Guides ·Itineraries

Day one: arrival and tasting menu lunch

Check into Hotel Cándido, a luxury property on Plaza del Azoguejo with aqueduct views from the rooftop terrace. Rooms start at €180 per night and include breakfast. The hotel is family-owned and operated by the same people who run Mesón de Cándido next door. Request a room on the fourth floor for the best views. After settling in, walk to Restaurante Villena on Calle de San Francisco for a tasting menu lunch at 2pm.

Villena is Segovia's only restaurant with sustained critical attention outside Spain. The midday tasting menu is €75 per person, with dishes that reinterpret Castilian classics using modern technique. Expect a five-course meal over two hours. The wine pairing adds €40 and includes Ribera del Duero and Rueda whites. Reservations are essential, book three weeks ahead in high season. After lunch, walk off the meal with a slow circuit of the old town, stopping for photos at the cathedral and Plaza Mayor.

Day one evening: private aqueduct tour and sunset cocktails

Book a private guide through Segovia Insiders for a two-hour walking tour focused on the aqueduct and Roman history, €120 for up to four people. The tour departs at 6pm and includes access to the interpretation center below the aqueduct, which is normally unstaffed. The guide will explain the engineering and point out details most visitors miss. The tour ends at the Mirador de la Pradera de San Marcos for sunset views.

After the tour, take a taxi to Parador de Segovia, a modern hotel three kilometers east of the old town with panoramic views from its terrace bar. The terrace is open to non-guests and serves cocktails from €12. Order a gin-tonic with Spanish gin and watch the city lights come on as dusk settles. Return to your hotel by 10pm and have a light dinner at the hotel restaurant, where the cochinillo is excellent and costs €32 per portion. The restaurant serves until midnight.

Day two: hot-air balloon and spa afternoon

Wake early for a hot-air balloon flight over Segovia with Siempre en las Nubes, which operates daily from April to October, weather permitting. Flights depart at sunrise, around 7am in summer, and last 60 to 90 minutes. The cost is €195 per person and includes hotel pickup, the flight, and a champagne toast on landing. You will see the aqueduct, Alcázar, and cathedral from above, with the Sierra de Guadarrama in the background. The perspective is unlike any other.

Return to your hotel by 10am for a late breakfast, then spend the afternoon at the hotel spa or book a massage at Spa del Acueducto on Calle de Ochoa Ondategui, where a 60-minute massage is €75. The spa has a sauna, steam room, and small pool, open until 8pm. If you prefer activity to relaxation, hire a private car and driver for a half-day trip to La Granja, €150 for four hours. The driver will wait while you tour the palace and gardens, then return you to Segovia in time for dinner.

Day two evening: wine tasting and traditional dinner

Book a wine tasting at Bodegas Emina Ribera, 45 minutes south of Segovia by car. The winery offers private tastings at 6pm for €50 per person, including five wines and regional cheeses. Arrange a driver through your hotel concierge or a local taxi company, around €90 round trip. The tasting lasts 90 minutes and the winery staff speak English. If you prefer to stay in Segovia, visit Vinoteca Ulpiano on Calle de San Francisco for a self-directed tasting of Castilian wines, glasses from €5.

For dinner, reserve a table at Mesón Duque on Calle de Cervantes, a step up from José María in ambiance but equally traditional in menu. The cochinillo is €30 and the service is attentive without being formal. Add a bottle of Ribera from the wine list, starting at €35. The restaurant has a quieter dining room upstairs if you want to avoid the street noise. Finish with ponche segoviano, a local dessert made of marzipan and cream, €7. Walk back to your hotel via the lit cathedral and aqueduct.

Day three: private Ávila tour and farewell lunch

Hire a private guide and driver for a full-day trip to Ávila, departing at 9am. The round trip with a four-hour guided tour costs €280 for up to four people. The guide will walk you along the city walls, through the cathedral, and to the Basilica de San Vicente, with historical context at each stop. You will have free time for lunch before returning to Segovia by 4pm. This is a more comfortable and informative option than the public bus.

Alternatively, stay in Segovia and visit the Casa-Museo de Antonio Machado on Calle de los Desamparados, the former home of the poet who taught in Segovia from 1919 to 1932. Entry is €3 and guided tours are available in English by appointment. After the museum, walk to Restaurante El Fogón Sefardí for a final lunch, €35 for three courses with wine. The afternoon is yours to revisit favorite spots or shop for ceramics on Calle de Daoíz, where local pottery starts at €20 for small plates.

Day three evening: rooftop dinner and departure

For your final Segovia meal, book the rooftop terrace at Hotel Cándido for a private dinner, available with 48 hours' notice. The hotel can arrange a three-course menu for €60 per person, served at a table with aqueduct views. The terrace is normally reserved for breakfast but the hotel opens it for dinner on request. Bring a jacket because evening temperatures drop, even in summer.

After dinner, pack for your departure and settle your hotel bill. If you are leaving the next morning by train, arrange a taxi to Segovia-Guiomar station the night before, €18 for the six-kilometer trip. The train to Madrid departs frequently from 7am to 10pm. If you are flying out of Madrid, allow 90 minutes for the train and metro connection to Barajas airport. Total three-day spend for the upgraded itinerary: approximately €900 per person, including accommodation, meals, tours, and transport.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask before they set off on this one.

Rooms worth pairing with this guide.

Judería Hotel Infanta Isabel by Recordis Hotels

4.3/5 €105/ night

El Salvador Eurostars Plaza Acueducto

4.2/5 €105/ night

La Granja de San Ildefonso Parador De La Granja

4.5/5 €108/ night

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