► what to do in TOLEDO 2024 | travel guide 🇪🇸 #159

In a country of superlative cities it is hard  to imagine a Spanish city more incredible, more beautiful, better preserved and full of  surprises than our destination today. Join us on our trip to Toledo, a world heritage  city and one of our great Spanish passions. Here begins a complete guide to Toledo. First  we'll present you with an extensive list of the cities must-see attractions; we'll talk  about the essential tourist wristband, which will help you save quite a few euros;  we'll discuss

how much time to spend in Toledo; share a basic guide to accommodation in the  city; we'll talk about some of our favorite places to eat and drink in the city; we'll  you what the typical local souvenirs are; and we'll finish by explaining how to  get to Toledo. Hola, ¿qué tal? Hello, I am Tony Gálvez from Road Trip Spain and  Portugal and Travel Guides Spain and Portugal, where we help you plan the perfect trip with  practical information, insider tips and our very own travel guides. Let's sta

rt with the  must-see places in Toledo, in alphabetical order. Competing with the cathedral in terms of  magnificence, the Alcázar de Toledo is the most prominent presence in the city  skyline. In addition to its sheer size, it helps that it stands on the highest point in  Toledo. Emperor Charles I, Charles V of Spain, had it built as his residence. The palace was  built on the site of an ancient medieval castle, of which only a section of wall remains, which  can be seen walking around the buil

ding. However, the palace was never a royal residence. Shortly  before its completion the Spanish Court moved to Madrid. Over the centuries, the Alcázar has  had several uses. It has been a prison, barracks, an artisan's workshop and the headquarters of the  Infantry Academy. It suffered several fires and was almost completely destroyed during the Spanish Civil  War. Its reconstruction was completed in 1960. The Alcázar is currently occupied by two very different  institutions. The first, a tena

nt of the Alcázar since 2010, is the Museo del Ejército, the Army museum. The museum occupies part of the Alcázar building and also some modern facilities next to the north façade of the  building. The entrance to the museum is through the north façade as well. Is the museum worth a  visit? We think so, not so much for the contents on display, which may be of interest to those who like  this type of museums, but for the container, for the fact that it allows you to see the magnificent  building

from the inside. Starting with the archaeological remains of the Alcázar, including the  Islamic wall -its remains can be seen because they were preserved inside the new building. Continuing  with the magnificent north façade, with with its gigantic imperial coat of arms, a façade work of  the architect Alonso de Covarrubias. And finishing with a beautiful rectangular interior courtyard,  with a classical air and a statue of Charles V in the center. If you are interested in visiting  the Army mu

seum check the opening times, as it tends to close early making it very difficult  to include it in a visit to the city for those making a day trip from Madrid. All the more reason  to sleep in Toledo, as we'll talk about later. In the first comment below the video you will find  links to all the places mentioned throughout the video where you can check prices, when relevant, and  opening hours. The second institution, tenant of the Alcázar since 1998, is the Biblioteca de Castilla-La Mancha, th

e library of Castilla-La Mancha, which occupies the top floor of the Alcázar, on the south façade of the  building, on the other end of the Army museum. At a time when tourist activity seems to be running over  the rights of the residents of many Spanish cities like a steamroller, we would never mention in a  video with tourist information an institution that has a very specific function, such as a library. But it turns out that it is the library itself that invites visitors to get to know it, a

nd has  even created a tourist route through its interior. And the main reason for visiting the library is  its extraordinary views. Due to its location at the highest point in Toledo it offers panoramic views  of the city and its surroundings from its numerous windows and vantage points. It is difficult to say  which view is more beautiful. Views of the city of Toledo and also views of the inner courtyard  of the Alcázar which can be seen from the upper terrace, accessed from within the library

