Day trip from Madrid Segovia
A Castilian city with a Roman aqueduct at one end and the Alcázar castle at the other, 27 minutes from Madrid Chamartín by high-speed train.
Is Segovia worth a day trip from Madrid?
Go. A full day, easy by train.
Yes. Segovia is the fastest trip on this list: 27 minutes from Chamartín, with about 25 fast trains on a weekday. Pick the Avant trains at € 13.90 each way. Alvia and AVE services on the same track take the same time and cost € 28.70 to € 32.60. The station, Segovia-Guiomar, is outside the city, so add the local bus 11 to the aqueduct. The Alcázar opens every day from 10:00, until 19:30 through October and until 18:00 from November. A full ticket with the tower is € 10.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 27 min+ local bus 11 to the aqueduct · one way · Renfe timetables and prices
- Transport
- High-speed train + bus
- Self-guided cost
- € 37.80–67.40Train return (Avant € 13.90 or Alvia € 28.70 each way) + Alcázar full ticket with tower (€ 10). Local bus not included · Renfe timetables and prices
- Tour price
- From € 45.90Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 6–8 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- None. Shut 25 Dec; short hours 24 and 31 Dec
- Best time
- Apr-Oct, when the Alcázar stays open until 19:30Daytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth a full dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Segovia
- 01
Roman aqueduct
About 28 m high at Plaza del Azoguejo and built of granite blocks without mortar. Climb the steps beside it for the view along the top. Free, and 20 minutes is enough.
- 02
Alcázar
A castle on a rock spur at the far end of the old town, with painted wooden ceilings in the royal rooms. The Tower of John II is 152 steps. Allow 90 minutes.
- 03
Segovia Cathedral
One of the last Gothic cathedrals built in Spain, begun in 1525 on Plaza Mayor. The guided tower visit runs at fixed times and takes about an hour, the nave 30 minutes.
- 04
Jewish quarter and the walls
The streets south of the cathedral lead to the San Andrés gate, where you can go up onto a section of wall. A slow loop takes 40 minutes.
- 05
Pradera de San Marcos
A meadow below the Alcázar, by the Eresma river, with the best view of the castle from underneath. It is a 20-minute walk down and a stiff climb back.
Good forCastles and palacesAncient sitesOld towns and villages
How to spend the day
Take the 08:50 Avant from Chamartín, arrive at Segovia-Guiomar at 09:17 and ride bus 11 to the aqueduct. Walk up through Plaza Mayor, past the cathedral, and reach the Alcázar soon after it opens at 10:00. Climb the tower first. Lunch back near Plaza Mayor. Spend the afternoon on the cathedral and the walk below the walls. Avant trains back leave at 16:02, 18:27 and 20:18. The last one on a weekday is at 21:12.
Segovia in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustSegovia stands at 1,000 m, so June to August is a few degrees cooler than Madrid, with highs near 30 °C and fresh evenings. The Alcázar stays open until 19:30, which lets you see it late, after the coach groups leave. Midday sun on the walk between the aqueduct and the castle is strong. Book lunch at weekends.
Winter
December to FebruaryDecember to February is cold: highs of 8 to 10 °C, frost most nights and snow a few times each winter, which suits the Alcázar. Everything stays open, but the castle closes at 18:00 and it is dark soon after. The roast lunch is at its most welcome. Go with a proper coat, and walk below the walls only if the paths are dry.
How crowded it gets
Very busy- Busiest
- Easter week, May, Sep-Oct weekends, 11:00-15:00
- Quietest
- Weekdays Nov-Mar; after 17:00 in summer
Groups cluster under the aqueduct and in the Alcázar's first rooms from 11:00. Reach the castle at 10:00 and climb the tower before anything else, since its staircase takes few people at a time. Sunday lunch tables go first.
How do you get to Segovia from Madrid?
Train + bus
- Travel time
- 27 min + local bus
- Frequency
- About 25 fast trains on weekdays, fewer at weekends
- Cost
- € 13.90 each way (Avant)
- Departs from
- Madrid Chamartín-Clara Campoamor
Book an Avant, the cheapest of the fast trains on this route. They arrive at Segovia-Guiomar, outside the city. City bus 11 meets the trains and runs to the aqueduct. Do not pick the Regional train to the old Segovia station by mistake: it takes over 2 hours.
Organized tour
- Travel time
- 5 to 11 hours door to door
- Frequency
- Daily
- Cost
- From € 42
- Departs from
- Calle San Nicolás 15, near Ópera metro
The Segovia-only coach has a 5-hour version and an 11-hour one with lunch. The more popular product pairs Segovia with Ávila in 9 hours, which leaves about an hour of guided walking in each city. Fine for an overview, thin if you want the Alcázar properly.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Comfortable shoes for 5 to 6 km of cobbles. Bring one more layer than in Madrid in every season, because of the altitude and the wind on the Alcázar terrace. Gloves and a hat in winter.
What to eat
The local lunch is cochinillo, roast suckling pig, usually after a bowl of judiones, large white beans from La Granja stewed with chorizo. Dessert is ponche segoviano, a custard cake wrapped in marzipan. Roast houses sit around the aqueduct and Plaza Mayor, and they are fullest from 14:00 to 15:30.
What you will spend
An Avant return at € 13.90 each way plus the full Alcázar ticket at € 10 makes € 37.80. The traps are the Alvia at € 28.70 for the same ride and the roast lunch, the costliest meal on any of these trips. The aqueduct and the walks are free.
How to get the most out of the day
- Bus 11 is timed to the trains. Miss it and the next one can be 20 to 30 minutes away, so walk straight out of Segovia-Guiomar.
- Leave the old town 45 minutes before your train back. The bus leaves from the aqueduct and takes about 15 minutes to the station.
- The 152 tower steps are a narrow spiral with no lift. Skip the tower and buy the cheaper palace ticket if that is a problem.
- One portion of cochinillo is large. Two people can share a roast and a starter without leaving hungry.
How long do you need in Segovia?
Plan 6–8 h on site, plus 27 min of travel each way from Madrid.
When is Segovia closed?
None. Shut 25 Dec; short hours 24 and 31 Dec. Best time: Apr-Oct, when the Alcázar stays open until 19:30.