Royal Alcázar of Segovia and the Tower of Juan II

The Alcázar occupies the tip of the crag on which old Segovia sits, where the valleys of the Eresma and the Clamores meet. Its keep is often compared to the prow of a ship, and, according to the Alcázar itself, Walt Disney took inspiration from its silhouette for Snow White's castle. Inside you walk through the palace rooms and the Artillery Museum, and separately you climb the Tower of Juan II, the one with the view over the city and the Sierra de Guadarrama.

From fortress to Trastámara palace

The first mentions of the "castle of Segovia" and the "Alcaçar" are from between 1124 and 1139. Alfonso X convened the Cortes here in 1256. The great alterations began with Catherine of Lancaster in 1412 and reached their peak with Juan II and Henry IV, when the Alcázar held the kingdom's treasure, archive and armoury. In 1474 Isabella of Castile was proclaimed queen from here, and in 1570 Philip II married Anne of Austria in it. Afterwards it became the Royal Artillery College. Among what you see inside: the Galley Room, the stained glass in the Throne Room, the chapel, the dadoes, Charles V's crossbow or the chemistry laboratory.

The Tower of Juan II

You climb 152 steps on a spiral staircase, with no lift, and on the tower visit you cannot spend more than 25 minutes at the top. Minors cannot go up alone. Tickets with the tower are the first to sell out at weekends, long weekends and public holidays.

Hours and tickets

It is open every day without closing at midday: from 1 November to 31 March, from 10:00 to 18:00, and from 1 April to 31 October, from 10:00 to 19:30. Sales and entry end half an hour before closing. In 2026, on 4 December it opens from 14:30 to 18:00, on 24 and 31 December from 10:00 to 14:30, and on 25 December it is closed.

Admission to the palace costs €7, €5 reduced; palace, museum and tower, €10, €8 reduced. The guided tour or the audioguide add €3.50. On non-holiday Tuesdays, from 14:00 to 16:00, the palace and museum are free for citizens of the European Union who buy their ticket at the ticket office. Tickets are limited: buy them in advance on its website. The palace and museum are seen independently in about 40 or 45 minutes. The busiest time is usually from 11:00 to 13:30.

Accessibility and rules

The palace and museum are accessible by ramps; the tower is not. Two wheelchairs are lent free of charge, there is an adapted toilet in the Casa de la Química and two parking spaces for people with reduced mobility next to the small square. Pets are not admitted, except guide dogs, either in the Alcázar or in the gardens of Plaza de la Reina Victoria Eugenia; under-16s must always be accompanied. There is no left-luggage.

Along calle Daoíz

On foot from the Plaza Mayor along calle Daoíz, about ten minutes. In front of you is the small square, with gardens open from 8:00 to 22:00. Afterwards, go down to the Eresma valley and the Vera Cruz to see the prow from below, and return along the wall and the Jewish quarter.