Segovia - the Spanish city break that you didn't realise you needed

How tempting is it on arriving at one of Spain’s Bay of Biscay ports to tell the sat-nav to take you the quickest, most direct route to your holiday base on the Costas?

You roll off the car deck of the ferry, wait patiently to be ushered through customs and passport control and, once you’ve remembered to drive on the right, you’re on the A-67 heading south with only one thing on your mind – a cold sangria.

Sometimes, though, it pays to keep that knotted hanky in your luggage for a day or so and take in some of Spain’s more refined locations on route.

Around 18 million of us visit Spain every year, which can make the coastal resorts seem mighty crowded, especially in the peak months of July and August. But if you’re in search of somewhere warm and delightful, yet want to scratch that cultural itch, why not try Segovia.

You’ll find this ancient and endlessly fascinating settlement about an hour north of Madrid and just over three hours south of Santander.

To my mind, when you factor in the pleasurable overnight Brittany Ferries crossing from Plymouth, this makes Segovia very much the city break you didn’t know you wanted. Or the perfect stop-over on your way south; or an end-of-holiday treat going back to Santander or Bilbao, Brittany’s other Biscay port.

If you know Segovia at all, it’s probably on account of its simply stunning aqueduct. Built by the Romans (possibly Emperor Hadrian, who knew a thing or two about dramatic structures) in the second century AD, it has to be seen to be believed. Understandably, later civilisations were as keen on it as the Romans and it was in use as late as 1973, supplying water through a complex network of underground pipes throughout the town.

Today, modern Segovia nestles in its impressive shadow and the town is split in two by its 1500m length – the quaint, narrow streets of the old town on one side, the more modern, functional developments to the other.

At first sight, and at close inspection, it looks like it could be just a couple of hundred years old, so well is it preserved. Incredibly, its granite blocks rest perfectly on each other, untroubled by mortar or cement, to form 167 arches which, at their height, reach almost 100 metres.

The aqueduct, you learn, can take much of the credit for Segovia’s longevity and prosperity. The availability of a clean water supply attracted everyone from the Moors in the 11 th Century to a succession of Spanish kings, each of whom left their own stamp on the city.

Now, of course, while the channels have long since dried up, it continues to bring in millions of commoner folk to admire its timeless grandeur.

Such is Segovia’s topography that it’s possible to spend a good day at its lower level, exploring the shops, bars and restaurants that have embedded themselves like jewels in this quirky necklace of narrow, car-free, cobbled sidestreets. Many of the eateries pride themselves on offering their own takes on the culinary delights of the region, including the famous cochinillo asado, or suckling pig, followed by the ponche Segoviano, a delicious layer cake made with custard, marzipan and caramelized sugar, washed down with a bottle of the local red wine, Ribera Del Duero.

But, with lunch at least taken care of, you’ll want to walk off the calories with a stroll up into the old town.

This could take some time, not because of the incline (gentle at best, with just a few challenging stretches) but because there is much still to be seen – as you rise up towards the second of this World Heritage Site’s three jewels: the cathedral.

On the way, you’ll encounter the wonderful college of art – an architectural work of art itself – along with the wonderful Plaza Mayor, a typical, vast open space fringed by bars, restaurants and coffee shops, and the Jewish quarter, a now-thriving reminder of the impact this community made on Segovia until persecution and eventual expulsion in the 15 th Century.

A tour of the cathedral will reveal some of the most spectacular religious art and artefacts in Europe, including the Holy Burial Chapel, featuring Juan de Juni’s sculpture of a group weeping over Christ’s body. If your legs can stand it (and you’re warned against attempting it if you’re not fit), a climb up the 190 steps of the bell tower will give you unrivalled views of the city.

Here’s a tip: avoid the tower and save your legs for the final leg of your tour of Segovia – a five-minute stroll to the celebrated Alcazar.

Not truly visible until you’ve moved on from the cathedral, the Alcazar fortress rises up from the highest point of the ridge and takes your breath away with its size, its beauty and its surprising design.

More quirky Bavarian chateau than Moorish castle, it began life as a Roman stronghold before successive kings, from Alfonso VI in the 11 th Century through to Philip II in the 1500s sculpted it into the spectacle you see today.

If you feel like you’ve seen it somewhere before, Walt Disney drew on his Spanish roots to base Cinderella’s Castle at Walt Disney World in Florida on the Alcazar. Higher brow still, Orson Welles made extensive use of it for locations while making his minor masterpiece Chimes at Midnight.

The sharply angled conical roofs of the castle’s towers certainly give the place a fairy tale air, to the extent you can imagine Rapunzel letting down her hair from their heights to sneak you in. Better, though, to pay the €15.50 general admission (€8 for seniors) and enjoy a leisurely wander around its handsome interiors, featuring a fine collection of artillery from the ages, and its manicured grounds.

More expensive tours, including guided walks of the Alcazar, the cathedral and other sites, are available but if time, and funds, are limited console yourself with knowing that exterior views of Segovia’s jewels can give pleasure enough.

Two days can easily be filled soaking up the culture, visiting the plethora of museums and exploring the gorgeous countryside that surround the city. But be careful – you must always leave time for another slice of ponche Segoviano and just one more glass of Ribero.