If you are studying or working in Madrid you could take advantage of your weekends to visit the surroundings of the beautiful Spanish capital and make your experience abroad even more unforgettable!

Today we want to talk to you about three towns one step away from Madrid that will make you take a dip in the past through the historical monuments recognized as world heritage by Unesco.

Segovia

Segovia is a monumental city with very ancient origins, is only about an hour away from Madrid and can also be reached by train or bus.

The city is located on the slopes of the Sierra de Guadarrama, between the Eresma and Clamores rivers and has its origins in the Bronze Age.

It was initially inhabited by a Celtic-Iberian people and was later conquered and rebuilt by the ancient Romans in 80 BC.

The Roman Aqueduct

A visit to the impressive Roman Aqueduct is a must. It is located in the heart of the city between the Plaza de la Artillería and the Plaza del Azoguejo.

It is one of the two largest existing Roman structures in Spain and was built around 50 AD. during the rule of the Roman emperor Trajan.

 To be able to see this building up close, it is possible to climb up to the viewpoint of the aqueduct, located in Calle San Juan.

The Cathedral of Segovia

The Cathedral of Segovia, also called "Lady of the cathedrals" for its elegance, is the third largest in Spain and was also the last Gothic cathedral to have been built in all of Europe.

The cathedral is in late Gothic style with Renaissance features and has a three nave plan and three entrances: on the main facade is the door of the Perdón, entirely built by the architect Juan Guas; on the south façade there are the San Geroteo gate and the San Frutos gate. Its stained glass windows are among the most important in Spain, made up of a total of 65 pieces.

The Alcazar of Segovia

The Alcazar of Segovia is located on the top of a hill and is one of the most important castles in Spain.

The castle was originally built as a fortress and was later transformed first into a royal residence and then into a state prison. Nowadays it houses an important museum full of ancient treasures.

A curiosity that perhaps not many people know: it is said that this Spanish fortress was a great inspiration for the famous designer Walt Disney in the creation of Cinderella.

Since 1985, together with the Roman aqueduct, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

TOLEDO

Toledo is located in the Castile - La Mancha region and is known as the city of the three cultures. In fact, in this beautiful historic town, it is possible to find monuments and architectural structures belonging to three different cultural influences that have characterized this area of Spain over the centuries: Christian, Muslim and Jewish.

The Alcazar of Toledo

The Alcazar of Toledo is an imposing fortress located in the highest part of the historic center of the city. The construction of the building dates back to the Roman Empire but was later completely restored by the architect Alonso de Covarrubias at the behest of Charles V. Currently the building is home to the City Army Museum and houses an important collection of weapons white and firearms, artillery, flags and uniforms belonging to the nineteenth century.

The Cathedral of Toledo

The Cathedral of Toledo is located in the Ayuntamiento square and is the second largest Gothic religious building in all of Spain. It was built between 1226 and 1493 and inside you can admire paintings by great artists including El Greco, Goya, Raphael and Titian.

The Museo de El Greco

This structure is actually a house-museum located in the old Jewish quarter of Toledo and houses a large collection of works painted by the artist El Greco in his last period of life. It was inaugurated in 1911 and inside you can also admire a faithful reconstruction of the painter's studio.

SAN LORENZO DE EL ESCORIAL

Just 50 km from the capital, this small city contains one of the most important architectural heritage in all of Spain: we are talking about the El Escorial Monastery.

The Monastery of the Escorial

This monumental historic building was the residence and at the same time pantheon of the many Spanish kings of the past and represents the golden age of Spanish art and culture during the 16th-17th centuries. Today it houses a museum that contains very precious works of art.

It took about 22 years (1563-1585) to complete this imposing granite palace which has also been nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World".

It was built at the behest of King Philip II to possess a royal residence that was at the same time a pantheon for his late father, King Charles V of Habsburg, and for subsequent generations of the royal family.

The construction work was initially entrusted to the architect Juan de Toledo but on his death in 1665, the works continued under the guidance of Juan de Herrera from whom the "Herrera" style of architecture took its name, which has as its main characteristics a rigorous geometry between the architectural elements and the almost absence of ornamental decorations.

During the construction of the building, many famous architects and painters collaborated in the construction and embellishment of the complex, including Titian, El Greco, Luca Cambiaso and Diego Velázquez.