Last week I shared most of my photos from the charming town of Segovia, Spain. But I saved the best for last — I spend an hour exploring Segovia’s famous castle (known as the Alcazar) and it yields beautiful images.

If this Alcazar looks familiar, that may be because Disney designed Snow White’s castle in its likeness:

(via Real World Locations That Inspired Disney Movies)

The main entrance is on the back side, so my first view of the Alcazar is perhaps less grand than Disney’s rendering, but it’s impressive nonetheless:

Your friendly travel blogger says hello:

At the ticket office, I purchase a Full Ticket for 8 euros. They offer separate tickets for the Palace / Artillery Museum and the Tower of Juan II, since the Tower may be difficult to reach if you have mobility issues. (In the end, I barely see the Artillery Museum since it doesn’t hold much interest for me, but the Palace and Tower are both TOTALLY worth it.) It’s a self-guided visit but you can purchase an audio guide for 3 euros. These are the 2016 prices:

The guard who takes my ticket suggests starting with the Palace / Artillery Museum, but I am eager to take photos outside while it’s still sunny. (Also, a tour bus full of people arrive at the same time as me, and I want my own space to explore.) So instead of going the typical way, I detour to the Tower of Juan II and climb 152 steps to the top.

Totally worth it.

The views from here are pretty spectacular. Here’s a shot looking back towards Playa Mayor and the cathedral:

I love this angle looking down on the castle roof:

After photographing the tower views, I head back inside. There is more to see outside but it’s around the back of the Alcazar so I will get there in due time.

The interior of the Palace is full of rich details — suits of armor, colorful tapestries, floor-to-ceiling murals, stained glass windows, vaulted ceilings, impressive tiling, and ornate wooden doors. It’s lovely to photograph.

View outside one of the palace windows:

At this point, the tour path returns outside for more exterior views. I run into that giant tour group again here… so I wait about 5 minutes until they leave. Worth it to get shots without loads of people in them.

Next up is my favorite view of the entire Alcazar — a glimpse of the impressive hedge work in exterior courtyard below.

Looks like something out of a fairy tale, right? No wonder Disney’s animators found these views inspiring.

Back inside, I breeze through the Artillery Museum and snap a few pics. But the Palace and exterior views of the Alcazar are by far the highlight of the day for me.

In total I spend about an hour here, but that includes lots of time for photos. Also, be aware that the Alcazar is the furthest site from the train station, so it’s a bit of a trek to get here and back (though it’s scenic the whole way). Just allow enough time. There is a lot to see and do in Segovia and I easily spent five hours in total exploring all the city sites. One other suggestion: chose your footwear carefully. The streets are cobblestone (slippery for sandals!) and I was glad I wore my comfty hiking boots.