Segovia
When not only the heart gets happy
We knew that the old city of Segovia was extraordinary, so much so that it was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, but to walk through it, to live it felt like a glory.
First we decided to treat ourselves to a very unique tour. A balloon flight at dawn because it was impossible not to take the opportunity for Mr. @tripticity_ to live that sublime experience. Many years ago, I had taken my first hot air balloon flight in Luxor, Egypt.
We hired the services of the local company EoloFly, which was fine, but the pick up from Madrid failed so we arrived just as the sun was beginning to rise, after a trip of extreme speed on the highway.
That setback aside, everything that followed was marvelous. The subtlety of the balloon flight generates a sensation difficult to describe. It feels like floating in absolute silence, with the sun shining; serenity that is only interrupted when Pepe, the expert pilot, lights the flames to heat the air and lift the immense craft.
From the top, our sense of sight was sharpened because we did not want to lose detail of each emblematic building that makes up the skyline of the citadel. In the distance, the famous Aqueduct of Segovia, and close by we saw the imposing Cathedral of Segovia. At one point, Pepe decided to give us a little extra by lowering it and approaching the Alcazar. It was a sensational moment. There we could also see the 13th century church of Vera Cruz, with a twelve-sided exterior, built by the Knights Templar.
And every now and then a neighboring balloon gave us another remarkable spectacle to complete the extraordinary scene.
As we approached the field where the pilot decided to land, he gave us directions and we prepared for the moment which turned out -again- to be very light. There we were "invited" to help pick up the balloon, they are meters and meters of fabric that weigh a lot so it is essential teamwork.
At the end, the friendly Pepe told us the story of the Montgolfier brothers, who were the first to demonstrate the operation of a hot air balloon in France and their express indication to always carry, on every flight, a bottle of sparkling wine to share after landing, in the land of strangers. So it was that a cava was opened and we proceeded to continue the rite of the toast after the flight.
Unfortunately, the return transfer option is only for the moment immediately after the end of the meal. We wanted to enjoy Segovia so we were dropped off at the foot of the Aqueduct to begin our tour.
In fact, it was early in the morning, so the restaurants overlooking the colossal Roman work were still getting ready to serve lunch to the countless tourists who visit the city every day, but an extraordinary McDonald's, with the same view, tempted us with a delicious and very cheap coffee. We contemplated the beauty of the arches, while we took energy to fulfill the walking itinerary that awaited us that day.
The Aqueduct is the symbol of the city and is in an excellent state of preservation. The perfect union of the stones and the assembly of the arches is surprising. From the Plaza del Azoguejo it is worth taking the stairs on the left to access a viewpoint that allows you to admire the neatness of its manufacture from above.
From there we headed to the Casa de los Picos, from the fifteenth century, which stands out for its facade composed by the ornamentation of granite spikes in the shape of a pyramid. There is an exhibition hall of the School of Art of Segovia. Just across the street, the Mirador de la Canaleja offers another beautiful view of the city.
We continue along the narrow alleyway towards the Plaza Medina del Campo, where the 12th century Romanesque church of San Martín and the Lozoya tower stand out.
A walk through the Jewish quarter of Segovia, then to the Puerta de San Andrés, one of the entrance gates of the old city wall. A few meters from the gate, the tourist office provides the access code to the wall. From there the Alcázar looks majestic. We had taken admission tickets in advance on line, and although you get a small discount, it is not essential.
The Palace, in a very good state of preservation, recreates the medieval atmosphere that characterized the times of the Castilian court. It has four towers and a moat that surrounds the entire fortress. Inside, in addition to the halls, is the Royal Artillery College and its contribution to the scientific and industrial progress of Spain. It was built on a rocky outcrop over the remains of an ancient Roman fortress. From the Alcázar of Segovia Isabel the Catholic left to be proclaimed Queen of Castile in the Plaza Mayor.
It followed a short walk to the also extraordinary Cathedral of Santa Maria, Basque-Castilian Gothic style. It is called the Lady of Cathedrals for its size and elegance. And just in front, Plaza Mayor, wide and with the respective restaurants with their tables on the terrace.
We had a reservation to try the suckling pig of Segovia at the famous Mesón de Cándido, right in front of the Aqueduct; but we did not hesitate to change it when two locals we met at McDonald's told us we should try it at José María’s restaurant, very close to the Plaza Mayor. With its tradition since 1982, it is emblematic among Segovians. The service is personalized, to the point that it was Rocío, José María's daughter, who accompanied us to our table. Their standard dish is of course roast suckling pig in its own juice. The product is of high quality due to its genetics and the type of breeding, farm-raised and only fed with mother's milk.
@tripticity_ is not a big fan of pork so that lunch she ordered a memorable gazpacho, although her husband went for the star of the restaurant and was enraptured by the abundant ration.
After the experience we headed to the bus terminal for the return trip to Moncloa Madrid, which took just over an hour.
And so ended our day's visit to Segovia, having enjoyed it in all its splendor and taking it forever among our best memories.