There is so much more to Madrid than just the city itself. The surrounding area is full of day trip destinations and we wanted to make the most if it. Leaving Madrid behind us for a day was an excellent idea because the weather outside the city was sunny. We were ready for the road trip.
ready to leave the house @Madrid
The plan was to get to Valladolid (which is about 2 hours away) for lunch, with a bit of a window to explore the city and then stop on the way back at Segovia. Driving to our lunch destination we passed Valle de los Caídos, famous for the cross which can be seen from far away. It’s the biggest fascist monument and also holds Franco’s remains.
Valle de los Caídos
We passed it and drove to Valladolid where we first fortified us with a small beer in a bar at the Plaza Mayor. It was almost lunch and vacation after all. If that is not reason enough, it was also weekend.
Plaza Mayor @Valladolid
a fountain in Valladolid
We explored the town a bit, entering a cavernous church, San Benito el Real, where a mass was held, walked around some more and passed then the Catedral de Valladolid. I got the impression that every city in spain, no matter how big or small, is full of churches.
dream team in Valladolid
San Benito el Real @Valladolid
San Benito el Real @Valladolid
Catedral de Valladolid @Valladolid
Catedral de Valladolid @Valladolid
Finally we headed for lunch to the Villa Paramesa, the real reason for going to Valladolid. This tapas bar is unique in its excellence and therefore deserves its own post. But we also enjoyed a couple of drinks there, as you can see we had quite some fun!
new and old friends @Valladolid
the girls @Valladolid
birthday G&T @Villa Paramesa
the chef of Villa Paramesa @Valladolid
happy @Valladolid
When we finally left the bar it was already late, like really late. They kept the place open for us since our host is a very honored guest. In the end we needed to leave though since we still wanted to go to Segovia, a city with a huge Roman aqueduct. Who wants to miss this while already in the area? It looked spectacular already driving in the city. Actually the whole drive was already spectacular.
selfie in the car @Valladolid
road trip to Segovia
aqueduct in Segovia
The entire place has a very special vibe, like they kept the old town in original shape and form and nothing has changed in the intervening centuries.
Segovia Cathedral
There were lots of little corners and places to discover and at the Plaza de San Martín we learned that last year Austrian Spanish singer Clara Blume rocked the masses and had a very special concert. Too bad we haven’t seen it but got her CD from our host who is a big fan.
Plaza San Martin @Segovia
Once home you wouldn’t think that we could eat anything anymore, but platters of ham, cheese and olives had been already prepared and were devoured as well as candy that we had bought at the gas station. Unbelievable really what the human body manages to eat while drinking excellent Gin&Tonic. Yours, Pollybert
