Because of a sudden emergency at work, I wasn't able to leave town for the puente de mayo like I had planned. So I tried to make the best of the situation and made day trips out to Avila and then to Pedraza and Sepulveda. I would highly recommend all three places. I went to Avila on Friday, and it turned out to be a holiday there as well, with a pilgrimage that added to the normal tourists. The place was so packed that it was hopeless trying to find a place for lunch. The city walls were definitely impressive. The following day, I went to Pedraza and Sepulveda. Pedraza really is a jewel, with its walls and old buildings. From the castillo/parking lot, there are incredible views of the forested hills and valleys. Sepulveda also was stunning from a distance, and had an atmospheric plaza mayor, with old Spaniards with their canes and boinas.

Avila, Pedraza de la Sierra and Sepulveda--all are beautiful and well worth a visit. I especially love Pedraza as it reminds me of Santillana del Mar many, many years ago before it was "discovered" by tourists. It's picture postcard perfect! And Sepulveda is as "real" a town as you can find. --CC

We stayed two nights last week in Pedraza and really enjoyed it. The castle tour is great,and the artwork alone is worth the trip. A few tips however: 1. There only have allowed three hotels (no hostals, or albergues) in the town, and these are not cheap. 2. The good news is, that the newest of the three hotels, the Hospederia de Santo Domingo, is an incredible bargain at 85E/night+IVA. It is clean,beautifully designed and very classy. Our room opened out to a breathtaking view of the sierra, and given that they restrict access to cars trucks and busses in the town, it was very quiet. Additionally, the staff at the desk were very polite and service oriented. One night, we just sat out in the lobby, drank the rest of the bottle of our wine from dinner, and asked if they could put on a bit of de Falla, Rodrigo, or Granados in the lobby sound system. Of course they did, and we were in heaven. We discussed life in the province of Segovia, a bit of the history of the buildings, and a got a very nice discourse from the manager about the different types of birds that inhabited the Pedraza/Sepulveda/Duraton area. The next day we hiked up into the hills. Don't expect much in the way of things to do in this small village in the Guadarrama sierra, but you can count on a wonderful 21st century experience in a 16th/17th century castillian setting.

The Duraton area is just fantastic. If you can schedule a trip there, for sure you will have fun. It's a fantatic place, like taken from a fairy tale.