Enchanting Toledo
Most tourists visit Toledo as a quick day trip from Madrid, but we’re slow travelers. Toledo sounded like our kind of place (historic, unique, walkable) and worthy of a longer stay. Since our Airbnb in Seville would not be available until later in the month, we decided to spend six days in Toledo before heading south. It was a small leap of faith, and we’re glad we jumped!
The more I learned about Toledo, the more excited I felt about staying there. It has great historical significance spanning 2,000 years, most notably as a city where Muslims, Jews, and Christians coexisted for centuries during the Middle Ages. It was also the long-time capital of Spain until Madrid was given that honor in the mid-16th century. The artist El Greco and the writer Miguel de Cervantes lived in Toledo. The whole city is a national monument, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We loved Toledo right away. It was a small, picturesque city on a hill, with a natural moat (the Tagus River) on three sides. It was clearly an ancient city, and remarkably well-preserved. There was a maze of narrow cobblestone streets, and buildings with a fascinating mix of architectural styles. It was fun to wander, knowing that we could walk just about anywhere in the city in just 10-15 minutes. And from sunrise to sundown, beautiful views were just a few steps away.
On our first full day in Toledo, we took a guided walking tour to get our bearings. Highlights of the “Three Culture City” included:
Toledo Cathedral. This 13th-century gothic cathedral had imposing, elaborately decorated portals that hinted at the magnificence inside. The oldest portal still had its original clock, with a single hand to mark the hour. During our time in Toledo, we used the cathedral’s tower as a visual landmark to help us navigate the twisty streets.
Jewish Quarter. This neighborhood of houses built by wealthy Jewish families had two ancient synagogues still standing. Small blue and white ceramic tiles with Hebrew letters were scattered throughout the streets, a gentle reminder of which part of Toledo we were in.
Toernerías Mosque. In the 11th century, this Moorish-style brick building was built atop the remains of Roman water tanks. It continued to be an Islamic place of worship for hundreds of years after King Alfonso VI captured Toledo. It is now a craft center and gallery.
Alcazár of Toledo. The stone fort high on the hill was formerly a palace dating back to the 3rd century, used first by Roman and later by Spanish royalty. Most of it was destroyed in the Spanish Civil War, and it was rebuilt in the 1950s. It now houses a public library and an army museum. (The name comes from the Arabic al-qașr, meaning “the castle.”)
Casa Rodrigo de la Fuente. This preserved 15th century palace was once home to a Jewish family that converted to Christianity. It was named after a doctor who lived there and was a friend of El Greco (his portrait is in the Prado). We walked through the underground caves beneath the house, where Roman and Islamic artifacts had been found.
The tour was a good introduction to this city, with its fascinating history of cultures coming together, and where places of worship had names like “Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca” and “Mosque of Cristo de la Luz.” We were excited to explore and learn more.
