We’ve made it through the coffee-fueled nights surrounded by mountains of books. We’ve dragged ourselves out of bed at the crack of dawn to claim the best spot in the library. We’ve lost sleep over upcoming exams and gone cross-eyed looking over essays. Now, finally, the first semester at IE University is coming to an end, and there’s nothing left to do but let our hair down and celebrate with our friends.
Luckily for us, there’s no shortage of places to do this in Segovia. Of course, there are always the usual Friday-night, post-week debriefing spots that have become a sort of second home, like 100 Montaditos, VIPS, or La Sureña, as well as the plethora of small bars dotted around the beautiful city center. There are also some less traditional, more unique options to discover. A prime example of this is Tuma, which specializes in Arabic food, and is spot-on with their quality-to-price ratio.
If you’re looking for a restaurant that can take on bigger gatherings, there’s a whole host of options available in Segovia. From personal experience, I would have to recommend Taberna Lobez, where our PLE class took part in “el amigo invisible” before the holidays. You will leave this place having experienced something typically Spanish; from the warmth of the atmosphere to the quality of the tapas and the other traditional dishes on the menu! Mirivan is another great spot, where they put their own twist on traditional dishes. Rooting themselves in the essence of Segovian gastronomy, they take the culture and tradition of this historic city, and give it a touch of modernity, boasting a selection of innovative culinary creations.
Much of Segovia’s food tradition finds its origin in the surrounding landscape. The province is a mixture of plateaus from Castilla, and mountains from Guadarrama and Somosierra. This results in an agriculturally rich region that supports good-quality livestock. Mesón Cándido stands out in the heartland of what is known as the ‘Castilian Roast’––famous for dishes like Cochinillo. The owner of this restaurant made a name for himself with the unusual and revolutionary method he used on the cochinillo, using plates to slice the meat.
Although the quality of the meat is generally on the tip of everyone’s tongue (as well as on their plates), the abundant source of water in the surrounding area, and the crops produced from it, help dispel the myth that there’s nothing to eat in Segovia besides pork. There’s cuisine available from a wide variety of countries, which reflects how multicultural Segovia has become. As well as Arabic food, there are plenty of other culturally diverse culinary delights, such as Asian or Italian food! This not only helps open up the city to visiting tourists but is also fully taken advantage of by the university students.
These are the little details that make Segovia such a dynamic and culturally appealing city to live in––especially as college students. We’ve got to take advantage of what the city has to offer while we’re here. These are the best years of our lives, and I can’t think of anywhere else I would rather live my college experience.
Discover more about the IE University Campus in Segovia in our brochure!
