Saelices offers two distinct focuses for a stay: the town centre and the Segóbriga Archaeological Park. The park is within the municipality, on the southwestern edge of Cuenca province and about four kilometres south of the town centre. Saelices itself lies on a hill above the valley of the Cigüela River. When planning your visit, you can decide whether to focus on the archaeological site, local life or both.
Segóbriga: tour and interpretation
The Segóbriga Interpretation Centre is at the entrance to the Archaeological Park and is the starting point for the visit. Its facilities include a large car park, a reception foyer, an exhibition room and an audiovisual room. The tour of the archaeological site passes the Roman theatre. Independent visitors follow a set route along paved paths.
Various formats are available to help you find your way around and learn about the site: the Archaeological Park offers an MP3 audio guide. A virtual reality experience presents 3D reconstructions of the site throughout its history. At selected points, you can use augmented reality reconstructions with the free Parques XR Castilla-La Mancha app. These options let you incorporate historical explanations into your tour in different ways.
From hillfort to Roman city
Segóbriga began as a Celtiberian hillfort. After the Roman conquest, it became a Roman city at the beginning of the 2nd century BC. Under Augustus, Segóbriga was granted the status of a municipium, a settlement of Roman citizens. The site’s history spans more than a single era: its Celtiberian beginnings, development as a Roman city and later status as a municipium are all part of its past.
The extraction of lapis specularis also shaped Segóbriga. This translucent gypsum material was used to cover windows, and Segóbriga was a centre for its extraction. The city controlled a vast area and was the capital of this part of the plateau. Its economic rise was connected to its role as a transport hub. Some tombs in the northwestern necropolis are open to visitors today. They are part of a burial necropolis that was used from the 4th to the 7th century AD.
Town centre, architectural history and festivals
The Church of San Pedro Apóstol is in the centre of Saelices, next to the town hall, and can be reached via Calle de la Concepción. Its polygonal apse is a distinctive architectural feature; construction of the church began in 1577. Alongside the archaeological site, the town centre therefore offers its own way to explore the town’s architectural history.
Festivals also shape the annual calendar: the festival of the Virgen de los Remedios takes place in May, and the festival of the Cristo del Amparo in September. As part of Saelices’ festivities, the traditional pilgrimage travels from Saelices to the hermitage of the Virgen de los Remedios, which is next to the Roman archaeological site of Segóbriga. The living tradition also includes tunos, serranas and dancers, accompanied by drum and dulzaina. If you want to include a particular festival or event in your travel plans, check the dates in advance.
Landscape and trails
For a day’s hiking, the PR-CU 63 El Hito-Segóbriga is a clearly described option: the trail is listed as open, follows a linear route, is 12.41 kilometres long and is rated easy. This lets you add a designated hiking trail to your stay without confusing it with the tour of the archaeological park. The landscape of Saelices and the history of Segóbriga are distinct aspects of the destination.
Discover more destinations: Huélamo, Casas De Benítez, El Cañavate, El Arrabal, Los Eustaquios, Villar Del Humo, Iniesta, Almonacid Del Marquesado.
For the wider travel overview: Cuenca.