. Want more  reasons to visit the library? It is open till late, admission is free and there is also a very small  cafe with very cheap prices for a quick break. In the heart of Toledo, rising majestically among  the low buildings of the historic center, stands an unmistakable silhouette that rivals the Alcázar  in historic importance: the Cathedral of St Mary, Cathedral de Santa Maria, also known as the primate  Cathedral of Spain. It is one of Spain's great Gothic Cathedrals, but as it took mo

re than two and  a half centuries to complete it inevitably blends several architectural styles. It was built over the  great Mosque of Toledo which in turn had been built over a Visigothic church. It is considered the  most important cathedral in the country due to its history and the fact that the most important  Catholic prelates have always lived in Toledo. The city was also the capital of the Catholic  faith in Spain. Despite its wealth and splendor on the outside, the visitor is hardly pre

pared for  the succession of wonders that can be seen inside the Cathedral, of which we will only show a small  selection here. The altarpiece of the Main Chapel consists of five sections with scenes from the New  Testament and life-sized gilded and polychrome wood carvings. It was commissioned by Cardinal Cisneros  and made by artists from Burgundy, Flanders and Spain. It was also Cardinal Cisneros who ordered the  construction of the chapter house, with a marvelous coffered ceiling and paintin

gs on the walls depicting  scenes from the life of the Virgin and Christ and portraits of the first archbishops of Toledo. The  Transparente, transparent, is an architectural work carried out in the 18th century. An opening was  made in the wall through which light enters the upper part of the apse. The light that enters  from outside the church ends up illuminating the Tabernacle. The Sacristy is a fairly large part  of the church made up of several rooms that form a true art gallery, with pain

tings by artists such  as Goya, Zurbarán, Rubens, Caravaggio and El Greco. The cloister is one of the largest spaces in the cathedral . As there was never an order of monks in the cathedral, the cloister was used for storage, as  a classroom, as a place for commercial transactions and even for municipal meetings. These were some  of the highlights of the cathedral but, believe us, there are many more amazing places inside. There  is a fee to visit the cathedral and the entrance ticket includes a

n audio guide. These tickets  can be purchased online or at the Cathedral shop located in front of one of the side façades  of the cathedral. If you are interested in art, be warned that the visit takes time and 2 hours  inside the cathedral will pass quickly. In the so-called Cuevas de Hércules, caves of Hercules,  you will discover a museum space that presents the history of the place, which has had different  uses throughout history. It was a cistern in Roman times. A Christian temple in Visi

gothic times. Later  a mosque and then a Christian Temple again. Access is free. The Jesuit church is also known as the  Church of San Ildefonso because it stands on the house of Toledo's patron saint. It is the largest  Baroque Church in Toledo and like the cathedral it emerges over the rest of the buildings in the  city. Its façade stands out with two side towers. Construction began in 1629 and it took 136  years to complete. The interior of the church is organized around a large central nave

surrounded  by small side chapels. You will be interested in entering the church because the entrance fee, in  addition to visiting the interior of the temple, includes a climb up the tower. The climb is done  on foot up several staircases. The staircases are wide and well maintained but it takes a minimum  of fitness and breath to get to the top. You go up one tower and down the other. The effort of  the climb is compensated by a spectacular panoramic views of the city of Toledo. If you don't 

have mobility problems, don't miss the views. Even if you are not very fit, you can make the climb at  a leisurely pace. The Jesuit church is included in the pulsera turística, the tourist wristband, which  we will talk about in the video. The Church of San Román is hidden away in a little visited area of  Toledo. The church now deconsecrated and declared a listed building. It houses the museum of councils  and Visigothic culture, a Christian culture that developed in the 7th Century. It is a fa

scinating  13th century mudéjar Church. The mudéjares were Muslims who remained in the Iberian Peninsula  after the end of the Reconquest and who created Christian works with a strongly Muslim influenced  artistic language. Originally the bell tower was separated from the main church, in the style of the  Arab minarets. The fascinating interior of the old church combines Arab and Christian elements, such  as a horseshoe arch and a Renaissance dome. The Museum's collection includes statues, illum

inated  manuscripts, and gold and silver treasures, as well as reproductions. The Church of Santo Tomé is a 12th  century mudéjar temple located in the Jewish quarter of Toledo. It is famous for housing El Greco's most  famous painting, The Burial of the Lord of Orgaz. When we entered the sacristy of the cathedral we mentioned  the works of El Greco, Domenikos Teotocopulis, an artist who was born in Greece, lived in Italy and  ended up settling in Toledo, where he died. El Greco is today a very

