View of Toledo cathedral illuminated at dusk © Turespaña
Toledo is a unique city. Over 2,000 years old, it is a symbol of the meeting of cultures. Its old town in particular is a faithful reflection of this spirit: churches and buildings with the most varied architectural styles –Arabic, Mudejar, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance... – stand side by side, forming a stunning array of monuments. This city in Castile-La Mancha is located in the centre of Spain, some 70 kilometres from Madrid and just 30 minutes by high-speed train.
You'll soon realise that "getting lost" in the streets of Toledo is a genuine piece of luck. Take your time to stroll around at a leisurely pace and discover one of the richest monumental heritages in Europe. Synagogues, mosques, palaces, convents… There is a long list of places of interest, comprising over a hundred monuments.
You can get to the old town via one of the numerous gates in the city walls, such as the Puerta del Sol, the Alcántara Gate or the Bisagra Gate. During your visit to the old town, be sure not to miss the Cathedral, an extraordinary work of architecture that merits an unhurried visit: its outstanding features include the Mudejar ornamentation, the choir stalls, the wrought-ironwork, the sacristy –a genuine museum of painting with works by artists such as El Greco, Raphael, Titian and Goya– and the Treasure Room where the magnificent gold and silver monstrance used in the Corpus Christi procession is displayed.
In addition to the Cathedral, Toledo offers many other places of interest. Did you know that the nine vaults in the Cristo de la Luz Mosque originally came from theGreat Mosque of Cordoba? And then there are the synagogues of Santa María la Blanca and El Tránsito, the latter housing the Sephardic Museum. Visit the Alcázar fortress for an impressive view from the highest point of the city.
Other interesting sites are the Church of Santiago del Arrabal, a superb example of Mudejar art; the Fuensalida Palace, which dates from the early 15th century; the Tavera Hospital, a large Renaissance building with paintings by Titian, El Greco and Ribera; and the Church of Santo Tomé, where you can admire another painting by El Greco, The Burial of Count Orgaz.
However, all these are just a few examples of the numerous monuments in Toledo: to make sure you don't miss anything, call in at any Tourist Office. Similarly, at the Historic Toledo Visitors Centre located in the Church of San Marcos you can obtain information on the city and its history, and plan your own route in an enjoyable and fun way with various audiovisual resources and interactive activities. Come to Toledo and enjoy art and culture in Spain.