Alcazar Tickets in Segovia: how to buy, prices and discounts

The Alcázar of Segovia is, together with its aqueduct, one of the city's main attractions. This iconic medieval castle is situated on top of a rock formation, dominating the city of Segovia and the countryside in all directions. In fact, this strategic defensive position has been used by different cultures over the centuries.

The Alcázar as we know it today was built in the mid-15th century by order of the Kings of Castile, who used it as a residence. Over the years, this important building has functioned as a royal palace, a military college and even a prison. From the entrance to the castle, which must be reached by crossing an imposing drawbridge that looks like something out of a film, to its majestic halls decorated with Mudejar and Christian elements, nothing about this visit will fail to surprise you.

You won't want to leave Segovia without visiting one of its most emblematic monuments, as the Alcázar is one of the most outstanding buildings in this Castilian city. To get your ticket to the castle, you have two different purchase options:

• The first option is to buy your ticket in person, i.e. on the day of your visit at the Alcazar ticket office. The ticket office is located next to the castle, in the Casa de la Química, and there you can buy tickets according to the type of visit you want to make.
• The second option is also the most advisable and consists of buying your tickets online on the official website of the Alcázar of Segovia. This option is the most advisable for two main reasons, the first is that the daily number of tickets to the castle is limited, so if you decide to buy them at the last minute, you run the risk of running out of tickets. The second reason why I recommend that you buy your ticket in advance is that you will avoid wasting time in case there is a long queue at the ticket office.

Another alternative to visit this magnificent Alcazar would be to book a guided tour of Segovia that includes a visit to the monument in question. This way, you won't have to worry about the entrance fee or following the tour, making it an ideal option to visit the city in depth and in a more convenient way.

There are different types of tickets to access the famous Alcazar of Segovia. When you buy your ticket to the castle, the first thing you will see is that the sections are divided according to whether you are looking for an individual ticket or if, on the contrary, you want tickets for groups.

The price and type of ticket will also depend on other factors, such as whether or not you want a guided tour by an expert or whether or not it includes access to some of the castle' s facilities.

Individual ticket

The individual ticket can be purchased in the two ways mentioned above, i.e. online or in person at the ticket office, and there are two types of tickets depending on the access to the facilities you want:

• The first individual ticket option includes access to all the castle facilities. By purchasing this type of ticket, you will be able to visit the Palace, the Artillery Museum and you will have access to the imposing Tower of Juan II, from where you can enjoy privileged views of the Old Town of Segovia.
• The second purchase option has a lower price and includes only the entrance to the Palace and the Artillery Museum. This alternative has been designed for people who for health or age reasons are unable to climb the Tower of Juan II, as to access it you have to climb a narrow spiral staircase with up to 152 steps.

Group ticket for concerted groups

This type of ticket is for groups of 15 people or more from the same association, institution, organisation or accredited company. With this type of ticket, the group of visitors can benefit from a reduced rate. In order to purchase this type of ticket, the group or institution must register in the system and must book in advance.

Educational group ticket

This type of ticket, like the previous one, is designed for groups and gives visitors a reduced rate. In this case, the group must be made up of students from the same school. To purchase this type of ticket, the person in charge of the educational centre must register in the system and the visit will require prior booking.

Tickets for professionals

Official tourist guides, tour operators, travel agencies and other companies in the tourism sector are considered to be professionals. In order to purchase this type of ticket, the professional must be duly accredited and must register in the system. Prior reservation is required for this type of ticket.

The price of tickets to the Alcazar of Segovia varies according to the type of ticket you wish to purchase. Tickets for groups and professionals have a special price, as they benefit from a reduced rate.

As for the price of individual tickets, there are two purchase options depending on the facilities you wish to access.

Individual ticket

with access to the Palace, Artillery Museum and Tower of Juan II This ticket includes access to all the facilities of the Alcazar. With it, you will be able to access the interior of the medieval Palace, the Museum, where you will have the opportunity to learn about the history of the Royal Artillery College and you will be able to climb the Tower of Juan II and enjoy the impressive views of the city.

The rates for this type of ticket are as follows:

• General rate: the general rate ticket costs around €9.
• Reduced rate: this rate is aimed at children from 6 to 16 years old, students, large families, unemployed or over 65 years old. The entrance fee is approximately €7.
• Rate for Segovians: residents or those born in Segovia will enjoy a reduced rate of approximately €2.
• Free admission: children under the age of 6, people with a disability equal to or greater than 65% and official tourist guides will be able to enjoy free admission to the Alcázar.

Individual ticket

with access to the Palace and the Artillery Museum With this ticket you can enter the medieval Palace, whose walls housed up to twenty-two different kings, and the Artillery Museum. This ticket is recommended for people who for health or age reasons are unable to climb the Tower of Juan II.

The rates for this type of ticket are as follows:

• General rate: the general rate ticket costs around €6.
• Reduced rate: this rate is aimed at children from 6 to 16 years old, students, large families, unemployed or over 65 years old. The entrance fee is approximately €4.
• Rate for Segovians: residents or those born in Segovia will enjoy a reduced rate of approximately €1.
• Free entrance: as with the other ticket, children under the age of 6, people with a disability equal to or greater than 65% and official tourist guides will be able to enjoy free entrance to the Alcázar.