important symbol for Toledo and  his image and works can be seen in many corners of the city. The canvas depicts the burial of the  benefactor of the church in the presence of St Augustine and St Steven, who miraculously appear  at the funeral to thank the deceased for the money donated to various religious institutions. Although the Count's funeral took place in the 14th century, El Greco painted the attendants in  16th century clothes and included portraits of people known to the painter. At t

hat time it was  customary for his contemporaries to attend the funerals of eminent and noblemen of the city. There is no record of the identity of the people portrayed in the painting but third from the left  is a self-portrait of El Greco himself. The Church of Santo Tomé is included in the tourist wristband.  The Iglesia del Salvador, the Church of the Savior, was originally a mosque, so it faces Southeast  towards Mecca. On the right side of the interior nave of the church are a series of ho

rshoe arches  resting on Roman columns. In recent years the local authorities have carried out restoration  and recovery work on the remains of the mosque of the Savior. To see the recovered structural  elements one must pass through the ruins on the left side of the nave, through a vaulted space and  out into a courtyard. Another interesting element of the building is the old minaret, now a bell tower,  which has been incorporated into the main church building and is is no longer isolated from

the  rest of the church. It is possible to climb to the top of the tower but the ascent, despite a  renovated staircase, is a bit complicated and the limited views are not worth the effort. The  Church of El Salvador is included in the tourist wristband. Toledo's Jewish legacy is very present  in its Judería, the Jewish quarter, one of the most important in Spain. It occupies an important part  of Toledo's historic center, with its narrow streets full of surprises. The Jews inhabited the  Toledo

Jewish quarter until their expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492. The Jewish quarter  had up to 10 synagogues. As a way of honoring the Jewish Legacy in Toledo, the local authorities have  placed on the floor of the Jewish quarter several tiles with three different symbols: the word life  in Hebrew; the seven branched candelabrum; and the symbol of the network of Spanish Jewish quarters,  which resembles a map of the Iberian Peninsula. In this list we are still going to see other places 

with strong links with Toledo's Jewish past, such as the synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca and the  synagogue of El Tránsito. The small and unique 10th century Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz, the mosque of the Christ of Light, today the Ermita del Cristo de la Luz, is the only surviving Mosque of the 10 mosques that once stood in the city of  Toledo, and is also the oldest monument in Toledo still standing. Built over a Visigothic church, the  mosque is one of the oldest Muslim monuments in Spa

in. An Arabic inscription on the façade indicates  that it was built by Musa Ibn Ali in 999. It was converted into a church in the 12th century, a  beautiful example of mudéjar architecture. Despite its small size, the mosque was of great importance  during the Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula. It was a strategically located in the  wealthy quarter of the city and close to the Alcazaba, a lofty fortress that stood where the Alcázar  of Toledo is today. It has a square floor plan, 9 meter

s wide and divided into four vaulted compartments.  It is inspired by the great Mosque of Córdoba, like a miniature copy, and the vaults are replicas  of those in Cordoba. Next to the mosque there is a small peaceful garden, it is worth strolling through  it to contemplate the views of the northern wall and the Puerta del Sol from another perspective.  The Cristo de la Luz is included in the tourist wristband. You have probably seen photos or videos  with a wonderful view of Toledo, with the cit

y on top and the Tagus river surrounding it. It is a  spectacular view that allows you to contemplate how the river becomes the natural boundary of the  city and determines its shape and growth. A ring road runs completely around the historic center  of Toledo, partly following the course of the river. Along this road, to the south of the river,  there are several viewpoints with car parks and even information plaques that help to identify the  city's main monuments. For those who like walking t

he road is a very nice stroll and allows you to go  around Toledo in about a couple of hours. But if you visit Toledo for a day you will not have time  to waste wandering around outside the city because there is so much to see inside. The truth is that  most people who visit Toledo as a day trip from Madrid hardly get to see these wonderful views of  the city from the viewpoints, which is a real pity. Here's our advice. There is an easy way to get to  the viewpoints without sacrificing too much

