Discover Toledo, Spain: A Beautiful Hilltop City only a Day Trip from Madrid
- D. Schmitz
- Apr 23
- 9 min read
Toledo, An Ancient Hilltop City Day Trip from Madrid
In this article, Bubbly Tourist includes a tourist map which details the top 12 things to see in Toledo, a must-see capital city of Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain. Check out this article to also find out where to stay and where to enjoy some bubbles and bites.
To be honest, Bubbly tourist wasn't ready for the magnificent hilltop city of Toledo only a day trip from Madrid. We were blown away by its splendor in such an intimate footprint that includes narrow windy cobblestone streets, and the fact that it's not a more popular or well known travel destination in Spain. As one approaches Toledo on foot from the train station, the first thing you discover is the ancient roman bridge that crosses the Tagus. Walk across it and through the town walls to a stunning ancient hilltop city. It's 2,000 years old, boasting a rich history marked by Roman, Visigothic, Moorish, and Christian influences, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Toledo was a melting pot of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish cultures, as evident in its architecture, art, and traditions and was the capital of Spain until 1561 when it was moved to Madrid. Today it is known as the "City of the Three Cultures" and is a must-see city, especially given its proximity to Madrid. The city is small and can easily be seen in one day.
12 Best Things to See in Toledo
From a tourist map, Bubbly Tourist details the historic sites to see below (numbered clockwise in blue) in the Old Town of Toledo.
1. Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz (Mosque of Cristo de la Luz)
Built in 999, the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz is the oldest surviving monument in Toledo. This small building is rich in history and art, offering both similarities and differences to the great mosque of Córdoba. It represents the essence of Islamic Toledo and its relevance to the city's multiculturalism. The mosque, now a church, symbolizes the coexistence of civilizations that shaped Toledo's history.
2. Alcázar de Toledo (Toledo Fortress)
Located at the highest point of Toledo, the Alcázar de Toledo or Toledo Fortress, was originally used as a Roman palace in the 3rd century and was restored in the 11th and 13th centuries and again renovated in 1535. During the Spanish Civil War, nationalist Colonel Jose Moscardo Ituarte held the building against overwhelming Spanish Republican forces in the Siege of the Alcazar. The incident became a central piece of Spanish Nationalist lore. After the war, it was rebuilt and now houses the Castilla-La Mancha Regional Library ("Biblioteca Autonomica") and the Museum of the Army ("Museo del Ejercito").
3. Catedral Primada de Toledo (Toledo Cathedral)
The Toledo Cathedral is Toledo´s major monument and one of Spain’s best examples of pure Gothic style. This huge cathedral was modeled after the cathedral in Bourges, France. It also contains an outstanding art museum which includes paintings from El Bosco and El Greco. This is a must see in Toledo.
Bubbly Tip: The visitor center is opposite the entrance and tickets can be bought there or get them included in one of the daily tours that depart from Madrid.
4. Iglesia de Santo Tomé (Church of Saint Tomé)
Originally a mosque, this modest little 14th-century Church of Saint Tomé), situated on a narrow street in the old Jewish Quarter, holds two treasures: a de Graaf pipe organ that makes it a choice venue for organ concerts, and El Greco’s masterpiece created in 1586, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz. The painting is mounted in a separate entranceway to accommodate both visitors to the painting and the congregants who use the church for worship.
5. Museo (Museum) de El Greco
The El Greco Museum is currently the only one in Spain dedicated to the painter, El Greco, and its essential purpose is "to convey and make public El Greco the person, as well as the influence of his work and personality on Toledo in the early 17th century". It also includes a glimpse into the museum's past through the figure of the 2nd Marquis of Vega-Inclán, a true promoter of the institution and an undisputed leader in the recovery and dissemination of El Greco's paintings.
6. Sinagoga del Tránsito (Synagague of the Transit)
The Synagogue of the Transit was built by order of Samuel-ha-Levi Abulafia (almojarife at the court of King Pedro I of Castile), between the years 1355 and 1357, as a private chapel for the palace which, in a gesture unbecoming of a Jew, he had ordered to be built over a large area next to the Tagus and whose edges reached the river. Today, it is considered one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval synagogues in the world and houses the Sephardic Museum, a National Museum of Hispano-Jewish Art.
7. Sinagoga (Synagogue) de Santa María La Blanca
The Synagogue of Saint Mary the White was once a synagogue in the medieval Jewish quarter of Toledo. The style is Mudéjar, evident primarily in the shape of the arches and in the ornamental horizontal moldings with geometrical knotted designs. In the mid-16th century this synagogue was transformed to a Christian church. Beyond the arches in this small synagogue, there is very little to see and Bubbly Tourist feels it's not worth the price of admission.
8. Monasterio (Monastery) de San Juan de los Reyes
San Juan de los Reyes Monastery was ordered to be built by the Catholic Monarchs in Toledo in gratitude for their victory at the Battle of Toro in 1476. Considered one of the most beautiful gothic temples in Spain, San Juan de los Reyes Monastery was conceived as the burial place of the Catholic Monarchs. It is a magnificent example of hispano-flemish gothic style. The cloister adds a dimension of serenity and beauty. A must see.
9. Convento de Santo Domingo El Antiguo
The Monastery of Santo Domingo el Antiguo dates from the 6th century and rebuilt in the 11th century after the reconquest of the city by King Alfonso VI of León. The current church occupies the site of the convent's former church (a Mudejar-style building with a single nave and a semicircular apse). It was demolished in the late 16th century to build a new one, also using the land of some adjoining houses that had been purchased.
