Toledo
Hotels, motels and where to sleep
Restaurant, taverns and where to eat
Cultural (and not so cultural) events
Interesting information and useful tips
Description of Toledo
Toledo is a municipality and city of Spain,
capital of the homonymous province and of the autonomous community
of Castilla-La Mancha. It is known as "The Imperial City" for having
been the main seat of the court of Charles IV and also as "the city
of the three cultures", having been populated for centuries by
Christians, Jews and Muslims. Toledo, with 83,741 inhabitants (INE
2017), is the most populated municipality of the province and the
third of the autonomous community after Albacete and Guadalajara.
The historic center is located on the right bank of the Tagus, on a
hill one hundred meters high above the river, which girders at its
base, forming a pronounced meander known as «Torno del Tajo». The
municipality divides on neighborhoods separated from the main
nucleus: the one of Azucaica, in the right border of the river, that
has its origin in an old district of the city, whereas the one of
Santa Maria Benquerencia, located practically opposite the previous
one on the left bank of the Tagus. The municipality is considered
individually as a region in the division made by the Provincial
Council, although from a strictly physical geography point of view,
the city is the gateway to the La Sagra natural region.
The history of Toledo goes back to the Bronze Age. It was an
important center until its Roman conquest in 193 B. C. and remain
various remains of Roman activity in the city, such as the aqueduct
or the circus. After the Germanic invasions, the city would become
in capital and, later, the main ecclesiastical seat of the
Visigothic Kingdom. In the year 711, after a moderate resistance,
Toledo was conquered by the Muslims led by Táriq ibn Ziyad. During
the Muslim rule, the old Visigothic capital was characterized by its
opposition and individualism, materialized in the Taifa of Toledo.
Alfonso VI reconquered the city in 1085. During the Modern Age the
city stood out as the seat of the Catholic Monarchs and for their
participation in the war of the Communities of Castile. When the
court moved to Madrid in 1561 the city went into decline,
accentuated by the economic crisis of the moment. Already in
contemporary times, its fortress became a symbol of the Civil War
due to its siege and defense. In 1983 it became the capital of
Castilla-La Mancha, maintaining the capital of the province of
Toledo.
Location
Toledo is located in the interior of the plateau, around a meander
that forms the Tagus River. It is located 69 km south of Madrid, it
is a relatively small city, although it is the capital of
Castilla-La Mancha, one of the various regions into which Spain is
divided.
Climate
Toledo has a Mediterranean climate with a continental tendency, with
very little rainfall that is concentrated in spring and late autumn,
marked summer drought and an important daily thermal oscillation.
The temperatures are cool in winter, with frequent frosts although
less than in other areas of the region, and high in summer, with
maximum temperatures that can exceed 40º.
Culture
Toledo is a city with a huge cultural wealth. Once the capital of
the Visigothic kingdom, it is known as the City of the Three
Cultures , because of the legacy left in its historical center of
medieval origin by religions such as Christian, Muslim and Jewish.
Toledo is a city of great beauty.
Travel destination in Toledo
Alcazar
Cathedral
Calle Arco Palacio 2
Tel. 925-222241
House of El Greco
Calle Samiel Levi
Tel. 925-223665 Open: Tues- Sun
Iglesia de Santo Tome (Saint Thomas Church)
Plaza del Conde 4
Tel. 925-256098
Sephardic Museum - Former Synagogue.
Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, Street of the Catholic Kings No.
4
Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, Street of the Catholic Kings No.
17
Surroundings of Toledo
National Park of Cabañeros, nestled in full Montes
de Toledo is the representative of the ecosystems of the Iberian
Mediterranean forest with its extensive rañas and the abrupt saws.
It encloses species such as the Iberian imperial eagle and the black
vulture. In the fall it is spectacular to attend the "Berrea" of the
Stag. In spring it is full of flowers and in summer there are
reservoirs and pools where you can enjoy the sun. Guide to visit the
Cabañeros National Park
Montes de Toledo , territory located south of Toledo formed by hills
and fields of labor that belonged to Toledo capital well into the
eighteenth century. It was the "warehouse" from which the capital of
wood, meat and honey was supplied. He was subject to strict
management rules imposed by Toledo; which have allowed us to reach a
natural space with an excellent degree of conservation.
Guadamur, a small town 15 km from Toledo (10 min by car, direction
Polán) that has a very nice and well preserved castle. It is private
and can not be visited regularly (one day a week is open to the
public) but seeing it close is worth it.
Illescas, third municipality in population of the province, to 35 km
of the capital and in which diverse pictures of El Greco can be
seen.
Talavera de la Reina, is the first city of the province in number of
inhabitants, the second in Castilla-La Mancha 70 km from Toledo. It
is well known for its ceramics.
Transportation
Arrive
By plane
Toledo does not have an airport. The nearest international airport
is Madrid-Barajas .
By train
It has a high-speed line that connects with the city of Madrid . The
journey takes around 33 'from Madrid's Atocha station . The price of
the round trip ticket is € 22 if purchased online. With a young card
the price of tickets is € 10 per trip, that is, € 20 round trip.
By bus
There are Continental-Auto buses every 30 'from the Plaza Elíptica
interchange in Madrid. The one way price is around € 5.30. Check the
schedules on the website of the City of Toledo because not all
services are direct. The direct service takes about 45 minutes while
the indirect service, which runs through several intermediate
locations, takes an hour and a quarter. It is advisable to wait for
direct service, as it is faster and much more pleasant.
By car
You can get to Toledo by car via the A-42 motorway from Madrid, as
well as the toll motorway (€ 6) AP-41 also from the capital of
Spain. In addition, Toledo is connected by various national roads
(N-400 Toledo-Cuenca, N-403 Toledo-Avila) and regional roads that
make it possible to get anywhere in the peninsula. The A-4 motorways
(Madrid-Córdoba-Sevilla-Cádiz) and A-5 (Madrid-Extremadura-Portugal)
are not far away.
Transport around the city
By metro
There is no metro in the city.
By bus
There are quite a few bus lines. The price of the single ticket is €
1.40, with rechargeable cards with which the price is reduced to
only € 0.50. From the train station, the 22 goes up to the Casco and
is available whenever a convoy arrives; there is no direct service
in reverse. The bus is taken outside the station, past the parking
lot, as you walk out to the right. To get back from the historic
center of the city you can take line 6 which leaves in front of the
train station door. From the bus station, in the lower docks,
several go to different areas of the city.
By taxi
The best option if you arrive by train or bus, take a taxi to the
center of the monumental city "El Casco" which is the Plaza de
Zocodover. It is usually quite cheap and thus saves the walk to "El
Casco" which has a very steep slope.
By car
The best area to park the car is in the parking lot of 'Safont'
located in front of the bus station. Free parking If you want to go
up to the Casco by car, there are several paid parkings available.
The best located is on the ascent to Zocodover, in the Miradero.
Hotels, motels and where to sleep
Restaurant, taverns and where to eat
Cultural (and not so cultural) events
Interesting information and useful tips
Buy
The typical thing is to buy some sword, the Toledo steel is famous
in the whole world. There is a signature (Bermejo) that makes the
swords of the Cadets of the Military Academy of West Point and
another (Marto) which were used, among others, in the trilogy of the
Lord of the Rings. Marzapan of the nuns of Santa Teresa, it is
expensive but it is the best.