of your sightseeing time. If you arrive in Toledo  by train or bus, get a taxi at the gate and ask the driver to take you to the center but first stop  at the viewpoints. The taxi driver will stop at the main viewpoints and give you time to take as many  photos as you like. The cost of the journey will be the cost shown on the taximeter, and the longer  you stay at each viewpoint the more expensive it will be. But you can calculate that for around 20  to 20€ per taxi you can do the round trip. I

f you are traveling with more people it is a great  investment, you will not miss out on the most beautiful views of Toledo and you will get to the  city center easily. However, if the viewpoints are beautiful during the day, when night falls they  become a spectacle, with the city first bathed in the light of the sunset and then illuminated. For  this reason, the viewpoints are very popular at the end of the day. Piece of advice slash reward for  those who sleep in Toledo. If you sleep in the c

ity you can get to the viewpoints at the end of the  day by taking bus line 71, which leaves from the city center. You can catch it right in front of  the entrance to the Army museum, at the foot of the Alcázar. Get off at the hotel Cigarrales stop -if  in doubt, ask the driver- and walk 5 minutes to the viewpoints. Check the bus timetables to make sure  you don't have to walk back into town. We have put a link in the first comment below the video  with bus information. You can buy the ticket fr

om the driver. The monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, St John of the Kings, is one of the most beautiful Gothic temples in Spain. The monastery was founded  by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile to commemorate their victory  over the Portuguese at Toro in 1476. As the victory at Toro was so important, the Kings designed the  monastery to be their future mausoleum. But in 1492, with the conquest of Granada, they changed their  minds and decided that the Andalusian

city would be a better place for their eternal rest. Before  entering the temple look on the alter wall for the chains that belong to the Christian prisoners  freed in the battles against the Muslims, and which the queen ordered to be placed there in 1494. The  monastery is an example of Hispano Flemish Gothic style. The church was completed in 1504 and is  dedicated to St John the Evangelist. The church is in the form of a Latin cross with short arms  and is distinguished by the large coats of

arms of the Catholic monarchs, held by eagles. The letters Y  for Isabel and F for Fernando can also be seen. The splendid lower cloister was also completed in 1504. It has a small garden. The ceiling of the cloister is formed by ribbed vaults. The upper cloister, completed  in 1526 and restored in the 19th century, contains mudéjar decoration, including a beautiful coffered  ceiling. The coffered ceiling, known as artesonado. is an outstanding element of mudéjar architecture,  consisting of woo

den mouldings with pictorial motifs. The phrase "tanto monta", chosen by King  Ferdinand to express that the means chosen to solve a problem do not matter as long as they  lead to a solution, is present in the decoration. Shortly after its completion, the Catholic monarchs  left the monastery in the care of Franciscan monks. During the invasion of Spain by Napoleon's  troops, the monastery suffered serious damage. Later in the mid 19th century it was abandoned  and the building was finally resto

red after the Spanish Civil War and the franciscans reoccupied  it in 1954. The monastery is included in the tourist wristband. Given the importance of the figure of  the painter El Greco for the city, which we have already mentioned in the video, it should come as  no surprise to find the El Greco Museum in Toledo. The House Museum, founded in 1910, occupies an early  20th century house with very pleasant gardens in the Jewish quarter of Toledo, very close to the  house where El Greco lived. Wh

en the museum was founded the idea was to recreate El Greco's  house and his working space inside, although it is now known that El Greco did not actually  lived here. The main aim of the museum is to raise awareness and promote the figure of the painter,  his work, and his influence on other artists. The museum's collection includes some 20 works by  Domenikos Theotocopulus, El Greco, among them the 13 paintings that form part of the valuable Apostolate and  the painting known as View and plan

of Toledo. There are also works by other artists. Yhe Greco  museum is a recommended visit for those staying overnight in Toledo who are interested in art or  the work of El Greco. The Museum of Santa Cruz, of the Holy Cross, occupies the building of the former  Hospital the Santa Cruz, an institution founded by Cardinal Mendoza. The hospital, an important work of  the Spanish Renaissance, was built after his death in the 16th century. The Museum's collections  are displayed on its two floors an

