Stately Segovia is perched high on a rocky promontory overlooking the rivers Erasma and Clamores at their convergence. In the distance 12 km (7.5 miles) away is the silhouette of the Sierra de Guadarrama. The Moorish Alcazar is seated precariously at the edge of the cliff, the Gothic tower of the Cathedral is centered in the Plaza Mayor; the famous Roman aqueduct is at the base of the hill. The lofty city of Avila is the highest provincial capital in Spain, crowning with its Herculean wall a rough landscape strewn with granite boulders. The Sierra de Gredos in the south of the province forms a scenic backdrop to Avila and beautiful rolling land lies in between; in its foothills along rivers, small mountain villages have embraced rural travelers and offer facilities and instruction for hiking, climbing and fishing in the area. In the city, the remarkable condition of the walls, and the wealth of Renaissance palaces and Romanesque churches placed in and around them along a maze of cobblestone streets makes for a modern-day medieval crusade. At the end of the 19th century a mining railway was being cut through the diminutive Sierra de Atapuerca east of Burgos when a series of caverns laden with prehistoric fossils was unearthed. During the course of the next century a veritable goldmine of prehistoric sites was discovered dating back over a million years and marking the Sierra de Atapuerca as the earliest human settlement in Europe. These are just a few of the amazing attractions in the region of Spain. The guide contains all the information you need, from where to stay and eat to what to see and do. Plus there are hundreds of color photos.
