Day Trip From Madrid: Toledo, Spain

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.

The Cathedral. The centerpiece of Toledo and the heart of Catholic Spain

Inside the Cathedral. The cathedral houses paintings and masterpieces from some of the country’s most famous artists, like Goya and El Greco

Massive doors and stained glass windows add to the grandeur of the structure and architecture

Paintings by famous Spanish artists, including El Greco, Goya, and Raphael

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

El Transparente. The name refers to the skylight from above shining down to the tabernacle

The light-well carved into the dome – as though heaven opens up from above and onto the masterpiece inside the cathedral

Tesoro. Taken out once a year from this display for the parade celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi

The narrow streets of Toledo. If you drive here, park outside the Old Town, and enjoy a day of walking around these narrow streets

The knights of Toledo, representing the town’s medieval history and former residence of the royal palace

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

Throughout the town, bakeshops sell Toledo’s specialty mazapan. Many offer samples lure you into buying a box or two

Toledo’s mazapans are made of ground almonds, but not as sweet as Italian or Scandinavian marzipan

Anywhere you go in Spain you can have a good meal in the form of tapas. A refreshing caña of beer and olives

Gazpachos are another great tapa to have on hot summer days

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

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Angela

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