d around the beautiful courtyard. It contains archaeological  pieces, decorative arts, and paintings, including several works by El Greco. It also hosts temporary  exhibitions. This is another museum for those who spend the night in Toledo and have plenty of time  in the city. The plaza the Zocodover, Zocodover square, is one of the most important public spaces in Toledo and  is something of a Plaza Mayor, its main square. Located next to the Alcázar, it is almost triangular in  shape. Its name

comes from Arabic and means Market of the Beasts, as this is where the market was held  in the Middle Ages. During your visit to Toledo you will inevitably pass through this square, which  is especially lively at festive times throughout the year, such as Christmas. Crossing the Arco de la Sangre, the arch of the blood, in the same square, you will see a popular sculpture of Miguel de  Cervantes, the author of Dom Quixote. Alcántara bridge is one of the most beautiful  historical constructions i

n Toledo and one of the most photographed. On this side there was a  Roman bridge that was damaged and rebuilt in the 10th century, under the reign of Alonso X. It  was damaged again and had to be rebuilt. During this reconstruction the great tower was added and later  modified during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs. The Coats of Arms of the Kings decorate the walls  of the bridge. The tower on the other side of the river was in very poor condition and in 1721 it  was replaced by a triumphal

arch in the Baroque style. The bridge was declared a national monument in  1921. In addition to the beauty of the bridge, the views it offers of Toledo and the Alcázar are  sensationa. The Bridge of San Martín is another beautiful bridge that spans the waters of the Tagus  River. It is a 13th century construction that must have been inspired by the Alcántara Bridge. The  tower furthest from the center dates from the 14th Century. The bridge has been rebuilt several  times throughout history. Rig

ht next to the bridge there's a tourist zip line which we do not  quite understand how it fits into the context of a world heritage site such as the center of  Toledo. The wall that defended the city of Toledo has been partially preserved and today it can be  crossed through several monumental gates. The most spectacular of these is the Puerta de Bisagra, the  only surviving Arab gate from the medieval wall. Its name derives from the Muslim name bab a Ssaqra,  or gate of the Sagra. It was comple

tely rebuilt during the reigns of Charles 5 and Philip II. On  the façade is a gigantic imperial coat of arms of Toledo, with a double-headed eagle symbol of the  Spanish monarchs of the House of Habsburg. The gateway is formed by two arches separated by an  inner courtyard. In the courtyard is a sculpture of Emperor Charles the I of Spain and the 5th of Germany.  Entering the historic center of Toledo through the Puerta de Bisagra there is a second gate, the  Puerta del Sol, which forms part of

the fortified wall that surrounded the Muslim city of Toledo.  It is a 14th century gate in the mudéjar style, with strong Nasrid influence. The Nasrids were the  last Muslim Dynasty in the Iberian Peninsula in the 16th century. One of the façades was decorated  with a scene depicting the Sun and the Moon, which is the origin of the door's current name. The  Real Colegio de Doncellas Nobles, Royal College of Noble Maidens, was a project of Cardinal Cilíceo, who founded it in  1551 to provide Ch

ristian and human education to young girls without resources, a very advanced  idea at the time. The support of King Philip II contributed to making it one of the best schools  in Europe. The college chapel is Renaissance and Baroque in style. The highlight is the tomb of cardinal  Cilíceo, a 19th century work in white and gray marble with extraordinary details. Until that century,  the cardinal's remains were kept in a humble wooden box. The courtyard has two floors and was  designed by the 18t

h century architect Ventura Rodríguez. From the courtyard you can access the  noblest room in the college, the Rector's Room. The Real Colegio de Doncellas Nobles was open to the public in 2016 and is included in the Toledo tourist wristband. Founded in 1180 the synagogue of Santa María  la Blanca is almost two centuries older than the neighboring synagogue of El Tránsito, which we  will visit next. It is artistically and culturally unique. It was built during the Christian reign of  Castile by

