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Visit Toledo, Spain: The historical city 30 mins from Madrid that is perfect for a daytrip on your Spanish getaway

Toledo is definitely worth visiting in Spain if you’re going for a weekend break to Madrid

Toledo is a medieval city a history of more than 2,000 years, located just south of Madrid, Spain, in the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha. Toledo was actually the former capital of Spain, and is home to ancient history, multiple cultures and a cool, legendary nickname, "The capital of swords".

So is it worth visiting Toledo, Spain? And what can you see and do when you go to Toledo? Toledo is quite a small city so normally one day is enough time to see the top tourist attractions. Here is all the top visitor's information you need to know when planning a daytrip to Toledo.

Why is Toledo famous?

During the Middle Ages, Toledo was where the sharpest blades and the strongest armour was made, earning it the monicker of "The City of Swords"

Since the Middle Ages, craftsmen in Toledo have been forging blades and armour that in their day were without equal. The sword-casting process used in Toledo is famous the world over, and while the era of cold weapons is well and truly behind us, swords and other weapons are still made in Toledo and its sword-casting workshops still provide props to film crews for productions such as The Lord of the Rings to this day. Other workshops also produce souvenirs for sale to tourists, so you can buy a keepsake from Toledo to take home with you.

Apart from this, those who enjoy Spanish literature and history will also be familiar with the name Toledo as this former capital of Spain – before it was moved to Madrid – is often mentioned in the book Don Quixote, written by the great writer Miguel de Cervantes.

Toledo's ancient slate streets, churches, bridges, its crowded markets, inns, and sword-casting workshops all come from this ancient city only 70 kilometers away from Madrid. Over the millenia, Toledo has experienced the rule of Romans, Visigoths and Moors.

Finally, in the 11th century, Carlos V designated it as the capital of Spain, Toledo's most glorious era, until 500 years later when the capital was moved to Madrid in the 16th century.

How to get to Toledo?

Located just 70 kilometers from the modern Spanish capital, access to and from Toledo is very easy, making it the most popular 1-day destination around Madrid. The historical atmosphere and medieval style are the best surviving example of any Spanish city, even more so than Segovia or Ávila, and so it is well worth visiting (although the others are too).

Madrid to Toledo by train

From Madrid Atocha train station, take the AVE train to Toledo. A one-way ticket costs around 9 euros. The journey time is only about 25 minutes. Atocha train station can be reached by Metro line 1 (light blue) in downtown Madrid.

Madrid to Toledo by Bus

There is also a bus from Plaza Elíptica bus station in Madrid to Toledo. There is a bus every 30 minutes. The journey takes an hour and a half and the fare is around 6 euros.

Station address: Plaza de Fernández Ladreda

Take Metro lines 6 or 11 in downtown Madrid and get off at the stop called 'Plaza Elíptica'.

What to see and do in Toledo: Top 7 travel tips

1. Visit Alcatra Bridge

The east, west and south sides of the ancient city of Toledo are surrounded by the Tagus River. There are two ancient bridges on the river connecting the ancient city with the outside world. To the east is the Alcantra Bridge (in Spanish, the 'Puente de Alcantara'), first built by the Romans in the 2nd century, and later built by the Arabs and Spaniards to become what it is today. In the middle of the arch is written in Latin "I made this bridge of eternity", calling to mind the glorious era of the Spanish Empire.

2. Cross over St. Martin's Bridge

On the west side is the Gothic-style St. Martin Bridge or 'Puente de San Martín', built in the 13th and 14th centuries, with a defense tower standing on the bridge. The stone-built old bridge and its mottled outer walls seem to tell the vicissitudes of history. Dusk is the best time to visit the bridge, and the sunset here has the reputation of "the most beautiful sunset in Spain".

3. Go to the original Puerta del Sol

As an ancient city, Toledo's gates certainly have stories, and the Puerta del Sol gate is good enough to rival the one in Madrid. The oldest known Puerta del Sol, the one in Toledo is also known as the 'medieval gate' and was built by the Moors during their rule in Spain. The horseshoe-shaped doors, thin columns and rows of window decorations have a distinctive Moorish style.

5. See the Puerta de Bisagara Nueva

The Sacramento Gate is Toledo's most famous gate and a must-see. The Pisacra Gate is the main gate of the ancient city of Toledo and the most majestic of all the city gates. There is a double-headed eagle, the symbol of King Carlos V, carved in stone on the door, and it is also the emblem of the city of Toledo. The gate of Alfonso VI is also very splendid. The inner wall of this door is also engraved with the words of Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, to Toledo: "The glory of Spain, the light of the Spanish city".

6. Stroll around the Old Town

There are very few modern buildings in the old city of Toledo, and it still maintains the appearance of the 16th century. The stone road seems to have been frozen by time, so walking in the old city is like traveling back to Renaissance Spain. The best way to experience the mountain city of Toledo is to walk up and down the cobweb-like slopes and narrow alleys – even if you get lost in it, you will never feel bored as new surprises await around every corner. The Jewish Quarter on the west side of the old city is worth a special trip. It is quite different from the Spanish architectural style. Most of the buildings here are 2-3 floors, with a large number of flower tiles covering the outer walls, plus hard copper doors and Barricade windows, low-key hidden in the alley.

7. Visit the Cathedral of Toledo

The center of the old city is Toledo's most famous attraction, one of the largest Catholic churches in the world – the Cathedral of Toledo, also known as the Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo. If there is one building that best represents the historical development of the city, it is the Cathedral. It has a French Gothic architectural form rarely used in Spanish churches at the time. Not only is it the second cathedral in all of Spain, but it's also the residence of the chief cardinal of Spain, the highest residence and religious center of the Spanish Catholic leadership.

In addition, Toledo Cathedral is also a treasure trove of works of art. In every chapel there are extremely precious collections, and the sacristy exhibition displays rare paintings and works by El Greco, Rubens and Van Dyck.

Organised trips to Toledo

Toledo is an ancient city of history and culture, and there's far more to discover than can be written here. If you want to travel to Toledo and want to know more about the place but don't want to spend too much time investigating, it would be a good choice to sign up in advance for a locally organised 1-day tour from Madrid.

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