What to see in Toledo in 1 - 3 days?
Crossed by the Tajo River and known as the city of the Three Cultures, Toledo becomes the ideal city for a getaway for a few days. It is a magical city, since it excellently preserves its medieval structure. Do you like stories? Well, we assure you that this is your city.
In addition to being famous for its synagogues, mosques and churches, Toledo is the city of Greco and that is why In the city you will always see a brushstroke in every corner about the famous Mannerist painter.
Its viewpoints like the one in the Valley, its well-preserved medieval streets and its gates like the Puerta de Bisagra or the Puerta del Sol , they will welcome you to enter one of the most beautiful cities in all of Spain
Where do I start?
A different and fun way to discover a city.
Why visit Toledo?
She is the queen of Castilla la Mancha and with good reason, since its historic center is considered one of the best preserved medieval centers in Spain, which has made it become a Heritage City of Humanity
Visiting Toledo is visiting art, history, crafts and of course, gastronomy, something that you cannot miss in one of the most important cities in the history of Spain. Are you up for it?
The 12 essential places to see and do in Toledo
1. Toledo Cathedral
The Cathedral of Toledo is the seat of the archdiocese and is considered one of the most beautiful in Spain, not only for its structure but also for what it has meant in history and the number of monarchs who have been buried in it. It is without a doubt an essential stop in the city!
History of the monument
The location of the current cathedral was finally decided on a Visigothic church that existed in ancient times and which was later converted into a Muslim mosque. It was in 1805 with the conquest of Toledo by King Alfonso VI when the mosque became a Christian church, placing a provisional altar and a bell in the place and It is consecrated under the invocation of Our Lady of Peace.
The building that we see today began to be built as such in the year 1226, with King Ferdinand III The Saint and Archbishop Don Rodrigo Ximenez de Rada in command at that time. The latter knew the Notre Dame Cathedral very well, which is why he decided to bring a French architect to carry out the building and that is why the Cathedral has a very marked French Gothic style.
The construction lasted approximately 250 years, it was in 1493 with D. Pedro González de Mendoza, advisor to Isabel the Catholic as archbishop when the chapel of San Pedro and the chapel of Santiago are finally raised to finish this magnificent cathedral.
Architecture and interior of the Cathedral of Toledo
The structure has a very marked French Gothic style. It measures 120m long and 59m wide and has a beautiful tower, although originally it was going to have two. The façade has three portals, the Gate of Forgiveness right in the center, the Gate of the Final Judgment on the right and the Gate of Hell strong> to the left. It was restored in 1787, since the stone was deteriorating. The Clock Door is from the 14th century, the oldest and is on the north façade. It has other names, such as Puerta de la Feria, Puerta de la Chapinería or Puerta de las Ollas. We should also highlight the Puerta de los Leones strong, built in the 15th century. The statuary at the door is a great jewel, especially the Virgin of the mullion and the statues on the jambs.
The Tower was built in 1422 and is Gothic but with Mudejar touches. Inside is the treasure chapel and is made up of four bodies full of marble ash trees and pinnacles. It has a spectacular interior, made up of five naves with a transept and double ambulatory. Curiously, the distribution of the heads is reminiscent of that of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
The altarpiece is wonderful, one of the last Gothic before giving way to the Renaissance. I had many chapels, such as the Mozarabic Chapel, Chapel of the New Kings or the Main Chapel. Don't forget to take a look at the tomb of Cardinal Mendoza, the Chapter House and the Cloister.
Some of the monarchs buried here are Henry II and Henry III of Castile, Eleonor of Aragon or John I of Castile. As a curiosity, in the Cathedral there is a clock with a single handle and an elephant horn. Let's see who finds them first!
2. Santa María La Blanca Synagogue
Another of the essential places in Toledo is the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, jewel of Jewish culture in the city. It is made up of a forest of white columns, hence its name, which makes it a symbol of the city. It was built according to an inscription on one of its beams in the year 'four thousand nine hundred and forty', that is, in the year 1180 AD
In the 13th century, it was rebuilt and became a Christian temple a few years later. In the 16th century it was a penitential refuge for repentant women, and it was then that the three chapels and the altarpiece were built. Two centuries later it became a barracks. It has five separate naves in horseshoe arches, where the pillars are decorated with batteries.
