Toledo in 2 Days: everything you need to know

Toledo is one of the main destinations on the outskirts of Madrid and with its narrow streets, castles, churches and medieval bridges is one of the most picturesque cities to learn about the history of Spain, so 2 days may seem a short time to discover it. However, if you are willing to do an intense tour with the right organization you will be able to see a good amount of attractions.

Some of the best things to see and do in Toledo during two days include visiting the Catedral Primada, seeing the Alcázar, touring the Jewish quarter and the Santa María la Blanca synagogue, and watching the sunset at the Puerta del Sol. You can also leave the old town to visit the bridges and palaces on the outskirts of the city and visit the historic squares.

The historic center of Toledo, surrounded by the Tagus River, has some of the main attractions of the city that stands out for its medieval and multicultural buildings, as it is a place that had Catholic, Jewish and Muslim influences. During the first day I suggest a tour of the Primate Cathedral and the Alcazar, a walk through the Jewish quarter and a visit to the Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca, which is one of the most beautiful in Spain.

You can also watch the sunset from the Puerta del Sol and I suggest a night tour to get to know the narrow streets of the city, its mysteries and secrets on a tour with an expert local guide.

Visit the Catedral Primada de Toledo

With almost 800 years old, the Primate Cathedral is the most representative building of the historic center and the Catholic emblem of Toledo, which is known as the City of Three Cultures because it also had a strong Jewish and Muslim influence. This Gothic building will surprise you with the artistic decorations of its central nave and the huge rose window that makes the cathedral a must-see attraction in Toledo

In the Cathedral of Toledo you can also see some of El Greco's masterpieces, Goya's canvases and other paintings that create a very unique atmosphere in this building that for centuries was the most important of the city and one of the seats of Spanish power outside Madrid.

The entrance fee to the Cathedral of Toledo also includes admission to the Campana Gorda, which you can access by a small staircase, and the building is open every day. In addition, you can also opt for a guided tour to learn about the history of the Cathedral.

• Price... General admission to the Cathedral costs approximately 13 euros per person.
• Hours... Every day from 10.00 to 18.00 hours.
• Location... Calle Cardenal Cisneros 1, Toledo.

Tour the Alcazar of Toledo

The Alcazar is one of the most famous buildings in the city and due to its characteristics it has also been used strategically as a military fortress. Located in one of the highest points of Toledo, it stands out for its quadrangular shape and its four watchtowers of 60 meters each. You can get from the Cathedral to the Alcazar in a 10-minute van ride along the five streets of the Cuesta de los Capuchinos.

Touring the Alcazar on a guided tour is one of the best tours in Toledo because you can learn about the history of the city, although you can also explore the site on your own, which contains exhibits of the Spanish army and displays of armor, firearms, weapons and sculptures.

Seeing the Alcazar illuminated at night in the upper part of the city from the plain of the old town is also one of the most beautiful experiences in Toledo, as it is one of the most representative images of the city.

• Price... General admission to the Alcazar has an initial cost of approximately 5 euros per person. On Sundays it is free.
• Hours... Thursday to Tuesday from 11.00 to 17.00 hours.
• Location... Calle de la Unión s/n, Toledo.

Walk through the Jewish Quarter and have lunch in the nearby taverns...

As a City of Three Cultures Toledo has a deep identification with each of the monotheistic religions and the Jewish Quarter, which is the neighborhood that the Jews built during the Middle Ages to isolate themselves from the Christians, is currently one of the most interesting places to visit in the city.

In the Jewish Quarter you can visit the Bab al-Yahud gate, walk along the walled area, visit the mikveh, which are sacred purification baths, and visit the synagogues of Tránsito and Santa María la Blanca, as well as the Assulca Gate, which is located in front of a food market where you can have lunch before continuing your tour.

You can reach the Jewish Quarter from the Alcázar with a 15-minute walk along the 8 streets of Cardenal Cisneros or take bus lines L1, L12 and L71. You can also opt for Toledo's hop on-hop off tourist bus, which includes a stop at the Puerta de Assulca.

You can visit the Jewish Quarter on your own by walking along the main artery of the neighborhood, Calle del Mármol, or take a tour with a local guide. If you prefer to avoid the kosher food at the flea market, you can have lunch at Majazul or La Marmita de Toledo, two of the most famous taverns in the Jewish quarter.

Visit the Santa María la Blanca Synagogue

Inside the Jewish Quarter the main attraction is the Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca, a religious building that was also an Islamic temple and Mudejar church, so it is also a witness of Toledo's history, crossed by the Muslim conquest and the Spanish reconquest.

The Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca was expropriated and transformed into a Catholic church in the Middle Ages and still belongs to the curia, although currently no religious worship is held there and it only functions as a museum and center for cultural activities. If you plan to visit Toledo during Christmas you will see that it is the only place in the Jewish quarter that has a Christmas spirit.

Guided walking tours through the old town and the Jewish quarter usually include the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca as one of their stops.

• Price... General admission to the Synagogue has an initial cost of approximately 12 euros.
• Hours... Every day from 10.00 to 17.45 hours.
• Location... Calle de los Reyes Católicos 4, Toledo.

Watch the sunset in Puerta del Sol

Toledo is the perfect combination of religious buildings and medieval walls that turned the city into a fortress and one of those buildings is the Puerta del Sol, located in the upper part of the old town, is the ideal place to watch the sunset in the city.

