Toledo (Spain)

Travel Guide Europe Spain Castile-La Mancha Toledo

Introduction

Toledo

Toledo is one of Spain's most popular destinations, and with good reason: it has a rich heritage and a long, proud history. It served as the capital of Visigothic Spain between the 4th and 8th centuries AD, flourished under the empire of the Moors, and became the home of the royal court of the Kingdom of Castille during the Middle Ages.

Embraced on three sides by the Tagus River, Toledo's walled old city has a historic charm, even if the thriving tourist trade has diminished the experience somewhat. The town's most popular attractions are the Alcázar and the Cathedral, but walking the narrow cobbled streets is in itself a rewarding experience. The presence of mosques and synagogues emphasises the cultural diversity of Toledo's past.

Toledo has a population of around 77,000 and is located in the heart of Spain, just 70 km south of Madrid in the region of Castile-La Mancha.

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Sights and Activities

Toledo's Wall from the outside

The Old City

The Old City is nicknamed the "City of the Three Religions", as once Catholics, Jewish and Islamic people coexisted here without many troubles. It is also the former capital of Spain, until Felipe II, moved the seat of power to the new capital Madrid, where he could get away from the powerful Catholic church, which in his eyes had become too powerful. The Old city is a maze of small streets, and a couple of squares, including the central Plaza de Zocodover. In the old city there are numerous sights one can visit, including the Cathedral, The Synagogue del Transito and many old churches.

Alcazar

The Alcazar makes any panoramic picture of Toledo instantly recognisable. The large building was once used as a Roman Palace and later used by the Moors until it was retaken during the reconquista. It was severely damaged during the Spanish Civil War, as a battle took place at here that lasted for 70 days. After the war it was rebuilt and it now houses an army museum and the regional library of Castilla y la Mancha.

Cathedral

Toledo

The Catedral Primada Santa María de Toledo dates back to the 13th century, when construction was started on this Gothic church. It was finished in 1493. Inside, the work to decorate the Cathedral went on for many centuries mixing up various styles. In the original plan the Cathedral should get two towers, but in the end only one of the towers was built.

Synagogue del Transito

The Synagogue is one of the two remaining synagogues in the city. It can be visited and has exhibitions about the Jewish culture in Toledo.

El Greco's House and Museum

On Calle Samuel Levi 3, the famous painter El Greco lived and worked. He spend many years in Toledo and produced some of his most famous pieces here. In the house you can find a couple of his works including a splendid painting with a panoramic view of Toledo.

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Events and Festivals

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Getting There

By Train

Coming from Madrid (Atocha) you can reach Toledo in 30 minutes. Check the Renfe Spanish Railway for current timetables, or for details on how to get from Toledo to other cities.

By Car

The A42 motorway connects Toledo to Madrid. From Toledo you can take several motorways to other cities in Spain.

By Bus

Long distance buses are very common in Spain, so it is likely that you can get a busline to take you to Toledo from a lot of place. If you want to visit Toledo while you are visiting Madrid, you can go to the bus station near the metrostation of Méndez Alvaro. The journey to Toledo takes one hour.

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Getting Around

Toledo

By Car

Only people with a permit can enter the old city, so if you go by car, you have to park your car somewhere outside the city walls.

By Public Transport

There are busses going from the train and busstation to the old city. It's best to get out at the plaza de Zocodover, one of the bigger squares in the town, and to venture into old Toledo from here.

By Foot

From the bus station or the train station it's only a short walk to the old city. If you don't want to make the climb, there are escalators that can take you to the old city. The old part is a maze of small streets, making it difficult to find your way.

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Eat

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Drink

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Sleep

Budget

Property	Address	Type	Popularity
Apartment Doncellas	Calle del Colegio de Doncellas 2	Guesthouse	100
Hostal Sol	C/ Azacanes 8	Guesthouse	89
Hotel Sol	Azacanes 15	Hotel	89
Hotel Toledo Imperial	Horno de los Bizcochos, 5	Hotel	94
Kris Domenico	Cerro del Emperador S/N Carretera de Cobisa	Hotel	93

Mid-Range

Upscale

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Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

Post

If you want to post a card, you can head to the post office (Correos). The Spanish post is not yet as efficient as colleagues in other countries so receiving a card can take a bit longer than the number of days that it should take. On the website of Correos, you can find the locations of nearby post offices.
Post offices are generally open from 8:30am to 2:00pm, although times can vary and the main post office usually is open until the early evening. Most will also open again on Saturday mornings, but in the smaller towns will close as early as 12 noon. When posting a letter, look for a yellow box and, if possible, post at the post office itself where there will also be divisions for local, national and international mail. Be prepared for long queues at the post office. This is why tobacco shops sell stamps and many will also have the facility to weigh packages.
Standard letters/postcards of up to 20 grams sent within Spain are €0.34. However, non-standard letters/postcards of up to 20g are €0.39. Letters/postcards of 20 to 50 grams are €0.45. In the case of international shipping, the price is €0.64 to most countries within Europe for standard envelopes (letters/postcards) up to 20g, for a few European countries and outside Europe it is €0.78.