The Roman aqueduct of Segovia strides through the middle of the city on two tiers of granite arches, nearly thirty metres high at its tallest point, built without a drop of mortar, the stones held together by their own weight. It was probably built around the end of the first century or early second century AD, and it carried water to the city until well into modern times. Standing beneath it in the Plaza del Azoguejo, with traffic and people flowing around the base, you can only marvel at the skill of the engineers who built it almost two thousand years ago. The old town and the aqueduct were listed by UNESCO in 1985.
The old town sits on a rocky ridge between two rivers, with the Gothic cathedral, one of the last great Gothic cathedrals built in Spain, in the middle, and the Alcázar, a fairy-tale castle with turrets and a moat, at the western tip, said to have inspired Walt Disney. The streets are lined with Romanesque churches, noble houses and palaces, and the walls still surround much of the town.
Segovia lies at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama, and the roads over the mountains toward Madrid are a riders' favourite. The Puerto de Navacerrada, at 1,858 metres, climbs through pine forests with hairpins and views over the plains, and the Puerto de Cotos and the road to the royal palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, with its fountains and gardens, are equally beautiful. Weekend traffic from Madrid can be heavy, and in winter the passes may be closed or require chains. The plateau north of Segovia is flat and open, with wide views and few curves.
Segovia has fuel, shops and restaurants, and parking in the old town is limited, so leave the bike outside and walk in. The city is famous for its roast suckling pig, cochinillo asado, so tender that it is traditionally cut with the edge of a plate, and for its bean dishes and ponche segoviano, a marzipan-topped sponge cake. Evenings in summer are pleasant, with cool air coming down from the mountains, and the views of the Alcázar at sunset from the valley below are unforgettable.