Toledo (Spain) Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Toledo is in Castilla La Mancha.
Contents |
Understand
An often overlooked gem, the Old quarter of Toledo (el Casco) is surrounded on three sides by the slow-flowing (and sadly rather polluted) Rio Tagus. Narrow cobbled streets, busy with locals and a smattering of tourists, also host a surprisingly large number of cars and vans. Pedestrians and drivers seem to co-exist harmoniously but it's wise to keep your eyes open and move smartly aside when faced by an approaching vehicle. Pedestrians do not command exaggerated respect!
Unless you are unfazed by being completely lost in a matter of steps, you will want to arm yourself with a map. Beware that the map supplied by the Tourist Information Office is, confusingly, oriented upside down, i.e. south at the top, but is otherwise clear.
Get in
By plane
By train
Regular trains run from Madrid to the train station a few kilometres out of Toledo. You can catch a bus or walk into town. Walking into town will take you past a busy road, the new outer suburbs and finally up the hill to the old city.
By car
From Madrid, Toledo is about 70 km southwest on the A-42 freeway, which is marked "Toledo" on all road signs. This used to be labelled the N-401, and old maps or signs may still refer to that, although almost all road signage appears to have been updated. There is often spot congestion during peak hours, sometimes as far out as Parla (25 km).
By bus
By boat
Get around
If you are staying in a hotel near the old city, it is definitely easiest to travel by foot. The alleys and paths through the old city will only admit pedestrians.
See
- The Cathedral is the centrepiece of Toledo. It sits on top of the hill and is deceptively large. When you enter you will be confronted by sparkling gold reliefs, huge oil paintings and portraits of all of the Toledo Cardinals going back at least 500 years.
- The Alcazar is a large square building on the outskirts of the old city. It looks across the river at Franco's old military barracks.
- The Military barracks.
Do
Learn
Work
Buy
The gold and black enamel work by local artisans is known throughout Spain. Many shops in Toledo sell decorated plates, sheilds, spoons and key rings.
Sword - Toledo is well known for its swords, so be sure to look for a conquistador sword, which should set you back around US $300. As you can't bring it on a plane, you'll need to send it. Fortunately, many shops will ship it for you for a reasonable price.
Ceramics - Talavera de la Reina (outside of Toledo) has a centuries-old tradition of glazed ceramics. Toledo is filled with handpainted ceramics of varying degrees of quality (upscale shops and boutiques are pricier, but generally carry higher-quality pieces).
Damascene - Another famous handicraft of Toledo is damascene, from the ancient Moorish art of interlacing gold on iron or steel, then firing it so the underlying material oxidizes and becomes black, with the gold in sharp relief. Every shop in Toledo will carry some form of damascene work, most frequently as small decorative plates and jewellery. Damascene also tends to be on the expensive side, so be sure to comparison shop around Toledo. The traditional manufacturing process consists of several steps, as it is shown in MadeInToledo.com.
The region around Toledo and southward in Castilla La Mancha produces typical almond sweets known as Mazapán, which is not to be confused with the tough, white icing used on wedding cakes that we call "marzipan". Mazapán is glazed, and sometimes decorated with pine nuts (piñones).
Eat
Avoid paella. Toledo is definitely NOT a seaside town!
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Drink
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Parador de Toledo This hotel offers the best views of the town.
Contact
Stay safe
Cope
Get out
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