A walk back in time

 

Less than an hour by car or half an hour by high-speed train, Toledo is a perfect for a day trip from Madrid.

The heart of Toledo is in the narrow streets and medieval buildings of the Old Town, which has been called a “living museum”.

Once the capital of Spain until 1560, Toledo is a World Heritage City rich with history and culture – three cultures, to be specific.

The city harmoniously housed Christians, Arabs, and Jews for centuries. Today, the Old Town preserves the artistic and cultural legacy seen in the churches, palaces, fortresses, mosques, and synagogues.

The Cathedral is the centerpiece of the town and the heart of Catholic Spain. Its extravagance speaks of Spain’s rich history and the wealth of the church.

Aside from an architectural wonder, the Cathedral acts as a museum with all its paintings and masterpieces by some of the country’s finest and most famous artists, such as Zubarán, Van Dyck, Goya, Raphael and El Greco.

And then, there is Toledo as a food destination.

While there are the touristy restaurants, the old town also has charming tapas restaurants perfect for a bite between sightseeing and museums.

For variety, check out the modern food market, Mercado de San Agustin, which opened in 2014 and has been likened to Madrid’s Mercado de San Miguel with over 20 stalls for tapas. Click here for TripAdvisor reviews and photos of Mercado de San Agustin

For dessert, don’t miss Toledo’s specialty – mazapan. Made from ground almonds and sugar, the sweet treat was created nuns of Toledo, who still continue to bake them today.

 

Day trip to Toledo
The Cathedral. The centerpiece of Toledo and the heart of Catholic Spain
IMG_5868
Inside the Cathedral. The cathedral houses paintings and masterpieces from some of the country’s most famous artists, like Goya and El Greco
IMG_5872
Massive doors and stained glass windows add to the grandeur of the structure and architecture
IMG_5876
Paintings by famous Spanish artists, including El Greco, Goya, and Raphael
Insanely gaudy high altar
The high altar of Capilla Mayor. The history of wealth and extravagance of Spain and the Catholic Church is evident in this altar, let alone the whole cathedral
IMG_5879
El Transparente. The name refers to the skylight from above shining down to the tabernacle
IMG_5881
The light-well carved into the dome – as though heaven opens up from above and onto the masterpiece inside the cathedral
IMG_5884
Tesoro. Taken out once a year from this display for the parade celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi
IMG_5848
The narrow streets of Toledo. If you drive here, park outside the Old Town, and enjoy a day of walking around these narrow streets
IMG_5854
The knights of Toledo, representing the town’s medieval history and former residence of the royal palace
IMG_5905
Like many classic sweets in Spain, mazapan was originally created by nuns in a convent. The legacy of the sweet treat is still made in convents like this
IMG_5849
Throughout the town, bakeshops sell Toledo’s specialty mazapan. Many offer samples lure you into buying a box or two
Mazapan in Toledo
Toledo’s mazapans are made of ground almonds, but not as sweet as Italian or Scandinavian marzipan
IMG_5892
Anywhere you go in Spain you can have a good meal in the form of tapas. A refreshing caña of beer and olives
IMG_5895
Gazpachos are another great tapa to have on hot summer days
IMG_5897
Croquetas and fried seafood. The best part about tapas, when ordered as “media racion” or half portion, is that you can eat a variety without getting too full

 

Mercado de San Agustin | Website | TripAdvisor
Cuesta del Aguila
Toledo, Spain
Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 1:30am
Friday to Saturday, 10am to 2am
+34-925-215-898

 

 
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links to hotel booking sites. With no additional cost to you, your bookings earn me a commission if you click on the links via my website – Thank you!

Sign up for my newsletter on the sidebar for blog updates and my travel insider tips! And, check out my vlogs on YouTube!