A (spring) week near Segovia, Spain, with kids or without....
deehell
We used to live in Madrid 8 years ago and wanted to revisit old haunts
10 Jun 2006
based on 0 votes
WORK IN PROGRESS - MORE TO FOLLOW : Six days in May staying near Segovia - what to do, where to go, where to eat....
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Explore locations featured in this Traveler List:
Segovia
- Category: Perfect week or more
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Traveler type: Culture, Sightseeing, Shopping, Active/Outdoors, Never been before, Repeat visitors
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Appeals to: Couples/romantics, Honeymooners, Singles, Families with small children, Families with teenagers, Large groups, Seniors, Students, Budget travellers , Active/adventure, Tourists, Pet owners
- Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Tags: Airport, Architecture, Family, Spring breaks, Touring Spain, Visits outside Madrid
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1. Madrid Airport - Barajas - Terminal 4
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Madrid Airport has a stunning new terminal built to handle its growing traffic. Its buildings appear to represent a flowing wave, or even (said our kids) a child's drawing of a seagull. Whatever, they are attractive, modern public buildings that you'll enjoy if your flight arrives here. Kids will particularly enjoy the driveless train between the terminals too. See the list below of flights which go there.
T4 and its satellite T4S are the airport's newest terminals and though two km apart they work as one, linked by a driverless train.
Both the main terminal and its satellite have shopping areas.
Check-in at T4 for the following airlines: Aerlingus, Aeroflot, Air Algerie, Air Cairo, Air Nostrum (Iberia), Air Senegal, American Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, CSA Czech Airlines, Egypt Air, El Al- Israel Airlines, Finnair, Iberia, Iberworld, Japan Airlines, Lan Chile, Lan Ecuador, Luxair, Olympic Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian Airlines, SN Brussels Airlines, Sterling, Syrian Arab Airlines, Tarom, Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde, Turkish Airlines (TurquÃÂa), Ukraine International, Virgin Express, Vueling.
Note that Iberia domestic shuttles (Puente Aereo) have a dedicated space on the second floor.
Airlines that have flights arriving at T4 and T4S include the following: Aerlingus, Aeroflot, Air Algerie, Air Cairo, Air Nostrum (Iberia), Air Senegal, American Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, CSA Czech Airlines, Egypt Air, El Al - Israel Airlines, Finnair, Iberia, Iberworld, Japan Airlines, Lan Chile, Lan Ecuador, Luxair, Olympic Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian Airlines, SN Brussels Airlines, Sterling, Syrian Arab Airlines, Tarom, Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde, Turkish Airlines (TurquÃÂa), Ukraine International, Virgin Express and Vueling. |
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2. La Veilla: where to stay near Segovia
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This is a rural hotel and small apartment building. It is located in the traditional (and pretty) village of La Veilla, near Pedraza, which is in the province of Segovia. The website has detailed directions from Madrid, and it took us about 75 minutes to drive the 120km from Madrid Airport - it's well signposted and the directions (in English and Spanish) are very clear.
The hotel has 7 bedrooms and five apartments and is situated in a very rural (and beautiful) part of Spain. As a family of 5, we often find it difficult to get decent space for all of us and the 2-bed apartment was perfect with (up to 6) comfortable beds, 2 good bathrooms and simple kitchen area. Despite being just over an hour from Madrid, this area is traditional, rural Spain, and you'll find fields filled with poppies and wild herbs, storks nesting on church roofs in the most enormous nests, near-empty roads, beautiful countryside and some major (but not that busy) tourist attractions that are worth spending 3-7 days exploring.
The hotel landlady, Petra speaks excellent English and you can book online via the website above. Prices are reasonable. You would need your own transport though.
From this place you can get to Pedraza (beautifully preserved walled town 2km away), Segovia (35km but about 20 minutes on very good road), La Granja (Versailles-like palace with beautiful gardens and fountain on the hillside - 25km away - about 20 minutes ; las Hozes del Duraton - amazing canyons and gorges filled with Europe's best collection of a particular kind of vulture and you can canoe (see below) and walk to and (in places) through them. |
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6. Palacio Real de la Granja
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7. The Walled town of Pedraza
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8. The Duraton Gorges - las hozes del Duraton
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| Grand-Canyon like rock gorges filled with 580 pairs of rare vultures |
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Compliment deehell