mudéjar architects -Muslims in Christian territory- to be used by Jews. It is considered a  symbol of the cooperation that existed between the three dominant cultures in the Iberian Peninsula  during the Middle Ages. The synagogue is considered an exceptional example of mudéjar art in Toledo,  showing a high degree of sophistication shown in the work of Muslim artists. The Islamic influence  is very evident in the beautiful horseshoe arches. The interior of the synagogue is divided into five  na

ves separated by four rows of seven horseshoe arches, each with elaborate mudéjar decoration. The  beautiful stucco capitals stand out, decorated with ribbons, scrolls and pine cones. The pine cone is  a symbol associated with the unity of the people of Israel. The synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca  is included in the tourist wristband. The Sinagoga del Tránsito, the transit synagogue, also known as the  Samuel ha Levi synagogue, currently houses the Museo Sefardí, the Sephardic Museum, dedicat

ed to  preserving the heritage of the Sephardic Jews, the Jewish population of the diaspora originating in  Spain and Portugal. The museum was established in 1964 and occupies a beautiful synagogue, which is  without doubt the jewel in the museum's crown. As in Santa María la Blanca, the austere exterior contrasts with the sumptuous decoration of the interior. It was commissioned by a court treasurer  of King Pedro I of Castile as a private chapel for the palace he had ordered build on a  large

plot of land near the river. The synagogue, designed as an oratory for the palace, with which  it was communicated directly, it is the only surviving construction from the palace. The room's  simple plan is similar to that of many chapels in Christian palaces and castles of the period. It  is covered with a rich wooden ceiling inlaid with ivory and painted decoration. The Museum's  permanent exhibition presents the history of the Jews in Spain, from their arrival in Roman times  to the present d

ay. The pulsera turística, Toledo's tourist wristband, is an excellent combined ticket  that allows you to save money in the city. You buy the wristband, wear it on your wrist and with it  you can enter seven of the cities monuments that we have already shown you in the video. They are  the Church of the Jesuits, the Church of Santo Tomé, the Church of El Salvador, the San Juan de Reyes  Monastery, the mosque of the Cristo de la Luz, the Royal College of Noble ladies and the synagogue  of Santa

Maria la Blanca. From the first use of the wristband, and as long as you don't take it off, it  will be valid for seven days, allowing you to make a single visit to each of the monuments during  that period of time. You can buy the wristband at the ticket offices of any of the monuments, or  at the Civitatis website following the link we are going to leave in the description of the video,  a good option for those who like to make their expenses before the trip begins. At the time  of recording t

his video, but check the updated prices because they do change, the wristband costs  12€. The ticket for the seven monuments, bought separately, would cost €28. Just by visiting four  monuments you will have recouped your investment. We've seen the attractions, now it's time to talk  about how much time to spend in Toledo. There are two indisputable facts. The first is that most  people think of Toledo as a day trip from Madrid, and the second is that there are many many many  fascinating places

to visit in Toledo. And, of course, too many places and too little time is a complicated  combination. Ideally, you would dedicate one day, one night and at least part of the next day to Toledo. That way you could explore Toledo at your leisure, discovering countless little corners that those  who take a day trip don't get to see. Planning your visits without rushing, with time to enjoy  yourself and also to take a break without that "I wish I had had spent more time in the city" feeling.  For

those staying overnight in Toledo the big advantage comes at the end of the day. As well as  being able to watch the sunset from the viewpoints, as we mentioned earlier in the video, when evening  falls most tourists return to Madrid and the city becomes a haven of tranquility, reserving for those  who have decided to stay overnight the privilege of contemplating the city's beautiful monumental  illumination. Hey, Tony, hold on a second, does all this mean we are condemning the same day round  t

rip that most people do? No, not necessarily. We maintain our preference for an overnight visit  but if you can only do Toledo as a day trip, it can work as long as you take these three steps. The  first is to try to arrive in Toledo at around 9:30 in the morning so that you can start your visit  at that time. The main monuments open their doors at 10 a.m.. Book your return for the end of the  day, from 8:00 p.m. onwards. The second step is to be aware that you will not be able to visit all  the

