Spain oh Spain! I had the chance to travel over to Spain for a legal entrepreneurship conference hosted by the Law Without Walls program. The conference was hosted in Segovia, Spain. First, I had to fly through Madrid and decided to stay there for an extra night. I used the time to wander the streets of Madrid, try out some restaurants, visit ancient cathedrals — oh yeah, and I ran into a street entertainer dressed up as the “SAW” character – pretty scary. See below for photographic evidence of this encounter!
Although Madrid was a great place to explore, the conference was held at a law school out in Segovia, Spain. This gave me the opportunity to venture further into the countryside to see a small sleepy village filled with mystery and beauty… Segovia, Spain is about thirty minutes or so outside of Madrid, and you can travel there via train quite easily. Segovia is believed to have been founded by Hercules or the son of Noah. There is no other place in Spain that has such a stunning monument to Roman grandeur (the soaring aqueduct). Walt Disney is said to have modeled Sleeping Beauty’s castle off of the artistic styles of this magical little town. See below for my photographs highlighting the trip and suggestions for future travel to either of these fantastic Spanish cities. 
Traveling and exploring a new culture is such a wonderful thing. There is never enough time in a trip to do it all. Here are the highlights of my experience that you might want to consider for making the most of your next trip to Spain:
Madrid, Spain
- Metro de Madrid is one of the best and less expensive metros in Europe so getting around is very easy
- You must try ham and cheese Croquetas (croquettes are small, lightly breaded and fried sort of fritter popular in Spain)
- There are meat/pork shops everywhere you look – so be prepared if you are a vegetarian!
- You must try happy hour at Plaza San Miguel – just take a few hours and walk around, enjoy some tapas & wine for only a few euros
- Get a Mojito at The Penthouse- ME Hotel – this is a gorgeous rooftop bar/lounge with views of the entire city
- Plaza Mayor – the fanciest of Madrid’s plazas, this popular city square is enclosed by buildings with nine entrance archways
- Plaza Santa Ana – popular area in the city for nightlife with lots of great bars and restaurants in the plaza and surrounding streets. Also, the square becomes one big terrace for tables and seats which makes for a great atmosphere
Segovia, Spain
- Take the AVE High Speed train – from Madrid it takes about 30 minutes and costs ten euros
- See the Roman aqueduct – two thousand years old and is still in immaculate condition
- If you eat meat, you have to eat the infamous “pigs foot” — cochinillo (roasted suckling pig) is Segovia’s local dish and a Spanish favorite
- Top restaurant – Meson de Jose Maria
- Tour the Alcazar of Segovia (the giant castle)
Happy travel planning! I hope these little tips on two great Spanish cities motivated you for your next big travel adventure! Until the next sweet escape…