Toledo, Spain
Toledo is one of the oldest cities in Europe and it is a great day escape from Madrid alongside popular Avila, Segovia and El Escorial day tours.
A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1986, the medieval fortress city of Toledo was the capital of the Spanish empire until mid 1500s before it had been moved to Madrid.
You can get there by car, high speed train or most commonly by bus. Buses depart from Plaza Elíptica station every 30 minutes and it is just a 50-minute, 9 euro return bus ride from the Spanish capital.
When arriving in Toledo grab your map at Plaza Zocodover’s information centre and get ready to explore its historical cobblestone alleyways, its many museums, cathedrals and religious sites. Toledo is easily walkable, and offers scenic views because of its hilly location.
Here are some of the main visited sites in Toledo.
Catedral Primada Santa Maria de Toledo
Built on the site of a mosque, the Cathedral is ranked one of the greatest Gothic structures in Europe and Toledo’s main attraction. On its walls, alfrescos by El Greco, Goya, Raphael, Titian and Van Dyck.
Iglesia de Santo Tome
This church features a magnificent Mudejar style tower and it is home to one of El Greco’s masterpiece “El Entierro del Senor de Orgaz”.
Museo de El Greco
Toledo was home to the Greek-born painter El Greco in later life until his death. The museum’s building is a recreation of a traditional Toledo’s house of El Greco’s era. It has an extensive collection of paintings by the Spanish Golden Age artist and also works of his contemporaries.
Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca
It is a museum and a former synagogue that has been converted into a Catholic Church. It is one of the three synagogues that still remain in Spain after the expulsion of the Jews in the 16th century.
Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes
The monastery is a mix of gothic and mudejar styles and it was primarily built by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella with the intent of using it to house their tombs.
Museo de los Concilios y de la Cultura Visigotica (Iglesia de San Roman)
The museum walls are covered in Romanesque frescos and is dedicated to preserving the historic and artistic remains of the Visigoth culture. It also has many archeological pieces on display dated from 6th to 8th centuries.
Iglesia de os Jesuitas
his Barroque style building dates back to 1742 is set in one of the highest locations in Toledo and therefore offers great views of the city and its surroundings.
Toledo is undoubtely a great day break for those seeking to immerse themselves in some Spanish history and culture.
Photo by Colin Angus Mackay
