Toledo is full of local legends with the majority of them featuring love as the protagonist and this is the case in Calle de Alfileritos. It’s a long and narrow street where you can take in old stately homes and palaces adorned with coats of arms. Nowadays you can also find bars and restaurants where you can taste Toledan cuisine. If you follow the street from where it begins in Plaza...
Continue reading...Wander Through Toledo
Toledo is a city that’s just made to be enjoyed. Walking through the city’s magical streets is a must do for anyone visiting Spain. The second you pass through its walls, it’s like stepping back in time and travelling to another era. This is a city that many cultures have left their mark on, which can be seen in the streets, houses, palaces and squares that make up Toledo. Toledo has...
Continue reading...How to Get to and Around Toledo
Toledo is located in the centre of the Iberian peninsula and next door to Madrid making it extremely well connected to the country’s road network but also with great options to come by bus and train from the capital. If you come by car we’d advise you to park outside of the historic centre. There is free parking near the escalators which provide access to the city centre. If you’d still...
Continue reading...The Walled City of Toledo
Toledo’s walls have had many iterations but have been around since Roman times. In 674 A.D a Visigoth king Wamba rebuilt them once more but the ones we are left with today are largely from the period of Arab rule (although some remains of the Roman walls are still around). After reconquering the city from the Moors in 1085, Alfonso VI finished off the walls to sure up the city’s defences....
Continue reading...A Brief History of Toledo
Let’s take a trip through the history of Toledo. The city is an ideal fortress. Perched on a mountain top and boxed in on all but its northern side by the River Tagus, the natural defenses are formidable and further bolstered by the city’s walls protecting its Achilles’ heel (for more information see our previous post). The area has been occupied since the Paleolithic Era and has a rich and diverse...
Continue reading...Toledo and the River Tagus
We can’t talk about Toledo without mentioning the Tagus due to its importance in the city’s origin, shape and development. The Tagus is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula, splitting it on its east-west axis with a slight tilt towards the south-east. Its source is in the Montes Universales in the Sierra de Albarracín. From there it travels 626 miles (1008 kilometres) before reaching the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. On...
Continue reading...Magnificent Views of Toledo from El Valle
Next time you’re in Toledo don’t miss the chance to enjoy spectacular views of the city from the viewpoint at El Valle. From here you can truly appreciate the strategic value of the city. Built upon a crag and encased by the River Tagus, the city is an almost impenetrable fortress. Reaching out above the rest of the skyline are the Alcázar (citadel) and the cathedral with its 90 metre high...
Continue reading...In Search of Toledo’s Origins
High above the River Tagus you’ll find El Cerro del Bu Archaeological Site – a strategic and natural defense point occupied for millennia. The earliest remains are flint carvings with a dubious chronology. The Bronze Age is best documented with the discovery of shacks and evidence of sheep and cattle husbandry and an accompanying rural economy. The hill was also occupied during the Medieval Era during the period of Arab rule,...
Continue reading...Shrine to the Virgin of the Valley
If you find yourself in Toledo, don’t miss the chance to see this chapel. Whether or not you’re a religious person, the site has breathtaking views of the city and the Tagus. Once you’ve taken it all in head into the chapel itself. The charming building dates back to 1575 but by the end of the 18th century found itself in ruins. In 1859 it was restored to its former glory....
Continue reading...A Fairytale Palace
One of our favourite spots in Toledo is the Princesa Galiana Palace. Also known as the King’s Orchard, the site straddles the Tagus near the city’s train station. It’s one of those hidden treasures that is so magical you’ll struggle not to come back. The tranquil spot is perfect to visit with kids. It was made in the Mudjéjar Style (unique to the Iberian peninsula of the 12th to the 16th...
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