In addition, it has a large amount of lace with medallions, rosettes, stars, etc. which together with the contrast of white make it considered the best place of Almohad art in Spain.
3. San Juan de los Reyes Monastery
You can't miss the Cloister, perhaps the best thing about the place, with a lot of decoration in reliefs of fantastic animals, vegetation and sculptures
4. Alcázar de Toledo
The building was ordered to be built by Charles V so that he could have, as he considered, a residence in keeping with the greatness of the monarch, so he decided to demolish the medieval castle that existed previously to build the palace that so much I wanted. Curiously, each facade has a style depending on the time of its construction, but always within the Renaissance, of course.
The building had many uses, such as the Crown prison, Military Barracks or the Infantry Academy. To make matters worse, it was burned down on several occasions, in the War of Succession, the War of Independence or at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, this time by chance. It was rebuilt in 1940 and crowned in 1961, serving as the Army Museum for many years. It's so worth it!
If you want a tip, take the guided tour so you can enjoy it even more!
5. Church of Santo Tomé
The Church of Santo Tomé was built in the 12th century, but was rebuilt at the end of the 14th century thanks to Lord of Orgaz, who added the Christian bell tower to the old Muslim minaret. The tower is one of the best examples of the Toledo Mudejar style, with glazed ceramic and its Visigothic niche inlays.
The most important thing in the church, we can affirm, is the painting of 'The Burial of Señor Orgaz', a painting of great value belonging to the famous and renowned painter 'El Greco'. It was a canvas commissioned by the Parish Priest Andrés Núñez of Madrid in memory of Mr. Orgaz himself. The painting was renovated in 1975 and moved within the church for better maintenance. It's a real marvel!
You can also take a look at the baptismal font from the 16th century or the image of the Virgin made of marble dating from the 12th century.
6. Plaza de Zocodover
This magnificent square has been the nerve center of the city for most of its history, acting as the main beach. Its name comes from sūq ad-dawāb, which means 'Beast Market', since it was used as a place to buy and sell livestock, although over time It began to be used as a market for all types of products.
It has also been the site of many reconstructions, in 1589 it burned down and in 1854 it had what is supposed to be the last restoration until today.
All events were held in Zocodover. It was the place where kings and other authorities were received and it was even the place where the acts of faith of the inquisition were carried out. To this day, it continues to be one of the essential places in Toledo, where year-end parties, concerts, rallies, Christmas markets, etc. are held.
A curious fact is that in the arcades that give access to the street and square of the Rey neighborhood, there is a column with several marks, called momb crosses that indicates that at least they died violently there. two people. That is why it is very common to leave obituaries nearby today.
Have you heard of fly alley? It was located in the square, and was used as a place to empty the bladder from time to time. How disgusting!
7. Church of San Ildefonso
The church of San Ildefonso, also known as that of the Jesuits, is located in the historic center and was inaugurated in 1629. It is the largest baroque temple in the city and if there is something we love here, it is its views.
It is said that it was built on the house of San Ildefonso, patron saint of Toledo. It has a wonderful Main Chapel and a very beautiful altarpiece with a fresco painting framed by columns and in perspective. The baroque altarpieces on each side make it an authentic museum.
It has twin towers more than 50 meters high, here you can see a wonderful view of the city with the Cathedral as the protagonist.
8. Monastery of Santa Clara
This cloistered convent dates back to the 14th century, and is made up of two of the oldest Mudejar palaces in Toledo.
The church has two parallel naves with beautiful works by Luis Tristán, Diego de Aguilar and Pedro de Cisneros.
We love the choir, with murals from the 15th century and beautiful walnut stalls from the 16th century and also the famous Claustro de los Laureles with its Mudejar style, where there is a mural painting that reflects the moment where the virgin imposes the chasuble on San Ildefonso.
The patio of the orange tree, which dates back to the 10th century, is the oldest area of the convent, which gives entrance to the Chapter House.
It is one of the few cloistered convents open to the public, so take advantage of it!
