Top Things To Do In Toledo Spain In One Day (+ How To Get There)
Toledo, Spain is a beautiful medieval town located just half an hour by train from Madrid. Toledo is known as the city of the three cultures as for hundreds of years Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived peacefully side by side in the city.
This means that you can see an ancient cathedral, mosque, and synagogue all within a couple of minutes’ walk. Because of all the intriguing history and stunning architecture, it is a must-do day trip if you are in Madrid.
So keep reading to find out the top things to do in Toledo, Spain.
What Is Toledo Spain Known For?
Toldeo Spain is known for being one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Europe that is full of history.
Toledo is known as the city of three cultures because of the influence Christians, Muslims, and Jews have had on the city.
For centuries Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived peacefully within the city. This means that there are many different influences on the architecture of the city.
For example, there are Christian churches, Muslim mosques, and Jewish Synagogues all with a small historic center. This means that it is a very beautiful city with lots to see within a small area.
1. Walk Across the Puente de Alcantara
The Puente de Alcantara is a roman bridge built over the Tagus River between 104 and 106 AD.
It has been partially destroyed and rebuilt many times due to war and other reasons. But today it is a very beautiful bridge and makes for an impressive entry into Toledo, Spain.
If you follow the main road from the train station into town you will end up crossing the bridge. Then once you are over the bridge you can walk up the hill to the city center.
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2. Go on a Walking Tour
Toledo is a city that is jam-packed with history and the best way to learn that history is to join a walking tour.
There are a lot of walking tours that cover different parts of the history of Toledo. The walking tours generally all leave from Zocadover Square. You can look through a list of walking tours available on Guru Walk.
We were hesitant about joining a walking tour when we first arrived as we like to do our own thing. There really is so much history and going on a tour is really one of the best things to do in Toledo Spain to learn all about it.
3. Buy The Toledo Bracelet
The city of Toledo offers a tourist bracelet that allows you to see the best of toledo. With the bracelet, you get to visit 7 of the most important attractions for 10 euros. If you were to pay for entry to the attractions it would cost 3 euros per entry. So you are saving 21 euros by buying the bracelet.
If you do not want to do a group tour then getting the bracelet is a great way to do your own walking tour.
Or if you would like a group tour and the bracelet you can do both at the same time. You can take a walking tour with a tourist bracelet pass that way you get a guided tour of 3 attractions and then you can visit the remaining attractions when you want. The tour costs 20 euros including with the bracelet included.
4. Catedral Primada de Toledo
The Catedral Primada is an impressive gothic cathedral and is considered to be one of the finest gothic cathedrals in Spain. Its spire can be seen from many parts of Toledo and it is one of the most important buildings in the city.
Entrance to the Cathedral costs 10 euros and 12.50 euros if you also want to climb the cathedral’s spire. The cathedral’s interior is beautifully decorated and an impressive art gallery is inside. So if you are interested in art and finely decorated Cathedrals it will be worth the entrance fee.
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5. Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes
The Monasterio de San Juan de Los Reyes is another beautiful gothic-style church in Toledo. It is one of the seven attractions that you can visit when you buy the Toledo Bracelet.
Construction of the monastery began in 1477 and it was originally going to be the burial place for the King and Queen of Spain at the time. However, a few years later they conquered Granada and decided they wanted to be buried there.
So today we have this very impressive monastery because a King and Queen hundreds of years ago wanted to be buried in a fancy building!
Inside the monastery, there is a peaceful courtyard full of orange trees and the interior is beautifully decorated. All of this you will be able to see if you buy the tourist bracelet otherwise it is a 3 euro entry fee.
Outside of the monastery, you will notice that there are chains hanging from the walls outside. The chains are from 15th-century prisoners freed when the Catholics conquered Toledo.
As thanks for their freedom, the prisoners hung their chains on the side of the monastery where they still hang today.
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6. The Iglesia de los Jesuitas
The Iglesia de los Jesuitas is a Baroque-style church located on top of the hill in the middle of the historic center. Construction of the church began in 1677 and it took over a hundred years to complete.
The church is one of the seven attractions included in the Toledo Bracelet otherwise you have to pay a 2.50 euro entry. It is located in a quieter part of Toledo and the narrow alleys surrounding it are great for exploring.
If you feel like a bit of exercise you are able to climb the spires of the church for a great view over Toledo. However, there are 113 very steep steps so be careful if you go in summer because Toledo will be extremely hot during the day.
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7. Iglesia de San Tome
The Iglesia de San Tome is another church that is included in the Toledo Bracelet. It is also located in a very nice quieter part of town away from crowds.
The church was built in the 14th century on top of an older mosque. Its bell tower which can be seen in the photo below was built in the Mudejar style and refers to Islamic art styles applied to Christian architecture.
It is quite a small church and the main reason to go inside is to see the Burial of The Count of Orgaz painting. This painting is considered to be a masterpiece by art experts. So if you are an art lover it is an excellent reason to go inside.
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8. Puente San Martin
The Puente San Martin is another picturesque medieval bridge that enters the city over the Tagus River. It was built to give access to the city from the west while the older Puente de Alcantara gave access from the east.
You get a unique perspective of Toledo from the bridge and the views of the river and valley are really nice. It is a fairly long walk if you are in Toledo in summer so make sure you have plenty of water.
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9. Alcazar of Toledo
The Alcazar of Toledo is the most prominent building in Toledo due to its position high up on the hill.
The Alcazar has had many uses throughout history. It was originally a Roman palace in the 3rd century. When Toledo was taken from the Moors by the Catholics the Alcazar became a residence for the Spanish royal family.
It was then converted to a military academy in the 18th century and was the location of an important battle in the Spanish Civil War
Today the building is a Military Museum which costs 5 euros to enter. But if a military museum does not interest you then it is a nice building to just have a walk around.
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10. Street and Soul Restaurant
If you are looking for tasty healthy food then Street and Soul is one of the best restaurants in Toledo Spain for you.
Street and Soul is a vegan restaurant right next to the Catedral Primada. They have a varied menu with hamburgers, ramen, pad Thai, and more.
It is not the cheapest restaurant but reasonable for a very touristy city. Plus if you are visiting Toledo in summer it can be very, very hot, and Street and Soul have air conditioning so it is a good place to escape the heat.
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How To Get To Toledo Spain
Getting to Toledo is super convenient if you are in Madrid. There is an express train that leaves from the Madrid-Atocha station.
The train leaves approximately every hour and takes just 33 minutes to reach Toldeo. You can book tickets on Trainline.com.
If you are looking for something to eat before you leave Madrid I highly recommend Scralett Real Food.
They are located just across the road from the train station and do fantastic breakfasts. We had eggs and avocado on toast and an acai bowl and both were really good.
Arriving In Toledo
The train station in Toledo is just outside of the city center but it is only a 20-minute walk into the city center. The train station itself is a beautiful building and worth taking a photo of. It was built in 1919 and was designed to be similar to the architecture of Toledo.
When you walk towards Toledo that fastest route will take you across the Puente de Alcantara. This is not only the fastest route but also the most beautiful.
Is Toledo Spain Worth Visiting?
If it is not obvious after reading this list then it is absolutely worth visiting! There is so much to see in such a small area and it is super convenient to get here from Madrid.
So if you are visiting Madrid I think that doing a day trip to Toledo is a must-do.
Now You Know All The Best Things To Do In Toledo Spain
That brings us to the end of our list of the top things to do in Toledo. It is a really magical little city that is great for a day of exploring.
We hope our list helps you to have a great trip. If there is anything you think that we should add to the list let us know in the comments below!
Travel, health and fitness fanatic. Co-founder of happyhealthynomads.
