Day trip to Toledo (no, not Ohio!)
Toledo, Spain is an ancient walled city dating back to around 193BC. It is located on a peninsula of the Tagus river some 40+ miles south of Madrid. We’ll take a high-speed train from the Atocha station in Madrid so we should get there in about a half-hour. This will also be our first subway adventure in Madrid so hopefully all goes well.
Let’s start with the subway. Easiest system we’ve seen yet, very straight-forward to buy tickets and find a train to our destination. Perfect! Now the train, not so straight forward. The Atocha train station is one of the largest in Madrid. It connects with major lines of the subway and has both regional and high-speed trains servicing all points. Once we arrived, the challenge began to find a ticket kiosk or counter to buy our tickets for Toledo. We have 40 minutes before the train departs so should have been enough time, but no, it wasn’t.
First, the kiosks in the train station only work with existing travel cards, a kind of “recharge” system. But of course, there isn’t anything on these machines that tells you this so we spent several minutes trying to buy a ticket before realizing this was a lost cause. Only saving grace was that there were lots of others trying to do the same, so we didn’t feel too stupid.
So, the kiosk didn’t work, lets try the ticket counter. Thanks to a young man in line who told us to take a ticket before getting in line, we didn’t waste too much more time. Once we had the ticket to get in line for the ticket, it was simply a matter of waiting for our turn. Shouldn’t take long…… A quick 20 minutes goes by and so does our train to Toledo. Not to worry, there is a train almost every hour so we’ll just catch the next one, if we can get a ticket.
Finally make our way to the ticket window and notice a sign on the window that reads, “Tickets for Toledo are sold in the Garden Room”. Where the hell is the Garden Room? Sensing our frustration, the ticket clerk sold us our tickets and sent us on our way. We had about 30 minutes to wait so we went looking for the Garden Room just in case our next adventure required us to buy tickets there.
The Atocha station “Garden Room”
Finally got a track assignment for our train and headed out to get onboard. Typically, in Europe getting on a train is simple. You show your ticket at the gate, they scan it, you get on the train. In Madrid it’s a little different. You show your ticket and ID at the security check point, put your belongings in a metal detector, pass through a metal detector, reclaim your goodies and run to your train. Just a little more drama to an otherwise boring ride.
Once in Toledo it’s a short walk to the city. Mostly uphill, the stroll takes you along the river for some nice views of the walls and entrance gate of this medieval city.
Toledo seen from river path. Alcazar in the center
The city inside the city
Toledo train station
One of two defensive gates into Toledo
Moorish entryway
Toledo is a major tourist destination with a rich history. It was a Roman city in 2nd century BC, a Moorish city from 712 – 1085AD, the center of Castile (central region of Spain) up to the 13th century and the Capital of Spain until 1560. Toledo is considered by travelers to be the most representative city of Spanish culture. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.
Yes, Toledo has the usual cathedrals, churches, synagogues, and museums, but it also has a major tourist attraction, the Alcazar (fortress). Originally built in 3rd century AD by the Romans, the Alcazar has been modified, expanded and rebuilt many times over the years. It has served as a palace, a fortification, a King’s residence, a prison and a military headquarters. During the Spanish Civil War, the Alcazar was occupied by Nationalist forces until being attacked and destroyed during the famous “Siege of the Alcazar” in 1936.
Toledo is also famous for the novel, “Don Quixote” where it is said that author Miguel de Cervantes crafted part of his story. Fun fact: did you know that next to the Bible, Don Quixote is the most translated book in the world!
Alcazar
Alcazar
Cathedral of Toledo
Church of the Cistercian Monastery
Bullet damage to the Alcazar from the Spanish Civil War
The Don
For my friend Joe who has a passion for collecting and trading armor, Toledo is your kind of place. This town is known for their exquisite sword making, the world’s finest since the 1st century BC. There are suits of armor and swords in almost every shop made from fine Toledan steel. Gonna cost ya a bit to get it home. A King Solomon sword with 24k gold decorated blade runs about $1,000.00USD plus shipping. A full Knights Templar suit of armor is around $11,500.00USD! We’re looking for Christmas ornaments!
One of many shops selling swords and knives
Add to all this a city with narrow, winding streets that cross and crisscross in every direction and you have the makings for a fun day exploring, getting lost and exploring some more. Just remember to take a break and try the Sangria.
Cathedral from a side street
Typical street in Toledo
