Day Trips to Toledo from Madrid

Toledo is known as the City of the three cultures, as its heritage includes Christian, Muslim and Jewish elements. Taking an excursion to Toledo from Madrid is one of the best options to complete your trip.

Toledo has many things to see and to make the most of the day and soak up all its cultural heritage, I recommend hiring an organized excursion that includes a guided tour. These are the main options:

This round trip excursion to Toledo is the most convenient option to visit the city with a specialized guide, who will explain the cultural highlights and leave you free time to visit Toledo at your leisure. The tour includes the transfer from Madrid in an air-conditioned bus and costs approximately 55 €. Here are the main stops of the tour.

• Toledo's Primate Cathedral

It is the crown jewel of the city and it would be a cultural sin to leave the city without visiting it. Do not hesitate to go inside to visit places like the Main Chapel, the Chapter House, the Mozarabic Chapel or the Treasury. Gothic in style, this is one of the most impressive cathedrals in the world.

• Historical center

Strolling through the historic center of Toledo is like stepping back several centuries. Cobblestone streets and stone buildings make up a landscape full of history behind every corner. Be warned: in Toledo there are many slopes and the walk can be tiring.

• Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca

It is a 12th century Mudejar synagogue converted into a church. It is located in the Jewish quarter of Toledo and is one of the most beautiful monuments in the area. Its labyrinth of whitewashed arches stands out.

• Church of Santo Tomé

If you have visited the Prado Museum in Madrid you will have seen some of the works of El Greco. This artist was born in Toledo and this church houses one of his most famous paintings: The Burial of the Count of Orgaz. The guide will tell you about the different and interesting interpretations of the work.

• Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes

Isabella I of Castile ordered the construction of this Franciscan monastery. Gothic and Elizabethan in style, the monastery is one of the most beautiful places in Toledo. Don't be in a hurry to walk through its corridors and admire the contrast of the stone with the green of its interior courtyards.

The duration of this excursion to Toledo with guided visit to the cathedral is approximately eight hours. The guide will pick you up in Madrid and transfer you to Toledo by bus.

Once in Toledo, you will start a guided tour of the most important points of the center of Toledo: the Plaza Zocodover which is the liveliest square of the city, the Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca, the old Jewish quarter and of course the Primate Cathedral, among others. All this permanently accompanied by a guide who will explain everything about this fascinating destination.

The entrance fees to the Cathedral and the monuments are included, as well as the bus transfer and the guide. This tour costs around 90€ and is one of the most complete if you want to get to know Toledo in depth. Among the attractions you will visit are:

• Catedral Primada de Toledo
• Church of Santo Tomé and the painting of El Greco
• Old Jewish quarter
• Alcazar
• Zocodocer Square

Many excursions to cities located in the outskirts of Madrid take advantage of the trip to include other tourist attractions close to the capital that are not easily reached from the center. This organized excursion to Toledo includes a visit to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen; these are two places that will not take much of your time in Toledo and that are very interesting to visit. Here is a summary of the itinerary.

• El Escorial Monastery

It was built in the 16th century under the rule of Philip II and during this tour the guide will tell you why it is one of the most popular visits around Madrid. During the tour you will visit the inside of the monastery, but the real beauty is in its gardens and views.

• Valley of the Fallen

It is a controversial monument erected in honor of the fallen during the Spanish Civil War. If you know nothing about this historical period it is an ideal occasion to soak up the explanations of your guide; I guarantee you will find it very interesting to see this place from a different perspective.

• Historic center of Toledo

Once you finish your visit in Madrid you will head to Toledo and in about an hour you will be walking through the streets of the center. During the guided tour you will enter the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca and the Church of Santo Tomé where you can admire the painting of El Greco. Afterwards, you will have free time to stroll around the city or to further explore places such as the Cathedral.

This tour includes entrance tickets to the Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen, lasts about 11 hours and costs around 80 €.

Another option you have to visit Toledo is to do it together with your visit to the city of Segovia. It is a full day tour of about 12 hours, but it will allow you to know two emblematic points of Spanish culture and are located near Madrid.

You will visit the impressive Cathedral of Toledo, the Mirador del Valle and its spectacular views and the Castle of the Alcazar of Segovia. In addition, you can choose to do this tour on a shared or private basis, exclusively with your travel companions. You can also add a stop in the city of Avila and make a guided walking tour there.

This tour is designed to make the most of your days in Madrid and in the center of Spain, so you do not miss anything and you can enjoy everything, forgetting to deal with transfers, hiring guides and schedules. Its price is around 54 € and what you should keep in mind is that it only includes the entrance to the Alcazar of Segovia.

If you prefer to visit Toledo on your own, the high-speed train is one of the easiest ways to get to the city. It departs from Atocha station and takes about 30 minutes. This tour is designed as a package tour to visit Toledo on your own.

