dinner, walk through the old town one last time and stop at a supermarket to buy supplies for your onward journey.

If you are leaving by bus the next morning, pack the night before and set an alarm. The bus station is a 15-minute walk from the old town center, downhill all the way. If your bus leaves early, buy your ticket online in advance to avoid morning lines. Total day three spend: accommodation €18, cochinillo lunch €31, dinner €10, snacks €4. Three-day total if you skip paid monuments: under €145 including accommodation.

Where to stay on a budget

Hostal Don Jaime on Calle de Ochoa Ondategui is the best budget choice, with dorm beds from €18 and shared kitchen access. The location is central, five minutes from Plaza Mayor. For a private room, try Hostal Fornos on Calle de Infanta Isabel, where singles start at €40 with a shared bathroom. Both hostels book quickly in summer, reserve at least one week ahead.

Airbnb has shared-room listings starting at €20 per night, but most lack kitchens and are farther from the old town than the hostels. If you are camping, the nearest campground is Camping Acueducto in the village of Revenga, six kilometers south of Segovia. Sites cost €12 per night for a tent and one person, but you need a car or bike to reach it. Stick to the hostels for convenience.

Budget travel tips for Segovia

Buy groceries at Dia or Mercadona supermarkets, both on Calle de Juan Bravo. Bread, cheese, jamón, and fruit are cheap and make a solid picnic lunch. Tap water in Segovia is safe to drink, so carry a refillable bottle instead of buying water. Many restaurants offer a menú del día for €12 to €15, which is better value than ordering à la carte.

Skip paid museums unless they are free on Sundays or your specific interest justifies the cost. The aqueduct, city walls, and churches provide enough cultural content without spending on tickets. If you splurge on one monument, make it the Alcázar. Avoid taxis and walk everywhere in the old town, which is compact and flat except for the initial climb from the aqueduct. The train from Madrid to Segovia costs €13 and takes 27 minutes, cheaper than the bus but the station is farther from town.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask before they set off on this one.

Rooms worth pairing with this guide.

Judería Áurea Convento Capuchinos by Eurostars Hotel Company

4.5/5 €186/ night

La Granja de San Ildefonso Parador De La Granja

4.5/5 €108/ night

San Millán Hotel Cetina Palacio Ayala Berganza.

4.4/5 €124/ night

24 with a full page

More guides to Segovia

All guides

Itineraries · 8 min read 48 hours in Segovia

Two days is enough to see the Roman aqueduct, the Alcázar fortress, and the old town, with time left for cochinillo asado and a sunset walk along the city walls.

Itineraries · 9 min read One week in Segovia

A full week lets you see Segovia at a local pace, with day trips to Ávila, La Granja, and the Sierra de Guadarrama, plus time for slow meals, market mornings, and repeat visits to your favorite corners of the old town.

Itineraries · 8 min read Segovia in 3 days, upgraded

Three days with a boutique hotel room, tasting menus, private tours, and a hot-air balloon ride over the aqueduct, for travelers who want Segovia without compromise.

Find a hotel