Segovia By Naveen Agnihotri

Located about two hours south of Madrid, in the province of Castilla y León, Segovia is a quaint little town, half mountain, half plain. Because of its many attractions, the narrow meandering streets of the town are almost always full of tourists. The historic sites and scenery of Segovia have been awarded a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and the city is truly beautiful. October must be a good time for going, because the town was relatively quiet. In fact, my friend Juan Carlos, who I went with, was quite surprised how devoid of tourists it was.

The main attraction of the town is the historic aqueduct, built by the Romans in the first century BC. It has survived the passage of time as a unique example of the mastery of engineering in the Roman empire -- and is still used to carry water to the city. The roofless channel, made of uncemented limestone, originates about 14km away, and carries water all the way to the fortress, the Alcázar (see below).

The aqueduct is the symbol of Segovia, and the reference point of its urban layout. A sign near the aqueduct said that it was "the greatest Roman monument in Spain."

The town has several churches with interesting architectural origins, and also a famous Catedral.

The town sits on a rock, at the edge of which is the famous fortress, the Alcázar, pictures of which have traveled all around the world. It was a royal residence, and is decorated with plaster and Mudéjar ceilings. Its picturesque silhouette dates from the 16th c when Felipe II ordered it to be roofed with slate.

Inside the Alcázar, there are some stunning armaments from the old days (whose pictures I was not allowed to take, unfortunately). But I did find this window with the famous Don Quixote.

Because the Alcázar sits at the edge of a plateau, the views from on top are quite breathtaking (you have to click on these pictures and see the bigger versions to truly appreciate the view). Next time, I need to go with a wider lens... :-)