The Cristo de la Luz Mosque was built in the year 999, the great era of the Caliphate of Córdoba and is one of the most important monuments of Hispanic-Muslim architecture in Spain. It is not very big, but it is wonderful because of the Mudejar style it has. Two centuries later it was transformed into a church. It is the oldest monument in Toledo and is very similar to the famous Mosque of Córdoba.
Legend has it that in the reconquest of Toledo, the King's horse knelt upon reaching the mosque, currently marked with a white stone on the ground. When he tried his best to get the horse to get up and it didn't, they considered it a divine sign. Therefore, they excavated inside the same building and found a Crucified Christ with a candle that had been burning for 300 years.
If you want to see the Islamic Toledo, this is the perfect place.
From March 1 to October 15: from 10:00 to 18:45
From October 16 to February 28: 10:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.10. Puerta Nueva de Bisagra
La Puerta Nueva de Bisagra, as it is known in the city, is a monumental door that you can find in the walls. It is called the 'new' one because there is a smaller one, called Puerta Antigua de Bisagra. The name comes from bab al Shaqra, which in Muslim means 'Gate of the Holy'.
It is made up of two bodies joined by two walls, with a statue of Charles V. On the external side it has a semicircular arch on which there is a shield of the Imperial City with a double-headed eagle. You can't miss it because it's great to be able to go through it
11. Alcántara Bridge
One of the most beautiful sensations you can have is walking along the Alcántara Bridge. It is a bridge of Roman origin, although it was rebuilt in the 10th century. In one of its reconstructions a tower is attributed to it, but it was not the one that finally remained but rather the Catholic Monarchs when it was modified and decorated. It is 200 meters long and is supported by five pillars.
Our recommendation is that you take a walk at dusk, so you can enjoy the views of the Alcazaba from there. Toledo is magical from wherever you look at it, but this place is special.
Another bridge that you can visit is the San Martín Bridge, which was declared a national monument in 1921
12. Museums of Toledo
If you like to delve into the history of the city and culture, Toledo is a place where you can do so through museums. We give you the ones we like the most!
Army Museum:
It is based in the Alcázar itself. The history of Spain is shown and the contribution of the military world to the world is made known.
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except Monday
Currently free entry.
El Greco Museum:
It is the painter's house museum, where you can see where he lived and many of his works.
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (March 1 to October 31
Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (November 1 to February 28Entry: €3 and Reduced: €1.50
Free entry: Saturdays from 2:00 p.m.
Sephardic Museum:
It is located in the Tránsito Synagogue and in its exhibitions you can investigate the history of the Jews in Spain, their arrival to the peninsula and even their expulsion. It's very curious.
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
General admission: €3 and Reduced: €1.50
Free entry on Saturdays from 2:00 p.m.
Cheese Museum:
If you like Manchego cheese, look no further, this is your place. Here you can learn how real Manchego cheese is made and also do tastings. We love cheese!
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. / 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Free entry with tasting: €4
Santa Cruz Museum:
Located in the old Santa Cruz hospital. It is one of the most important museums in Spain. It has many paintings by Greco reflecting his evolution, although you can also see paintings and sculptures by other artists such as Nicolás Francés or Luis Tristán
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays: from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Admission: €4 and Reduced: €2
Free entry: Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m.
Where to eat in Toledo?
7 typical dishes of the gastronomy of Toledo
- Stewed partridge: It is a very popular dish, common at Christmas gatherings. Similar to a stew but with freshly hunted partridges and different spices. Our mouths are watering!
- Garlic or Castilian soup: Typical dish not only from Toledo but also from all of Castilla la Mancha. A soup based on garlic, eggs, oil and ham. To revive
- Pate de perdiz: Exquisite pâté made in the mountains of Toledo. More than a pâté, it looks like a mousse and is delicious
- Carcamusas: Another of Toledo's good stews, based mainly on beef and sauce. If they offer it to you as a tapa, don't look back and eat!
- Cooked 'Tres vuelcos': three vuelcos because according to tradition you eat the broth first like a soup, then the vegetables and chickpeas and finally the meats. It's brutal.