You can get to the Puerta del Sol from the Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca in a ten-street walk that will take you 15 minutes, on the L2 and L12 buses and on the Toledo tourist bus, which includes free stops in the area of the Mirador de la Muralla.

If you plan to visit Toledo in winter, in addition, in Puerta del Sol you can find bars and cafes to take shelter from the cold.

Take a night tour in Toledo

To close the first day of your intensive tour of the city I suggest you take one of the night tours of Toledo, so you can get to know the Toledo skyline illuminated by the lights of the night or immerse yourself in the mysteries and ancient secrets in a tour of the old town.

Among the night excursions you can take are tours of the Jewish quarter, visits to the city walls and gates, walks along the banks of the Tagus River, visits to the Primate Cathedral and exploration games through the main medieval sites of the city.

Some of these tours are available on the Toledo Card tourist pass while others you can do on your own.

After an intensive tour through the center of the old town during the first day, for the second day I propose you to visit the Bisagra Gate, which is one of the most emblematic of the city, the famous Plaza Zocodover and the Alcantara Bridge, which marks the limits of the old part of Toledo.

On the other side of the Tagus River you can also visit the Castle of San Servando, from which it is possible to contemplate one of the best views of the medieval citadel of Toledo. To close the 2-day tour of Toledo I suggest you try the local gastronomy in the bars and restaurants of the old town.

Get to know the Puerta de Bisagra

The Bisagra Gate is not the most famous or the largest in Toledo but it is one of the most beautiful and definitely worth a visit. Located in front of the Vega Park and near the Roman Circus, the Bisagra Gate is a medieval construction of Mudejar architecture that marks one of the entrances to the city. With its wide columns it is easily visible from the Castle of San Servando and from hot air balloon rides over Toledo.

The Bisagra Gate is located in a strategic area for the defense of the city, so close to it are also the gates of Alfonso VI, Alarcones and Sol and the hermitages of the Virgen de la Estrella and Cristo de la Cruz, opposite the Mirador del Azor, one of the most visited in the city.

The Puerta de Bisagra can be reached by bus lines L5, L61, L62 and L95 or Toledo's hop on-hop off tourist bus.

Visit Zocodover Square

Zocodover Square is Toledo's Playa Mayor and the main landmark of the city, because it is located near the Palacio de Congresos and the Army and Santa Cruz museums. You can reach this square from the Puerta de Bisagra in a ten-minute walk through the five streets that separate them.

The Plaza de Zocodover is also the nerve center of local festivities, was the scene of the autos de fe of the Inquisition, executions were carried out there and even served as a bullring. It is also one of the most picturesque in the city with its triangular shape and its name derives from the Arab occupation.

On the east side of the Plaza de Zocodover you can also visit the Arco de la Sangre, another of Toledo's monumental gates that dates back to medieval times and was rebuilt after the bombings of the Spanish Civil War.

Walk across the Alcántara Bridge

The Alcántara Bridge is one of the bridges that connect the ancient citadel of Toledo with the outskirts of the city and is one of the most important bridges that crosses the Tagus River because it connects the Congress Palace with the Castle of San Servando. Also because it has a very particular architectural design from Roman times.

You can reach the Alcántara Bridge from the Plaza de Zocodover in a five-street walk that will take you about 10 minutes and if you plan to visit Toledo in summer you can see from the bridge the strong flow of the Tagus River, which during the summer season is when it advances with greater force.

On the other side of the citadel of Toledo you can also observe the striking architecture of the bridge, which was initially designed with three arches, but was damaged and rebuilt in the tenth century to be only two, hence its particular inclination towards the right side, since the third arch was reduced to a horseshoe arched gate.

Walk through the common areas of the Castle of San Servando

The Castle of San Servando is, in reality, an ancient monastery more than 1000 years old that was built during the reign of Alfonso VI, which coincided with the most fruitful period of Toledo.

San Servando was also a refuge for the Knights Templar during their pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, a fortress and the scene of mysteries and ghostly legends of the city.

Currently the castle houses a hotel, but without being a guest you can tour the exterior and common areas of the building, which is one of the largest in the city. Visiting this striking castle is one of the favorite activities for children, so it could be a good option if you plan to visit Toledo with children.

• Price... The castle houses a hotel, so you can only visit the common and exterior areas of the building with free admission.
• Hours.... Every day from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm.
• Location... Cuesta de San Servando s/n, Toledo.

Go for tapas in Toledo to say goodbye to the city

After touring the Alcantara Bridge and the San Servando Castle, where you can wait for the sunset over the Tagus River, I suggest you to say goodbye to Toledo by visiting some of the traditional tascas in the old part of the city to taste the local dishes, tapas, cider and wines.

Among the dishes you can't miss I recommend the cochifrito manchego, carcamusa, arroz a la toledana, garlic soup, venison with mushrooms, tortilla and tiznao de bacalao or trout. As you will see, all the typical Toledan dishes are elaborate and you can eat them as tapas or as a main meal, and accompany them with local wines and ciders.

In the old town area I recommend the tasca La Divergente, the tavern Lizarrán and the bar Skala, all places where you can savor the local gastronomy and close an intense 48-hour tour of one of the most interesting cities on the outskirts of Madrid.