10. Museo de los Concilios y la Cultura Visigoda
The Visigoths inhabit a little-known chapter of Spanish history sandwiched in between the Romans and Moors. Toledo was their de-facto capital in the 6th and 7th centuries. The era’s history can be partially relived at this modest Museum of the Councils and Visigothic Culture set in the 13th-century San Román church, complete with Mudéjar-style architecture and eye-catching frescoes.
Bubbly Tip: Signage is in Spanish only.
11. Convento de Santo Domingo El Antiguo
The Church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo, designed by Nicolás de Vergara and later modified by Juan de Herrera, was built in 1577 and serves as the burial site of El Greco. The church houses three of El Greco’s earliest commissions in Toledo, including The Resurrection within the altarpiece crafted by Monegro, alongside his paintings of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist near the altar.
12. Iglesia de los Jesuitas (San Ildefonso)
The Jesuit Church, built on the birthplace of Saint Ildefonso, the patron saint of Toledo, has a history spanning more than three centuries, and is a museum of sculpture and religious art. It opened to worship in 1718, and is notable for its main chapel, which features an original fresco altarpiece framed by columns and trompe l'oeil. The large Baroque altarpieces on either side of the central nave tell the story of the Society of Jesus. Its twin towers, over 50 meters high, offer a magnificent view of the medieval city and the Primate Cathedral of Toledo.
13. Iglesia del Salvador
The Church of El Salvador is a medieval gem with remains of late Roman and Visigothic buildings. Since the 9th century, it was a mosque that retained its minaret and Arab arches over a Christian cemetery. What stands out is the Visigothic pilaster with scenes from the life of Christ, a historical jewel of the temple.
Where to Stay in Toledo
Regardless of destination, Bubbly Tourist always recommend staying closest to the locations you'll be visiting most. For older cities like Toledo, this means staying in the "Old Town".
Bubbly Tourist recommends staying in the geographic area defined by the map above as all of the above recommended sites will be within 5 - 10 minutes walk of your lodging.
As always, we recognize there are many factors by which you use to determine where to stay. Use the Bubbly Tourist process in finding a hotel to help find and narrow down the list of lodgings that best fits your needs.
Carlos V Hotel
Bubbly Tourist chose Carlos V Hotel because of its high reviews, great location in the old town, great rooftop views and extremely reasonable (dare we say cheap) rates. The service was good, the beds were cozy, the rooms were medium sized and updated, and there is an incredible rooftop restaurant where you can have a bite to eat and sip bubbly while taking in the skyline of Toledo. As a reminder, Bubbly Tourist is not compensated by any recommendations we make.
In Search of Bubbles, Bars and Bites in Toledo
In an ongoing segment by Bubbly Tourist, we always search for a location - if not the best location - to have some champagne wherever we go.
Azotea
There is no better rooftop restaurant view than at Azotea on top of the Carlos V Hotel. It offers a good selection of bubbles and cocktails and a few bites to eat. The panoramic skyline of Toledo is well worth the visit. If you're looking for a full meal, we'd recommend going elsewhere as the food selection on the rooftop is limited. But definitely go here for a sunset cocktail before heading out to dinner.
Taberna Artesanal La Tintilla
Bubbly Tourist stumbled onto this fun little restaurant bar while exploring the streets of Toledo. The reviews from various sources were all excellent so we figured we'd give it a try and were quite impressed. We went to La Tintilla for the local Spanish cuisine and were not disappointed with the home specialties. There is a good selection of wine, beer and tapas too. We sat outdoors on its small patio and would definitely recommend this place.
Museo del Queso Manchego
Who doesn't like cheese?! The Museum of Manchego Cheese is a wine and cheese store dedicated to Manchego and Spanish wine that offers wine and/or cheese tastings or simply wine and cheese to go. There is also a museum dedicated to the craft of Manchego cheese but Bubbly Tourist and friends were simply too interested in the various Manchego offerings than to look at the small museum rooms. We paired four different aged Manchego with a bottle of Rioja off the shelf. Yum! It's a fun experience where you can also purchase jam and other local products. Recommended.
Things to Know about Toledo
Toledo is an Easy Train Ride from Madrid
The train ride to/from Toledo and Madrid is direct and only 35 minutes, making Toledo an easy day trip from Madrid. Madrid Atocha is the station most convenient for direct rides to Toledo. It is the oldest major railway station in Madrid. The Estacion de tren Toledo ("Toledo train station") is your access point in Toledo. It's a small but gorgeous station and doesn't require much time to board or disembark from the train.
Toledo is Walking Distance from the Train Station but...
Bubbly Tourist learned the hard way on this one, but even though the walk from the train station is listed as 25 minutes to the city center, it's all up a steep hill once you cross the river and the cobblestone streets and stairs don't make it especially easy for dragging your bags. Backpacking, no problem. Walking to the train station from the city, much easier. With luggage, we suggest a taxi up from the station and a walk back to the station across the Alcántara Bridge.
Toledo's Ancient History has formed its Culture and Architecture
Toledo was made part of the Roman Empire in 193 BCE. In 546, Visigoth rulers installed the capital of their kingdom in Toledo. In the early 700's it became part of the Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula until the early 11th century when it briefly ruled by the Dhulnunids. In 1085 Alfonso VI of León took Toledo where it became a cultural center and then the capital of Spain until the year 1561 when it moved to Madrid. Because of this multi-ethnic history, Toledo was a city where Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived side by side in relative harmony. This coexistence led to a rich cultural exchange and the development of a unique architectural style called Mudéjar. This architecture showcases a fascinating blend of Islamic and Christian artistic styles, evident in buildings like the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz and the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca.
Travel More, Travel Bubbly!
