A Slow Winter Walk from San Marcos Along the Eresma
A Slow Winter Walk from San Marcos Along the Eresma
A quiet half-day route along the Eresma river in Segovia, from the old monastery of San Marcos to the Azoguejo, with practical detail on distances, weather and where to warm up.
Starting at San Marcos and the Puente de la Sirena
Begin at the monastery of San Marcos, on the Calle de San Marcos just below the old town's north-western edge. The building and its plateresque facade are the landmark you will recognise from the approach road, and the riverside path is easy to find beside it: follow the Eresma downstream, past the Huerto de San Marcos, where the path narrows between stone walls and poplars. The walk from here to the Puente de la Sirena is short, perhaps ten minutes at a crawl, and suits anyone who wants a gentle opening with the city's Roman aqueduct still out of sight behind the ridge.
The Eresma runs low and clear in winter, and the path here is muddy rather than icy in most years — grippy shoes matter more than boots. December through February brings temperatures around freezing at dawn, rising to a modest 8–11°C by early afternoon; January is the coldest month and the quietest. Morning light reaches the water late because of the hillside, so a start around 10.30 is better than a sunrise one. There is no entrance fee and no formal opening hours on this stretch.
The Vera Cruz and the path below the Parral
Continue upstream to the twelfth-century church of Vera Cruz, a twelve-sided Romanesque building on a small rise above the river, reached by a short signed detour. The interior is usually open for visits in the middle of the day for a small admission charge, though hours tighten in winter; check locally rather than relying on a sign. Back on the riverside, the path runs on below the Monastery of Santa María del Parral, whose tower appears through the trees on your left. This is the loneliest and most beautiful part of the route, and you will often have it entirely to yourself on a weekday.
The surface here is unsurfaced in places, with tree roots and shallow steps. Allow forty minutes for this stretch if you stop to look at the Vera Cruz and the weirs, which once fed the city's mills and tanneries. The Eresma's banks are a protected green corridor, so you will see kingfishers, grey wagtails and the occasional heron rather than cafés or benches. Carry water; there is nothing to buy between San Marcos and the old town. Cyclists use the path on weekends, so keep left on blind bends.
Climbing to the Alcázar and the old town
From the Parral the path bends uphill towards the Alcázar, and this is the only real climb of the walk: twenty minutes of cobbles and stone steps through the Jardín de los Poetas to the castle esplanade. The Alcázar interior is worth an hour, and in winter the queues are short enough to walk in without booking, unlike July and August. From the esplanade, the Calle de Velarde leads into the Plaza Mayor in about eight minutes. If your hotel is in the old town, this is where you will want to be, and staying anywhere within the streets bounded by Velarde, the Plaza Mayor and the Calle Real puts the entire route on foot.
Turn down the Calle de la Canaleja or the Calle de la Judería to the Plaza del Azoguejo, where the aqueduct stands at its full height. The walk from San Marcos to the aqueduct, with the Vera Cruz and the climb to the Alcázar included, is roughly four kilometres and takes two to three hours at an unhurried pace. There is a gentle alternative for anyone wary of the steps: follow the riverside as far as the Puente de Sancti Spíritus, then walk up the Calle del Carmen to the Plaza Mayor on paved streets.
Warming up afterwards
The stretch between the Plaza Mayor and the aqueduct holds the greatest concentration of places to eat, and in winter a bowl of sopa castellana or judiones de La Granja is exactly what the weather asks for. Expect a menú del día at lunchtime in the region of €15–25, with bar coffee nearer €1.50–2.50; prices are lower a few streets away from the Plaza Mayor. Segovia's roast suckling pig and lamb are the signature dishes, but they are a long, substantial lunch rather than a quick warm-up, and most asadores want a reservation at weekends.
For an evening, the streets around the Plaza de San Martín and the Calle de los Infantes are livelier than the aqueduct side. The old town is small enough that wherever you stay, the walk's start at San Marcos is a fifteen- to twenty-minute stroll from the Plaza Mayor. Skip driving to San Marcos; parking near the monastery is limited and much of the riverside path is pedestrian-only. Buses run along the Calle de San Marcos from the centre if the return leg on foot does not appeal.
Before you book
The questions people ask about San Marcos, answered with this month’s numbers.
From San Marcos to the aqueduct, including the Vera Cruz and the climb to the Alcázar, it is about four kilometres and two to three hours at a slow pace. You can shorten it by turning back at the Parral.
Yes, with layers and shoes that grip. December to February is cold at the start, often around freezing, and warmer midday. Ice is rare, but the riverside stretch can be muddy after rain, so waterproof footwear helps.
Anywhere in the old town between the Plaza Mayor and the aqueduct. From there San Marcos is a fifteen- to twenty-minute walk, and the whole route plus the Alcázar is manageable on foot in a single relaxed day.
Not between San Marcos and the old town; the route is a green corridor with no cafés. Eat before you set out or wait until the Plaza Mayor, where the choice is widest. Carry water in any season.
Generally not. Winter queues are short and you can usually buy on arrival. In summer, or around Spanish public holidays, booking ahead is sensible. Prices and hours change, so confirm locally.
January and February for solitude, if you accept the cold; late October and November for mild weather and autumn colour along the Eresma. Avoid Easter week, when Segovia fills up and accommodation costs rise.
Yes, local buses run from the centre along the Calle de San Marcos. It is also a simple walk downhill from the Plaza Mayor. Taxis are easy to find, but the approach road is short enough not to need one.
Layers, a windproof jacket, and shoes with tread for muddy stretches and stone steps. Bring water, a charged phone and a paper map; signal is decent but the path is quiet and unlit in the late afternoon.
