Autonomous Community Castile La Mancha: Toledo spring trip

Puente de Alcántara

 

I had visited Toledo over ten years ago (time flies!) and returned with my brother, this time playing the role of guide for a noob in Spain, oh how the turn tables turn.

We took the Ave high speed train from Madrid which made the trip a speedy 45 minutes. The train station in Toledo is an attraction in itself and a short walk into the heart of the city via the Puente de Alcántara. 

One of the first things I realized is how much the temperature affects the experience, especially given the hilly nature of the city. Although the city is small, part of the charm is aimlessly wandering through the labyrinth of streets. However, this can lead to some tired legs and sweaty backs if the temperature is too high. Adding to this challenge is that the historical center is so dense that it has basically no green space or parks and thus it's difficult to find a shady spot to relax. Of course most people do not come to Toledo for the parks and it is possible to minimize the walking by being dropped in the city center and then having a guide lead you to the most efficient circuit. 

The Alacazar was unfortunately closed that day but an unexpected highlight of mine was the Museo de Santa Cruz. It's an unassuming building with a unique collection of small pieces of art. The building itself is peaceful and cool and the two floors have simple though impressive art pieces. 

There is a wrist band/pass that visitors can purchase that allows access to a bunch of different popular sites. At the time of writing it was 12 euros and is a good value as most of the sites are 3-4 euros for single entry. 

I did enjoy the trip to Toledo though for most people it for sure be done in a day trip from Madrid. The Ave is super fast but even a bus is only two hours from Madrid so one wouldn't be crazy to check it out. 

It was really interesting for me because I remember being enamored by the charming city when I first visited but now having visited many other similar cities in Spain I still appreciated it but felt it was a little too touristy and crowded. Cities like Morella and Segovia have a similar feel with a kind of gran via that runs through the heart of the town but I liked their feel a little more than Toledo. I totally understand why people come to visit and would absolutely recommend it for people that might only have a day trip out of Madrid. It's also a relatively easy place to get by if your Spanish is poor with far more international tourists than the aforementioned cities that I mentioned.