Group ticket with access to all the facilities

This type of ticket includes access to all the facilities of the castle, i.e. you can enter the Palace, the Artillery Museum and you can climb to the top of the Tower of Juan II.

• The entrance fee for groups has a reduced rate of around €7 per person.

Group ticket with access to the Palace and the Artillery Museum

This type of ticket includes access to the Palace and the Artillery Museum. It is recommended for people who for health or age reasons are not able to climb the Tower of Juan II.

• The entrance fee for groups has a reduced rate of around €4 per person.

Free entrance

Free admission is available for groups of pupils from schools in the province of Segovia and groups of people at risk of exclusion.

The Alcazar of Se govia also has tickets that include a guided tour in which you can discover the history of this ancient medieval castle and its inhabitants over the years.

Guided tour with individual entrance

Hiring the services of a guide is a fantastic way to complete your visit, as this way you will be able to delve into the history of the magnificent Alcázar of Segovia and get to know in depth the mysteries and curiosities hidden in this fortress.

• Entrance with audio guide: if you want to learn about the history of the castle but prefer to visit it at your own pace, this option is perfect for you. The option of a visit with audio guide has a supplement of around €4 per person and you must request it at the ticket office on the day of the visit, even if you already have your ticket. This type of guided tour is also available in several languages.
• Guided tour of the Palace: if you prefer to visit thePalace with an expert guide who will accompany you as you learn about the history and secrets of the Palace, you have the option of hiring a guided tour. This option has a supplement of around €4 and to purchase it you will have to check availability at the ticket office when you buy your ticket.
• Exclusiveguide booking: if you want to make sure you have a guide available at the time of your arrival and you also prefer to have them do the tour exclusively for you, this is the option for you. This type of visit requires prior booking at least 72 hours in advance and to find out the exact price you must fill in the application form.

Guided tour for groups

If you wish to hire a guide exclusively for your group, you must do so at least 72 hours in advance. To request this tour option, you will have to fill in an application form and there is a supplement of around €50 per group. In addition, this option allows you to choose the language of the visit between Spanish, English and French.

If you are travelling to Segovia with children, visiting the Alcázar is one of the activities you can enjoy the most with the little ones. This sensational fortress is not only impressive for adults, but your young companions will have a great time walking through the corridors and learning about the history of this impressive medieval castle.

As if that wasn't enough, children can benefit from a reduced rate as long as their age is between 6 and 16 years old. And for children under the age of 6, entry to the castle is completely free. What's more, as the visit is not too long, you won't have to worry about the little ones having to take long, tiring walks.

The Alcazar of Segovia opens its doors from Monday to Sunday to the hundreds of people who visit it every day. If you travel to Segovia during the winter, you will find that its opening hours are very similar to those of the Cathedral, however, if you visit Segovia during the summer, you will find that the closing time is delayed during these months.

During the winter, which runs from 1st November to 31st March, the Alcazar is open from 10:00 to 18:00 h.

During the summer, which runs from 1st April to 31st October, the Alcazar is open from 10:00 to 20:00 h. The only exceptions to these opening hours are those of the Cathedral, which runs from 1st April to 31st October.

The only exceptions to these opening hours are 24 December, 31 December and 5 January, when opening hours are from 10:00 to 14:30 h, and 2 May, when opening time will be 12:00

Although the opening hours are as above, the following should be noted:

• Ticket sales and access to the interior will end 30 minutes before closing time.
• The last guided tour during the winter will start at 16:30 and during the summer at 18:30.
• The pass to go up to the Tower of Juan II will stop being sold in winter at 4:30 pm and in summer at 6:30 pm.
• The rooms will be vacated 10 minutes before closing time.
• The Alcazar is closed on 25 December, 1 January, 6 January, 4 April and 17 June.

The estimated time needed to visit the Alcazar is 40 to 45 minutes, which is the duration of the guided tours offered on the official website. However, the duration of the visit may vary depending on the pace of each person and whether or not they decide to go up to the Tower of Juan II, which could extend the time to about an hour and a half. In any case, the time needed for the visit is not too long, so you will have the opportunity to do it even if you only have one day in the city of Segovia.

Segovia is a small city and the best way to get from one place to another is usually on foot. However, there are different ways to get to the top of the Alcázar, depending on where you start from or the means of transport you want to use to get there.

Getting to the Alcázar on foot

Once you are in the city of Segovia, you will be able to get almost everywhere on foot, as it is very easy to get around on foot. This is the most recommendable option, as the walk from the Old Town is quite pleasant and the distance is short. To give you an idea, from the Plaza Mayor, which is located in the historic centre and can be considered the heart of the city, the walking distance to the Alcázar is only 12 minutes.

Another option, to make the tour more interesting, would be to hire a tour of Segovia. Specifically, there is a tour that guides you on foot from the Plaza del Azoguejo, where the Aqueduct of Segovia is located, to the Alcázar and during which you will make several stops at the main points of interest.

Getting to the Alcázar by car

Although it is possible to reach the Alcázar by car, this is the least recommendable option. This is due to the fact that there is no car park in the Alcázar and there are very few parking spaces in the surrounding area.

Furthermore, the few parking spaces that do exist and are close to the Alcázar are in the green zone, i.e. they are more expensive and limited in time than the blue zone, except on Saturday afternoons and Sundays when they are free. Another reason why it is not advisable to go to the castle by car is the difficulty of driving through the narrow streets of the Old Town.