Discover Toledo through the eyes of Saul Schwartz, an American traveler exploring popular attractions around the Spanish capital. Wondering what must-see places to visit in and around Madrid? In this article, Saul takes a look at whether Toledo is worth a full day of your travel itinerary and recommends taking a free walking tour to discover the hidden gems of this World Heritage site.
Saul Schwartz
Toledo is probably the most popular day trip from Madrid, with most visitors arriving at the beautiful train station. The Toledo Train Station was built in 1919 and reflects the city’s historic architecture. The central part is flanked by two side naves, one of which is adjacent to the bell tower. The interior has beautiful stained glass windows, horseshoe arches and beautifully decorated doorways.
From the Toledo train station, it’s a very steep one-mile walk to the city center. This walk is very scenic and crosses the Tagus River, the same river we just saw in Lisbon, Portugal. We walked past buildings from the 16th century and earlier, including arched bridges built during the Roman period.
We chose Guru Walk for a free tour and tipped the tour guide. The tour is called “Discover Historic Toledo” and the guide is Alberto from “Follow Me Toledo”. The tour starts from Toledo’s main square, Zocodover Square. We walked past the bronze statue of Spanish writer Cervantes (author of “Don Quixote”) and entered the square through a large Moorish arch with a bell tower on top. There are a few fast food chains in the square, but there is a very good supermarket near the square where we bought food for dinner.
This tour focuses on how three different religions came together in Toledo at different times. Toledo is a special place, in part because of its Christian, Jewish and Muslim roots. We spent some time in front of Toledo Cathedral and decided to explore the interior after the tour.
We especially enjoyed learning about Toledo’s once large Jewish population. Although the Jewish population is now small, the 14th-century synagogue building has been converted into a museum. The Ghetto was where Jews lived during the Middle Ages. What we think is particularly interesting is how the city installed blue and white tile markers on sidewalks and ancient walls to identify the streets of the Jewish Quarter. The symbols include a menorah menorah and the word “life” written in Hebrew. At one entrance to the Jewish Quarter, there is an inscription on the street that reads “Jewish Quarter” in English, Hebrew and Spanish.
The tour ends with a visit to Casa Palacio Rincon. This ninth-century palace house has been converted into rental units but retains some of the charm of the ancient palace.
After the walking tour we chose to visit the Roman Catholic Cathedral. Tickets are purchased at the box office near the cathedral and cost €10 per adult. The cathedral is just a few steps away from Plaza Zocodover. The great Gothic architecture is not to be missed!
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The construction of the church began in the 13th century and was completed in the 15th century. Its exterior is an excellent example of French Gothic architecture. It is one of the most magnificent cathedrals in Spain. This temple is built on top of a Muslim mosque. There is a tower on the left side of the main facade. During the hike, we learned that there is a large bell on the tower that cannot be used due to cracks. The main facade has three doors.
The vast interior contains a lovely stained-glass rose window, as well as ribbed vaults and pointed arches. The artwork inside the church is impressive, including many works by Spanish artist El Greco. We were also in awe of the colorful ceiling mural.
The high-speed train ride from Madrid Atocha Station only takes about thirty minutes and costs 22 euros round trip. Very comfortable high-speed trains run several times a day. We are unable to purchase tickets online in advance on the Renfe website using a US credit card. When we went to Atocha train station to buy tickets, our time options for the day were limited.
Atocha’s large train station is under construction, making travel difficult. To make things even more confusing, there are several different ticket offices in Renfe, but only one that sells HSR tickets. I recommend allowing extra time to find a suitable ticket office and arriving early to have a wider choice of trains.
Saul lives in Alexandria, Virginia, and has lived in Washington, DC since 1984. He enjoys traveling around Europe with his wife and family, and particularly enjoys interacting with local residents and learning about life in their cities and countries.
Saul has previously shared his travel insights with us. look at his Lisbon 4-day city guide Or check out his travels Modern Athens – beyond the Acropolis or his obsession Vatican: The Pope’s Rome.
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