Segovia, from the Aqueduct to the Alcázar on foot.

Segovia is a small city high on a crag, between the Eresma and Clamores rivers, with the Sierra de Guadarrama to the south. What people come to see fits into one walk: the Aqueduct at one end, the Alcázar at the other and the cathedral in the middle, in the Plaza Mayor. Between the three there is little more than a kilometre of streets. That is why it can be seen in a day from Madrid, and why it is worth staying a night: at dusk, when the groups leave, the city goes quiet and the monuments are lit up.

How do I get there from Madrid?

By car, along the A-6, allow a little over an hour; the route planner gives around an hour and a quarter to the Azoguejo. The last stretch is through the Guadarrama tunnel or over the Navacerrada pass, which can have snow in winter. Without a car you have three options. The AVE reaches Segovia-Guiomar station in about 30 minutes, but the station is 6 km from the centre and you have to continue by city bus or taxi. The Avanza bus drops you at the station on Paseo Ezequiel González, a few minutes' walk from the Aqueduct. And the regional train from Atocha, changing at Cercedilla, takes about two hours and arrives at a station close to the centre. From Valladolid the AVE takes about half an hour; from Ávila it is about 60 minutes by car.

Where do I park?

Don't try to reach the Azoguejo or the Plaza Mayor by car: the old town has restricted traffic. Turismo de Segovia lists about ten car parks; for the centre, the most practical are the University one, a few minutes' walk from the Aqueduct, the Cathedral and the Alcázar, and Oblatas, next to the old town. If you travel by motorhome, the municipal area on Calle Campo Azálvaro, next to the bullring, is free and has ten spaces with water and waste emptying.

How much time do I need?

A day covers the essentials if you start early: the Aqueduct first thing, cathedral and Plaza Mayor, lunch, and the Alcázar in the afternoon. What is left out in one day is the walk along the Eresma valley, the Casa de Moneda and the view of the city from the Vera Cruz or Zamarramala, which explain Segovia best. With a night you do everything without rushing and can also go ballooning at dawn.

What to see, in order

• Aqueduct. 2nd century, 167 granite arches without mortar. Free, outdoors.
• Cathedral. In the Plaza Mayor. Entry from €4; the tower, only with a guide.
• Alcázar. On the tip of the crag. Palace €7, with museum and tower €10. In November it is open every day from 10:00 to 18:00.
• Puerta de San Andrés and Jewish Quarter. A stretch of wall and the Jewish quarter.
• Royal Mint. Philip II's mint by the river, with the Aqueduct Interpretation Centre. Free on Wednesdays that are not public holidays.
• Eresma Valley and Vera Cruz. The walk that shows you the city from below.

The municipal museums —Casa de Moneda, the Antonio Machado House-Museum, the Judería and Puerta de San Andrés— are free on Wednesdays that are not public holidays. The Alcázar is free for EU citizens on Tuesdays that are not public holidays from 14:00 to 16:00, palace only.

What is there to eat?

Roast suckling pig and judiones beans from La Granja, above all. The classic roast houses are between the Aqueduct and the Plaza Mayor: the Mesón de Cándido at the Azoguejo, open every day; Casa Duque on Calle Cervantes, more than 130 years old, and José María next to the Plaza Mayor, with a kitchen open without a break from 12:00. Always book at the weekend. If you don't want a long meal, the tapas bars in these same places do the job.

When should I go?

In spring and autumn there is good light and a temperature for walking. In winter there is dry cold and the odd snowfall, but the streets are easy to walk and there are fewer people. In summer the mornings are cool and at midday it is best to be inside a monument. Avoid, if you can, long-weekend Sunday lunchtimes: the Azoguejo fills up and the roast houses have no tables.