Trip A: City One, Day Three

 Introduction:

    My general rule of thumb is to take 3-4 days to explore a city unless you genuinely want to immerse yourself into the city and stay for a month or two. Three to four days lets you see the highlights because you can always return! 

Morning:

    Madrid in the morning is something spectacular, when I lived there, I would get up around 5:30 in the morning and just people watch. I would watch the deliveries to the shops, the garbage trucks wind through the narrow streets, the older couples go out for their morning cups of coffee, and the hustle and bustle of the folks heading to work. While this is a favorite pastime for me, it is not for everyone and while I am on vacation, I am not one to get up that early! 

Porras and Churros with a piping cup of hot chocolate.

    So we are getting churros and porras at a decent hour instead! We are heading back toward Sol to go to a churro spot that opened in 1894. The Chocolateria San Gines is a chocolate and churro lovers DREAM! For about $7USD, you can have 6 churros, 2 porras, and the cup of HOT chocolate delivered to your table. 

    Churros are different in Spain than those you get at your local Mexican place as they are not filled with caramel or have the same cinnamon and sugar on the outside. These are simply fried dough that are beyond delicious. Porras are a more doughy version and about twice the size. And while I am not a chocolate lover, this chocolate is something to experience! 

Afternoon:

    For the afternoon, I suggest a day trip out of the city by train. Atocha station is super close to El Retiro and just a short metro ride away from our station of Estrecho. We are heading to the town of Segovia. Segovia is known for its beautiful castle, a Roman aqueduct, and roasted suckling pig. I am sad to say if you are a solo traveler, you cannot order the pig as it "too much" for one person and you will not want to waste it!

    Segovia is a short train from Madrid and costs just $21USD! Once you arrive in the Segovia station, you can buy a bus ticket to the city center for a small price (genuinely cannot remember the price and did not write it down!) It takes about 10 minutes and you are dropped off right next to the old Roman Aqueduct.

    When I arrived to Segovia, I was starving... probably because I almost missed my train and had to run down a platform to get on. And Luckily, there is plenty of delicious food to partake in Segovia! My favorite being scallops and more papas bravas. 

Fresh Scallops in Segovia

Chicharrones are also popular in Segovia, personally not a huge fan!

Papas Bravas (peep my cold coke with lemon!)

  And about a 15 minute walk to the main attraction in Segovia, The Alcázar de Segovia. There are Ubers and busses in Segovia that will take you to the castle as well, but I travel cheap and think I am a marathon runner. The Alcázar de Segovia is one of the most well known medieval castles in the world. It has been here since the 1100s, which is a huge feat! For you Disney fans, this castle was Walt Disney's inspiration for the castle in Disneyland California. For around $11 USD, you can explore the castle, the museum, and the tower which gives you stunning views of the surrounding valley. 

View from atop the tower.

    I am going to say something controversial, once you have seen one castle and one cathedral in Europe, you have seen them all. And while I have visited so many across the continent, I am not always sure they are worth it-- this being said, I loved my time in the Alcázar. 

    Segovia is also home to an old Roman aqueduct, which I nerd out over! When you are dropped off, it is the first thing you see. It is a huge engineering master piece. As an ancient world history teacher, I nerd out over it all. There is also a bronze statue of Romulus and Remus, the fathers of Rome. Aqueducts, of course, helped the Romans transport water across great distances without the need for any pump or electricity. 

Just me and the aqueduct. 

Evening:

    Once we return to Madrid, there is one more thing everyone should check off their bucket list, visiting the San Miguel Market (Mercado San Miguel). And while there is a ton of tourist traps located in the market, there are also some great bites. Some of my favorites are fried calamari and barbecue pork buns. You can easily make an entire meal here with just small bites. I also love to watch the professionally trained jamon iberico butchers cut perfect slices of the best ham ever onto plates for folks. I personally do not buy mine here as it is outrageously overpriced and the local supermarket has just as good quality for a fraction of the cost.

What's Next:

    For the next leg of our journey, we are going to go to a much faster paced city, one filled with baguettes, escargot, and frites. We are heading to Paris, folks!