In the old city of Segovia, on the plains of Old Castile, near the Spanish capital, Madrid

 "... I see skies of blue

And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world...."
-- Louis Armstrong
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(on the plains of Old Castile, near the Spanish capital, Madrid) Segovia is an old city with twisting alleyways, the highest concentration of Romanesque churches in all of Europe, and car-free streets, all bordered by a medieval wall and two rivers. In 1985, this sleepy Castillan town was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Segovia has always had a bit of legend about it, like the myths that the city was founded by Hercules or by the son of Noah. It may also have to do with the fact that nowhere else in Spain is such a great monument to Roman grandeur (the soaring aqueduct) surviving in the heart of a vibrant modern city. Perhaps, it's because art has imitated life Segovia-style -- Walt Disney is said to have modeled Sleeping Beauty's castle in California's Disneyland on Segovia's Alcázar (a royal palace built sometime around the 11th century where Queen Isabel agreed to fund Christopher Columbus’ exploration of the New World). Whatever it is, the effect is stunning: a magical city of warm terracotta and sandstone hues set amidst the rolling hills of Castilla, against the backdrop of the Sierra de Guadarrama.