SEGOVIA - AN OVERNIGHT FOOD TRIP FOR COCHINILLO
SEGOVIA
During our visit to Madrid, we stayed one night in Segovia (it is also an easy day trip from Madrid; it’s a short 25-minute ride by high-speed train, but it feels like a world away the minute you arrive).
The mountain range seen from the train station is known as La Mujer Muerta (The Dead Woman). From the plains around Segovia, the peaks form the outline of a woman lying down. Her head, torso and feet are clearly visible. The effect is strongest at sunrise or sunset, when shadows sharpen the profile. According to folklore, the mountains represent a woman turned to stone after a tragic love story.
We stayed at:
ÁUREA CONVENTO CAPUCHINOS Five Stars
Plaza de Capuchinos, 2, 40001 Segovia
+34 921 41 52 50
The hotel is in a beautiful old convent, absolutely stunning, comfortable, in an excellent location in the old town, a short walk from the major sights, but with views over the surrounding countryside.
This historic building retains its original features, and the rooms are spacious and beautifully decorated. The staff are helpful.
Segovia is known for its amazingly well-preserved 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct.
The aqueduct is an ancient structure composed of huge granite blocks held together without mortar.
At one end, a slight arch remains attached to a stone building. With its impressive series of arches, the aqueduct reaches over 28 metres (93 feet) at its highest point.
The awe-inspiring structure is easy to find. The bus from the train station will take you right to the centre of town. Once there, you can’t miss it.
After the aqueduct, take in more of the sights that this medieval city has to offer. Wander up to the old Jewish Quarter, passing by tiny passageways where you will see wrought-iron balconies filled with colourful plants or the day’s washing.
A must-visit is the Alcázar de Segovia (castle).
The Alcázar’s fairy-tale appearance may look familiar. Disney has confirmed that it was one of the inspirations for the castle in the 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Touring the Alcázar is fascinating, with magnificent architecture, particularly its ornate ceilings, and stunning views from its terraces.
Next to visit is the equally impressive 16th-century Catedral de Segovia, one of the city’s great landmarks and the last Gothic cathedral built in Spain. Construction began in 1525, and although predominantly late Gothic, the building also incorporates Renaissance features. It wasn’t consecrated until 1768.
A tour of this magnificent Gothic and Renaissance Cathedral never disappoints. Located in the Plaza Mayor, it is an easy visit before or after lunch, and both the exterior and interior are stunning.
Regarding food, there are four famous Segovian dishes which you should try, if possible.
Cochinillo
Segovia’s famous roast suckling pig has wonderfully tender, succulent meat beneath thin, crisp crackling. For the official Cochinillo de Segovia quality mark, the piglet weighs between 4.5 and 6.5 kg and is no more than three weeks old. Traditionally roasted in a wood-fired oven, the meat becomes so tender that it virtually falls apart.
We had the suckling pig at Restaurante José María; click HERE to read the review.
Lechazo
Suckling lamb, another of Segovia’s great traditional roasts. The young lamb is fed only on its mother’s milk, hence the name lechazo, from leche, meaning milk, and is traditionally roasted slowly in a wood-fired oven (horno de leña). The result is exceptionally tender meat with crisp, golden skin.
Judiones de la Granja
These enormous white beans from La Granja de San Ildefonso are one of Segovia’s most distinctive dishes. Slowly cooked until beautifully soft and creamy, they are traditionally served in a rich stew with ingredients such as chorizo and pork. Despite their size, the beans become exceptionally tender and almost melt in the mouth.
Ponche Segoviano
Segovia’s most famous dessert was created by confectioner Frutos García Martín, who opened Confitería El Alcázar in the Plaza Mayor in 1926. King Alfonso XIII became an admirer of the sweet and encouraged García Martín to present it at the 1929 International Exhibition in Barcelona, where it won a gold medal.
The traditional cake consists of layers of sponge soaked in syrup and filled with cream, covered with marzipan and icing sugar, with its distinctive criss-cross pattern caramelised on top.
On leaving our hotel, we walked past.
BAR CORREOS
Plaza de San Facundo 3, 40001 Segovia
+34 921 48 79 32
It looked busy, so we popped in for a caña.
With which you got a free tapa of tortilla.
We then spotted some piping-hot albóndigas arriving at the bar,
So we decided to try them,
And they were excellent.
Compared with some of Segovia’s more touristy establishments, Bar Correos offers excellent value for money and a good variety of tapas. The service was good and the atmosphere very friendly.
From there we wandered around town, passing.
CASA DUQUE
Calle Cervantes 12, 40001 Segovia
+34 921 462 487
Founded in 1895, Casa Duque is Segovia's oldest restaurant and one of the city’s classic asadores. It has remained in the Duque family for five generations and is particularly famous for its cochinillo and suckling lamb, traditionally roasted in a wood-fired oven.
We passed Casa Duque while wandering through the old town and decided to stop for a drink and have a look inside. The restaurant is much larger than it first appears, with a collection of traditional dining rooms and its wood-fired oven.
It is connected to the Cuevas de Duque next door, with a separate entrance. There, you can enjoy an extensive menu of tapas and raciones amid typical décor, including an old roasting oven.
We then walked up to the Plaza Mayor, to
BAR RUBI
Calle de Escuderos 4, 40001 Segovia
+34 921 46 07 43
Finding coat hooks under the bar is always the sign of a good bar, and Bar Rubi didn’t disappoint.
It is an excellent place for craft beer, with an ever-changing selection of IPAs, pale ales, sours and stouts, including beers from the province of Segovia.
It is well worth a visit if you enjoy craft beer, and the complimentary jamón tapa was delicious.
There was good music playing too, and the bar is conveniently located just off the Plaza Mayor.
After leaving, we went to
LA CONCEPCIÓN
Plaza Mayor 15, 40001 Segovia
+34 921 46 09 30
A good spot to sit in the sun in the Plaza Mayor and enjoy a slice of Segovia’s famous Ponche Segoviano. At €6 a slice, it was perhaps a little expensive, although you are paying for the prime location in the heart of the Plaza Mayor.
Segovia is an excellent choice for a long weekend, with hotels for all budgets, magnificent historic sights and some superb traditional restaurants and bars. And if you come for the cochinillo, there are plenty of other reasons to stay.
A winter view
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