- Toledanas: After eating all of the above, you can't leave without trying a typical dessert like Toledanas. Angel hair, chopped almonds and dumpling shapes. It can never be bad!
- Toledo Marzipan: One more sweet? When you need to recharge your energy, discover the authentic Toledo marzipan, almonds and sugar, with a shiny and juicy finish thanks to the brushstrokes of egg. "
7 places to eat in Toledo unique and traditional dishes
- Bar Ludeña: It is a very typical and economical place in the center of the city. Perfect to try the typical food of the area. We recommend the carcamusas and the partridge
- Bar el Albero: Great quality to try those typical dishes, although not only from Toledo but also from the geography Spanish. The oxtail is great. It is located in Puerta Nueva de Bisagra.
- Bar el Trébol: Perhaps the best in Toledo for tapas and a refreshing drink. Also try the loin sandwiches, they are to die for.
- Bar el Peñón: a very appropriate restaurant to eat in Toledo, the stew is delicious fingers and also economical.
- Clandestina de las Tendillas: Fusion food restaurant to change a little from the typical. The suckling pig and the deer meatballs are not from this planet.
- El Botero: if you are around the cathedral and want a vermouth, El botero is your place. Very good typical dishes where the attention and the deer meat stand out.
- Tavern Skala: perhaps the best tavern in the city and the oldest. Highly recommended tapas and vermouth. You can't leave without trying the pork snouts.
Toledo with children
Are you going to travel to Toledo with the little ones? This city is great for traveling with the whole family. Spending a vacation in Toledo with children can be a lot of fun!
Take a look at the best plans for young and old in the province of Toledo. Are you in?
Mirador del Valle
The valley viewpoint is a very beautiful viewpoint where you can see the entire city. Also there you can see archaeological remains and a Hermitage. It can be a cool plan with the children to do a little sport
Historic Town Route for children
Toledo offers many routes set in stories and legends of the city and made for children such as the Mystery of the Witches or ghosts. It is a great plan for them to learn and enjoy at the same time.
Army Museum
Really all museums can be good options, but boys and girls enjoy it more when they see utensils of different shapes. In the army museum many enjoy the exposed weapons and military utensils. Like playmobil!
Toledo Tourist Train
Children love trains and Toledo is no less. It has a little train to visit emblematic places in the city that passes through the Mirador del Valle, in case you don't want to walk there.
Zipline
The longest urban zipline in Europe is in Toledo, and if you are a teenager you will love to jump down it and cross the Tagus River. It's a very cool experience!
Toledo petfriendly
More and more cities are being adapted so that we can travel with our pet, but unfortunately, Toledo is not a very Pet-friendly city so to speak. There are not many restaurants or hotels that allow animals, but the curious thing is that the law does not prohibit it, it is decided by the criteria of the owners.
Even so, we give you some of the things you can do with your pet:
Places to go with dogs in Toledo
- Walk through the Old Town: We are lucky that Toledo is beautiful and no one prevents us from walking, so it is always a good option to see the monuments from the outside and if you do it with a free tour, even better.
- Tourist train: This option is very good to do something different and they also allow pets to board. As we have already told you before, it is a great way to go to the Mirador del Valle.
- Exhibitions: Some exhibitions can be seen such as 'Catapults and siege machines' in the Posada de la Hermandad, 'Exhibition of the Templars' on San Clemente street or 'Witches and creatures fantastic' on Hombre de Palo street
Pet-friendly hotels in Toledo
- Toledo Rooms Apartments. Star Alley, 5.
- Hotel Sercotel Pintor el Greco (4*). Calle de los Alamillos del Tránsito, 13.
- Hotel Cigarral El Bosque (5*). Navalpino Highway.
Accessible Toledo
The adapted tourism in Toledo is incredible. It has countless places to go sightseeing without any problem and we were able to experience it first-hand. We leave you some of our favorite adapted and accessible sites:
- Museum and Parish of Santo Tomé: There are no mobility problems, including stopping to see the painting.
- Paseo de Recaredo: It has adapted areas and you can make an external visit to the walls of the Alfonso IV gate
- Plaza de Zocodover: It has a pedestrian area with a good smooth pavement and many tight terraces
- Toledo Cathedral: It has parking for people with reduced mobility and accessible routes and adapted bathrooms.