Is it worth it? If you don't want to worry about everything during your visit, yes, considering that half of the price is spent on the train tickets. However, although the departure from Madrid is early, the return is in the early afternoon (between 17:25 and 18:25) so you will have to hurry your visit to get the most out of the tourist card.

What is included in this option

• Round-trip train tickets
• The Toledo Travel Card with which you can access free for 24 hours to all the museums and monuments of the city.
• Use of the tourist bus and guided tours.
• A menu of first course, main course and dessert to be exchanged in two selected restaurants to enjoy the Spanish gastronomy.

If you have decided to visit Toledo on an organized tour, you don't have to worry about anything: the guided tour will show you the main points of interest. On the other hand, if you want to discover the city by yourself, these references will help you not to leave the City of the three cultures without knowing its most emblematic places.

• Viewpoint of the Valley

It's not always easy to get to since it's located on the outskirts of the city, but a cab from downtown Toledo shouldn't charge you much for a round trip. The views from there are so breathtaking that for me it deserves to be on the Top of the list of things to see in Toledo.

• The Cathedral

Of course, it is the main attraction as it is one of the most visitedcathedrals in Spain and is among the most amazing in Europe. Already from the outside the facade of this Gothic cathedral will captivate you, but do not rule out a visit to the interior: it is well worth it.

• The historic center

Even if you go on your own, if you have the opportunity to hire a guided tour through the center of Toledo I recommend it. They will tell you the history and secrets hidden in this city and will contextualize the different monuments scattered throughout the city.

• The synagogue of Santa María la Blanca

Don't be fooled by appearances; this Mudejar synagogue located in the Jewish quarter may not catch your eye from the outside, but you will be surprised by its interior full of arches and white walls.

• The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes

A labyrinth of stone walls, gardens and high ceilings that may turn out to be one of the most beautiful visits you make in Toledo.

• The Alcazar

This medieval fortress is located in the highest part of the city and, even if you skip the visit to the interior, it is worth a visit to the Alcazar to contemplate its facade and the views of the city.

Ana's Traveller Tip

If you are visiting the city without a tour guide, I recommend reading about its main places of interest beforehand to learn about its history.

If you have more days and you are interested in exploring the corners of Spain and its attractions in more depth, you can also combine your visit to Toledo with other cities. Of course, you will have to dedicate more days and a little more budget, but it will be worth it to get a more complete and deeper experience of the different regions.

I recommend some interesting proposals:

• Excursion to Avila, Segovia and Toledo from Madrid
• 4-day tour to Andalucía and Toledo from Madrid
• 5 day tour to Andalusia, Caceres and Toledo from Madrid
• 6 days tour to Andalucia, Caceres and Toledo from Madrid

When to go

You can visit Toledo at any time of the year, but avoid visiting in summer if you don't want to suffer from the heat. Summer temperatures in Toledo can exceed those of Madrid. In winter, however, it is a little colder so you will need an extra jacket.

As for the influx of tourists, in Toledo there are always tourists, but it is not such a large volume that you can not enjoy the city regardless of the day of the week you choose to go (there will always be more people on holidays).

Recommended duration of the tour

Toledo can be seen in one day, but it is not crazy to stay one night in the city to see it in more depth without being aware of the clock. The only thing is that if you intend to sleep in Toledo you should book your accommodation well in advance; otherwise you could find yourself on the street at nightfall and it would not be pleasant.

What to eat

Excellent quality at affordable prices, what more can you ask for? In Toledo you can go for tapas in the old town or book a good restaurant to enjoy some of its most famous dishes such as stewed partridge, cochifrito manchego, carcamusa (meat and vegetable stew), arroz a la toledana, or mazapán de Toledo (Toledo marzipan).

What to take to Toledo

If you are going to walk a lot it wouldn't hurt to pack a couple of band-aids in your backpack. Toledo has many hills and you will need, above all, comfortable shoes. Otherwise, you can take the same as on any other excursion, but you can take some of the typical sweets or Manchego cheeses back to Madrid: a delicious souvenir.

Ana's Traveller Tip

Don't forget to take in the views of Toledo from the Mirador del Valle; they will leave you in awe.

After seeing Toledo you will discover that, beyond the provincial capitals, Spain has impressive cities that you can visit without spending too much time on the road. Another of these cities is Segovia; preceded by its well-known aqueduct, it is located one hour from Madrid and there are several organized excursions and guided tours available. I have written this guide about Day Trips to Segovia from Madrid that may be of interest to you.

If you prefer to stay in Madrid and enjoy every second in the capital, I recommend you to consider taking a guided tour of the city: it will help you to better understand all the corners of its streets and its history. I leave you in this article about Madrid Tours all the information you need to organize your guided tour.