Anton

We are planning a trip to Spain in October. Planning an overnight stopover in Segovia before flying to Barcelona. What is the best way to get from Segovia to airport? Should we have a car, take bus or train, or is a taxi reasonable? We would like to maximize our time in Segovia.

Maribel

Anton,<BR>A taxi would be very expensive!! I'd keep the rental car and drive. <BR>In Nov. we spent our last night in Segovia before departing Barajas airport the next day, and it took us exactly 1 1/2 hr. in very heavy traffic and with construction on route to reach the airport. We left our Segovia hotel at 9 and were at the airport to turn in our rental car (very easy, BTW) at 10:30 on the dot.<BR>The Segovia bus to center Madrid takes 1 hr. 15 min., but you'd still have a 25-30 min. taxi ride from there to the airport. The train from Segovia takes longer than the bus.<BR><BR>Hope this helps.

lweber

I thin Maribel has it just right!

Anton

Thank you Maribel. We are spending a few days in Madrid and then going to Barcelona and we thought at least one night in Segovia would provide different experience from the cities. I was wondering about driving from Madrid to Segovia and then to the airport. Although not a timid driver I have not driven in a foreign country before and of course read about problems with theft in autos. Is it fairly easy to find ones way there and are there advantages to a car? Would I also have trouble finding a hotel in Segovia with parking? Thank you agin for your help. By the way I was looking on Travelocity for flights between Madrid and Barcelona and they have them for only $41 or $43 on the day I am flying, which is a saturday.

Maribel

Hi Anton,<BR>Just a correction of my post above. I checked my notes, and we actually left Segovia at 8 and reached the airport at 9:30. Even with the rush hour commuter traffic on the M40 plus the detour outside of Segovia due to contruction of the Madrid-Segovia autovia we made in 1 1/2 hrs. flat to drop off our car at the car rental stand in the parking lot. We had allowed 2 hrs. just in case. And since you're flying from Madrid to Bcn on Sat., the commuter traffic is much less of a problem. <BR><BR>When driving from Madrid to Segovia (and (points beyond),<BR>we always pick up a rental car at the Avis office of the Intercontinental Castellana Hotel in Madrid. Why? Because it's relatively simple, straighforward, quick to find one's way out of Madrid and on to the Segovia route from there and far less complicated than picking up at the rail stations, Atocha or even Chamart&iacute;n when headed to Segovia-Avila-Salamanca. We just speed up north on the Castellana Blvd. 3 blocks to the traffic circle at the huge Nuevos Ministerios gov't complex, the circle right beyond Plaza Gregorio Mara&ntilde;&oacute;n, and hang a left onto R&iacute;os Rosas, then continue on Av. Filipinas flowing into Av. Reyes Cat&oacute;licos which brings you to Av. Arco de la Victoria/Puerta de Hierro and the A6 out to Segovia. Quite simple, actually.<BR>Going back from Segovia to the airport you just follow the A6 to the M40 and don't exit the M40 until you see the airport plane logo, then take the A 10 right to the airport.<BR><BR>Regarding Segovia hotels with parking, The Infanta Isabel right on the Plaza Mayor has a garage, and I think you'd really like the charming hotel (recommended in the Karen Brown guide and several others), right in the center of the action with absolutely everything walkable. Plus it's quite reasonably priced. See it here:<BR>www.karenbrown.com<BR>www.jrmoser.com<BR> <BR>Another Karen Brown favorite is Los Linajes, tucked into a corner next to the walls with lovely views of the countryside. It's a member of Estancias de Espana, a kind of poor man's parador.<BR>www.estancias.com <BR><BR>Hope this helps!

Maribel

Hi Anton,<BR>I just checked with Avis and Hertz for Madrid, and there's no longer an office at the Intercontinental Castellana. The hotel closed it when they finished their recent refurbishment (it was Hertz), but there is an AVIS office across the Castellana Blvd., 5 blocks below, at the Park Hyatt Hotel Villamagna. Directions out of town to Segovia remain the same.

Anton

Thank you for all your trouble Maribel! I think I will try to drive; just one more adventure.

Maribel

Anton,<BR>Let us know how your adventure turned out!<BR>Segovia is one of my very favorite Spanish cities (along with the other S's...)<BR><BR>There's also an Avis office around the corner from the Intercontinental Castellana on the side street Garcia de Paredes 94. It closes during siesta from 1-4 p.m. <BR><BR>Have fun!