In addition, there are many more places with accessibility, since as we told you, Toledo is very well adapted to people with disabilities. You can visit almost all the museums, monuments and tourist buses.
A tip: You can take a route of accessible Tourist Interest that is very good. It starts in the Plaza de Zocodover. Enjoy!
Toledo by night
Although one may think not, mistakenly, apart from being a monumental city great Toledo also has a fabulous nightlife great for having a good time between visits. Enjoy the nightlife of Toledo. These are our favorite places to party in the city!
Beer lovers
If what you like is a craft beer in Instead of a cocktail, we recommend that you go to Cervezas Domus, a perfect place for beer drinkers with many craft beers and other types. It can also be a good place The Crowd Funding, where in addition to cocktails you can order a large number of beers.
Cocktails in Toledo
If what you prefer are Cocktails we definitely recommend Mama Pacá, order a huge drink or one of their many shots. Café Garcilaso can be a good option for that moment of coffee and a drink. If you want to start the night with some tapas and a drink, we recommend El Gallo. Toledo has everything!
Discotheques of Toledo
Toledo also has places to end the night with a good dance. Sithons nightclub is great for a crazy party. Although you can also go to The Crowd Funding as we have mentioned before since it is also a disco or even to the Sala Pícaro, a place where they do theater and parties
How to get to Toledo?
How to get to Toledo by car
It is very easy to get to Toledo by car, because it is a very well located city and close to the capital. If you are going to Toledo from the south, the ideal is to take the Autovía del Sur or the A-4. If, on the other hand, you come from the north, you can connect with Madrid on the A-42 or the Toledo highway
How to get to Toledo by train
It is a very good option since traveling by car through the city is not the best. Especially if you come from Madrid or the north, because you have many trains with direct connection from the capital that you can connect with any part of the country. From Madrid it takes about half an hour.
How to get to Toledo by bus
The bus station is located on Avenida de Castilla La Mancha. THE Alsa company has good combinations to get to the city and in a very economical way, yes, many of them pass through Madrid if you come from the center or north. And if you go from the south it usually connects with Córdoba or Madridejos
How to get to Toledo by plane
Toledo does not have an airport as such, but the luck is that it is very close to the Madrid Barajas international airport, from where flights arrive from all over the world. To get from the Airport to Toledo, you can take the metro to the 'Nuevos Ministerios' station, in the center of Madrid and from there take a train that in half an hour, as you already know, will leave you in Toledo.
How to move around Toledo
- Bus
- Bike
- Taxi
- Train tourist
12 most beautiful towns in Toledo
-
- Consuegra
- Escalona
- Barrancas de Burujón
- Esquivias
- Talavera de la Reina
- Maqueda
- Guadamur
- Orgaz
- Illescas
- Ocaña
- Puebla de Montalbán
- Consuegra
Información general de Toledo
SOUVENIRS AND GIFS IN TOLEDOEspada Toledana Figuras o imanes de Don Quijote Replicas cuadro de El Greco Queso Manchego |
WORKOUT IN TOLEDOParque de las tres culturas Senda Ecológica Fuente del moro Escuela de gimnasia |
CULTURAL EVENTS TOLEDO |
WHERE TO SLEEP IN TOLEDO |
SHOPPING IN TOLEDOCalle Comercio con las Cuatro Calles) Barrio de Santa Teresa Centro Comercial Luz del Tajo Parque Comercial La Abadía Centro comercial Puerta de Toledo |
TOURIST GUIDES OF TOLEDO |
Toledo City map
- On this urban map of Toledo you can see the main monuments of the city and the places of interest that we have described in the article. We want you to make the most of your visit. Take into account all the sites we have mentioned.If you miss one to visit, don't worry! It is always good to have some excuse to return to this beautiful city in Spain.
How to see our map of Toledo?
We have differentiated the sections we recommend by color.Transport Map of Toledo
Did you like this guide to Toledo? We hope it is very useful to you. We have really enjoyed doing it and visiting all these places.
| The best free walking tours in Toledo - FREE BOOKING! |