places we have shown you and you will have to make a selection of the places of interest you are  going to visit. And the third step is to make sure you don't arrive in Toledo without having an idea  of the route you are going to follow. Toledo is a city with so many narrow streets that it is not  always easy to find your way around. If you leave it until the last minute to organize your visit  you are likely to waste valuable time that you don't have. And here's where we come to the rescue  wi

th our Toledo in one day, a self-guided walking tour we have created to help you optimize your  time in the city. It is an electronic guide you can carry on your mobile/smartphone. Along with an  online map, the guide contains a full day walking tour that covers 19 sights in the extraordinary  Toledo. No need to rock your brains on how to visit Toledo, we've done that work for you. Uncovering the  magnificent Toledo has never been so easy. Toledo in one day is part of our collection of walking 

tours dedicated to the most important cities in Spain and published through our Travel Guides Spain  and Portugal brand. Whatever you choose, we advise you to avoid booking an organized tour to Toledo,  some tours spend half a day in the city, a lot of time in shops where the guides take commission, and  leave you looking frustrated. They are a real rip off. For those of you who have decided to stay  in Toledo, here's some basic advice. Preferably choose a hotel in the historic center. Staying i

n  the city center has a clear advantage, most of the tourist attractions are very close and you will  be able to reach them on foot, you will not need to use public transport. As the historic center of  Toledo's compact, if you choose the right location for your hotel you will be able to walk almost  everywhere. There are many hotels of all prices and sizes, if you find a hotel that suits you and  you want to know our opinion just ask. Let's take a look at food and drinks in Toledo. The name of

the  restaurant is revealing: Museo de Productos de Castilla-La Mancha, museum of products of Castilla La Mancha. With its location  close to the monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, it is inevitable that it has the profile of a tourist  restaurant, but without negative connotations, it is a tourist restaurant from the old days. It  offers a daily menu at a very good price, with local specialities, a nice dining room, and friendly  waiters. With a higher price profile we have eaten several times

in the restaurant La Fábrica de Harinas, which is located inside the San Juan de Dios hotel near the synagogue of El Tránsito. It also  offers a daily menu with local flavors but with a modern twist. Our favorite in Toledo is Abadía Brewery,  both for the beers, which include home brewed craft beers, and for the food, at any time of the day.  At lunchtime during the week it serves a highly recommended set menu and a more expensive menu  with local specialities. The underground rooms of the brew

ery are a sight to behold, not to mention  the amazing toilets. It is a very popular place so it's worth booking in advance. Very close to  the cathedral, the Museo del Queso Manchego, the Museum of Manchego cheese, is an interesting place run by  a very attentive family with a small museum on the production of a typical local product, manchego  cheese, and where you can enjoy a delicious cheese tasting paired with wine. As this is going to be a  long video we're not going to talk here about the

typical specialities of the cuisine of La Mancha, the  region to which Toledo belongs, but don't forget to ask in the restaurants for typical Toledo  dishes. For lovers of sweets and sugar, Toledo is a paradise, as the nuns in several of the city's  convents make suits for sale to the public. You will see the signs as you walk around the city.  To finish off the gastronomic section let's talk about the star product of the local cuisine, a sweet  of Arab origin which was already being eaten in t

he city in the 16th century, "mazapán", marzipan. This  sweet is made by mixing ground almonds, icing sugar and egg white. As it is almost entirely made of  almonds it has a unique flavor and aroma. The dough can be molded into different shapes, brushed with  egg yolk and baked quickly to turn golden brown. It is a compact sweet with a mild and delicious taste.  Marzipan in Toledo is a true miniature work of art. Tiny and not so tiny, as the gigantic marzipan  sculpture of Dom Quixote you see on

the screen now. Marzipans are made in specialized bakeries which  you will find all over the city as well as in convents. Even if you're not going to buy anything,  you should know what the most typical products of Toledo are, apart from the aforementioned marzipan,   the most famous bulky and expensive souvenirs are the swords and knives made from Toledo's  famous steel. From the most gigantic swords to the smallest knives you will find an enormous  variety of products in Toledo. A word of war

