1 day in Toledo
Spain is a country rich in culture, and a great offer in different city styles and landscapes. If you want to discover the heart of Spain, you should follow this 1 day in Toledo itinerary, to learn more about this ancient city.
The Cathedral Primada of Toledo
The Cathedral of Toledo is absolutely spectacular, and can take a big part of your day, since there’s so many things to see. The main pavilion has an area with a choir and an altar. You can go down to the crypt to see the remains of Saint Úrsula, and outside, in the cloister, you can see beautiful wall art. The highlight for me was a beautiful golden piece of art, on which the light of rhe day was falling, creating a warm feeling. Absolutely stunning.
Mezquita de Tornerías
Recently opened building (January 2025), showing the remains of an ancient mosque. It’s a small museum that also featured an exhibition of Damasquinado, a typical art form in which the artists use gold and silver to create beautiful patterns and drawings on a black stone.
Alcázar de Toledo
The Alcázar is a fortress located in the tallest point of Toledo. It’s history starts with the Romans, and given itra strategical location it was used during the centuries. It’s currently a military museum and has some sections with the Toledo military government and a library. Around the Alcázar there is a viewpoint of the river Tajo, and you can take a touristic train from there.
Take a train to the Mirador del Valle
This scenic viewpoint of the city can be reacher via a hike, but given Toledo’s temperatures, especially in summer, going with a vehicle is much more recommended. You can take a train nearby the Alcázar for 9€, but be aware that all the attractions are in the right hand side and there are 4 people in each row. Some people take the taxi, which is not a bad option if you share with someone else.
Caves of Hercules
A roman-built water storage facility. It’s a small place, with a narrow staircase descending to the facility, which you can also observe from the top. The entry is free.
The Inquisition Museum
Feeling morbid curiosity in how people were tortured during the medieval ages (and later)? Then this is the place for you. For 6€ you can see a great collection of torture instruments woth a rather graphic description of what happened to the people undergoing the torture.
Roman Baths de Tenerías
Short stop to see ancient Roman baths near the Tajo river. there are also some trails that lead you to the river side.
El Greco museum
This small museum shows some of the religious works of El Greco, as well as some of work inspired by his style. Some key works are the portraits of Christ and the 12 apostoles. The museum is only 3€.
Sinagoga El Tránsito
Small synagogue, consisting of one large room with beautiful wall decorations, and an exhibition on the top floor featuring details of the jewish life and culture.
Sinagoga María la Blanca
While the building itself was really nice, after visiting the Sinagoga el Tránsito I felt a bit disappointed, as it was more expensive (4€) and just had one room to see.
Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes
Another highlight of the trip. This monastery was founded by King Fernando of Aragon and Isabel of Castile to commemorate the birth of their son. Initially they were planning to get buried there, choosing Granada after the Reconquista, when they took the south of Spain back from the muslims. The cloister and the church have very intricate art. You could also go to the top floor to a balcony from which you could see the church.
How to arrive to Toledo?
The best starting point is Madrid. From there, you can take the train, which takes 35 min to reach its destination. Going by car is also possible but only recommended if you have other destinations in mind, as driving takes longer and parking, at least in the old city, will be challenging.
How to get from the AVE train station to the city center?
There are a few options. It’s not that far walking, so depending on where your hotel is, it might be a 15-20 min walk. If you’re catrrying luggage or it’s hot, you may consider a bus ride (they take credit cards to pay for tickets) -although in the evenings the frequency is low- or a taxi ride, which you can grab in front of the station (less than 10€ to get to the city center). The AVE station itself is beautiful and worth a look if you’re already there.
Where to eat?
A place I can recommend is the Museo de Productos de Castilla la Mancha. This place was recommended to us by an employee of a museum and it did not dispoint. We took the menu for 16€ and ate a lot. The filled peppers were delicious, the pork filet in honey sauce was soft, and the raspberry dessert melted in your mouth.
Where to stay?
We stayed at the Hotel Santa Isabel. The hotel is located in the city center, 3 min away from the Cathedral. It’s a pleasant hotel with modern clean rooms. The staff was really helpful and answered to all of our questions. The highlight was a terrace on the third floor, from which you had views from the city.
Do you want to continue your trip in Spain?
Traveling around Spain by AVE is a great way to see the main cities. AVE trains are rapid trains that connect the main points, and if you book the tickets in advance you can have great deals. Check out this post for 1 day in Zaragoza and a weekend in Barcelona for suggestions of cities to visit during your train-based trip.