SEGOVIA - AN OVERNIGHT FOOD TRIP FOR COCHINILLO

SEGOVIA

February 2022

During our visit to Madrid, we took a one night stay in Segovia (it is also an easy day trip from Madrid. It’s a short 25-minute ride by high-speed train but feels like a world away the minute you arrive).

We stayed at

ÁUREA CONVENTO CAPUCHINOS Five Stars

Plaza de Capuchinos, 2, 40001 Segovia

+34 921 41 52 50

www.eurostarshotels.com

The hotel is in a beautiful old convent, absolutely stunning, comfortable, in a excellent location in the old town and a short walk from the major sights but with views over the surrounding Countryside.

This historic building’s original features are maintained, and the rooms are spacious and beautifully decorated. The staff kind and helpful.

Segovia is best known for its amazingly well preserved 2000-year-old aqueduct built during Roman times.

The ancient structure is composed of huge stones held together without mortar.

At one end there remains one small arch attached to a stone building. Follow along the 167 arches to the other end and you will find a mammoth structure measuring over 93 feet tall at its highest point.

The awe-inspiring structure is easy to find. The bus from the train station will take you right to the centre of town. Once there you can’t miss it.

After viewing the aqueduct, take in more of the sights that this medieval city has to offer. Wander up to the old Jewish Quarter passing by tiny passageways where you will see wrought-iron balconies filled with colourful plants or the day's washing.

A must visit is the Alcázar de Segovia (castle).

Sometimes it is said that the Disneyland Castle resembles this fairy-tale-like Alcázar in Segovia and was actually copied from it, something that is definitely questionable.

Touring this Alcazar is exciting because of the stunning views you have from its terrace and its great architecture (particularly of its ceilings).

Next to visit would be the equally amazing, 16th Century, Cathedral De Santa Maria.

A tour of this Gothic and Renaissance style cathedral never disappoints. Also, being located in the Plaza Mayor it a convenient visit after your lunch. It has a stunning exterior and impressive interior.

Regarding food, there are four famous Segovian dishes to try

Cochinillo

Roasted suckling pig has succulent meat, crispy skin (crackling), and a very thin layer of fat. It is served with a thin gravy. The meat is so tender that it will fall apart when cooked correctly. The piglet should not be heavier than 5kg and not older than three weeks. They are traditionally roasted in large, open-faced brick ovens. One suckling pig can easily feed a party of four or usually six in a restaurant.

We had the Suckling Pig at Restaurante Jose Maria, click HERE to read the review.

Lechazo

Roasted suckling lamb. To be classified as lechazo, it must weigh between 5 and 7 kg and it cannot be more than 20 to 30 days old. The lamb is fed only on its mother's milk, hence the name lechazo, from the word Leche, meaning milk. They roast the lambs in traditional wooden stoves known as Hornos de Leña.

Judiones de la Granja

These enormous white broad beans (butter beans) are the key ingredient in a Segovian stew. They are creamy, almost purée like. They easily hold their own with the spicy chorizo and rich Tocino (bacon) which accompany this signature dish of Segovia.

Ponche Segoviano

This is a traditional Spanish cake that originates from Segovia. It is a layer cake of custard and marzipan that is topped with caramelised sugar and decorated with a criss-cross design. The recipe of the original cake is a well-kept secret, but anyone with a good nose would detect the lemon peel, cinnamon and almonds that accompany the combination of eggs, sugar, milk and flour.

The invention of the cake is attributed in 1926 to a confectioner named Frutos García Martín at the El Alcázar cafe. It did not take long for it to become popular in the town, and King Alfonso XIII told Martín to take the cake to the Universal Exhibition in Barcelona, where, in 1929, it won the gold medal.

On leaving our hotel we walked past

BAR CORREOS

Plaza de San Facundo 3, 40001 Segovia

+34 921 48 79 32

It looked busy so we decided to pop in for a caña,

with which, you got a free tapa of tortilla.

We then spied some piping hot albondigas arriving on the bar,

so we decided to try them,

and they were excellent.

Unlike other places with high prices, the value for money here is excellent with a variety of pinchos and tapas. We had good service in a busy atmosphere.

From there we wondered around town passing,

CASA DUQUE

Calle Cervantes 12, 40001 Segovia

+34 921 462 487

www.restauranteduque.es

A classic address open since 1895. Duque boasts a bar and several dining rooms on different floors, all decorated with numerous awards and press cuttings. Regionally inspired à la carte offerings, as well as two set menus.

It is connected to the Cuevas de Duque next door, with a separate entrance. There you can enjoy an extensive menu of tapas and raciones amid typical décor that includes an old roasting oven.

We then walked up to the Plaza Mayor, to

Calle de Escuderos 4, 40001 Segovia

+34 921 46 07 43

Finding coat hooks under the bar is always the sign of a good bar and Bar Rubi didn't disappoint.

It is an incredible place to drink and taste craft beers, with constantly updated IPAs, pales, sours, and stouts especially from the province of Segovia.

It is well worth going if you are passionate about craft beer! Their free jamón tapa is also very good.

There was decent music playing as well. The bar is well-situated just off the Plaza Mayor.

After leaving here we to

LA CONCEPCIÓN

Plaza de Mayor 15, 40001 Segovia

+34 921 46 09 30

www.restaurantelaconcepcion.com

A good spot to sit in the sun in the Plaza Mayor and enjoy a slice of the famous ponche de Segoviano (€6 a slice). Probably more expensive here because you are in the very touristic part of town, the Plaza Major.