ning for anyone who buys a knife or sword, regardless  of the size, and plans to return to Madrid by high-speed train. Knives and similar weapons are  not allowed on the train, but an exception is made for those bought as souvenirs. In order for  station security to let them through you must indicate at the time of purchase that you intend  to use the train to return to Madrid. The shop will wrap the knife so you can travel with it on the  train without any problems. Another very typical product

of Toledo is damasquinado, damascening. This is a  type of craft work consisting of pieces of steel decorated with gold, silver and copper wire. As its  name suggests, damasquinado came to Toledo from Damascus, the capital of Syria. When direct light falls on  the objects, the shine of the gold contrasts with the black of the seel. The price of the objects  depends on their size, complexity and the amount of gold or silver used in their production. The shop  windows of Toledo's tourist shops ar

e covered with different pieces of damasquinado. To finish our guide to  Toledo, let's see how to get get there from Madrid. Toledo is about 70 km south of Madrid. You can  get there by car, by bus, or by high-speed train. The first option is by car. You will take the  A42 motorway and it will take you approximately 1 hour to get to Toledo, plus the time needed to  leave Madrid. When you arrive in Toledo you will have to look for a place to park your car, as car  traffic in the center is restric

ted. Do not attempt to enter the center of Toledo by car. There  are two free open air uncovered car parks near the rive, they may have empty spaces, they may be  full, it's impossible to tell. If you're traveling with suitcases, prefer a paid car park such as  the nearby Parking Miradero, with direct access to the city center. If you go to Toledo by car, be  sure to take the opportunity to drive around the viewpoints we mentioned earlier. The buses that  connect Madrid and Toledo are operated b

y the company Alsa. They leave from the Plaza Elíptica bus  station in Madrid, which is served by lines 6 and 11 of the Madrid metro. Pay attention when buying  the tickets, the journey time between Madrid and Toledo can change, between 1 hour and 1 hour and  45 minutes, depending on the bus. To make the most of your time in Toledo try to buy your ticket for  the bus that makes the journey in 1 hour, non-stop. Buses arrive at the "estación de autobuses de Toledo", the  city's bus station. It is

a modern building located outside the Old Town. RENFE, the Spanish Railway  company, uses an Avant high-speed train model for the route between Madrid and Toledo. Trains depart  from a Atocha station in Madrid. Atocha station is served by metro line 1. Trains to Toledo usually  depart from the lower level of the high-speed train departure area, pay attention because there are  two levels to get on the high-speed trains. The the journey takes 33 minutes. The trains arrive  at Toledo station locat

ed outside the historic center. Take the opportunity to have a look around  this station building, inaugurated in 1919 in neo-mudéjar style, is very beautiful and it is a listed  building. Bricks, stone, iron and concrete were used in its construction. The main lobby of the station  is an example of typical Toledan craftsmanship. Tile mosaics, lattice work and wrought iron lamps. The price of  train tickets for the Madrid Toledo route do not usually change, they are always the same. Even  so, we

recommend that you buy your tickets in advance because the number of seats is limited and  everyone wants to go to Toledo in the morning and return in the evening. Wow do you get out of the  train station and the bus station? At both stations you will find taxis outside waiting for passengers,  but if you want to walk, follow our instructions. What many people do is to walk to the Puente de  Alcántara, a 10minute walk from the stations, where there is an endless flight of stairs leading up to 

the center of Toledo. But nobody deserves to start their day in Toledo by climbing stairs, especially  when there is an alternative right next to the bridge. There is an escalator system that takes  you effortlessly up to the Plaza de Zocodover in the center of Toledo. So enjoy a leisurely start to the day.  The stairs also take you back to the bus or train station. Is there a better way to get to Toledo than  the others? It depends on each case. We prefer the train, which in the case of a day t

rip allows you  to make the most of your time, so that's the option we recommend. And with transport we have reached  the end of a video dedicated to a superlative city, Toledo. As always, if you have any questions about  the subject of the video, take advantage of the commentary box to ask, we'll be happy to try to help  you. Toledo is one of the sensational day trips you can do from Madrid. In the video you are seeing now  on the screen we show you the most important ones, so that you can choo

se the ones that most appeal  to you. We look forward to seeing you in this video.