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 it is one of the most picturesque cities in Spain's history, so 2 days may not seem like much time to discover it. However, if you're willing to do a lot of sightseeing with the right organisation, you'll be able to see a good number of attractions.

Some of the best things to see and do in Toledo over two days include visiting the Catedral Primada, seeing the Alcázar fortress, exploring 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 centre 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. On the first day I suggest a tour of the Catedral Primada and the Alcázar, a walk through the Jewish Quarter and a visit to the Santa María la Blanca Synagogue, 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-time excursion to discover the city's narrow streets, its mysteries and secrets on a tour with an expert local guide.

Visit the Catedral Primada de Toledo

Almost 800 years old, the Catedral Primada is the most representative building of the historic centre and the Catholic emblem of Toledo, which is known as the City of the 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 enormous rose window that makes the cathedral a must-see attraction in Toledo

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

The entrance fee to Toledo Cathedral also includes admission to the Campana Gorda, which you can access via a small staircase, and the building is open every day. 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.
• Opening hours... Every day from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm.
• Location... Calle Cardenal Cisneros 1, Toledo.

Tour the Alcázar of Toledo

The Alcázar 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 on one of the highest points in Toledo, it stands out for its quadrangular shape and its four 60-metre high watchtowers. You can get from the Cathedral to the Alcázar 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, but you can also explore the site on your own, which contains exhibits of Spanish army and armour, 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 Alcázar has an initial cost of approximately 5 euros per person. On Sundays it is free.
• Opening hours... Thursday to Tuesday, 11am-5pm.
• 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 neighbourhood 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 opposite 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 Puerta de Assulca.

You can visit the Jewish Quarter on your own by walking along the main artery of the neighbourhood, 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 Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca

Inside the Jewish Quarter, the main attraction is the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, a religious building that was also an Islamic temple and a 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 it is not currently used for religious worship and only functions as a museum and centre for cultural activities. If you plan to visit Toledo at Christmas time, you will see that it is the only place in the Jewish quarter that has a Christmas spirit.

Guided walking tours of 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 costs approximately 12 euros.
• Opening hours... Every day from 10.00 am to 5.45 pm.
• Location... Calle de los Reyes Católicos 4, Toledo.

Contemplate the sunset at Puerta del Sol

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

You can get to the Puerta del Sol from the Santa María la Blanca Synagogue 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 Mirador de la Muralla area.

If you are planning to visit Toledo in winter, you can also find bars and cafés in Puerta del Sol to take shelter from the cold.

Take a night tour in Toledo

To end 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 on a tour of the old town.

Among the night-time 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 around the city's main medieval sites.

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

After an intensive tour through the centre of the old town on the first day, for the second day I suggest you visit the Bisagra Gate, which is one of the most emblematic of the city, the famous Plaza Zocodover and the Alcántara 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 where you can enjoy one of the best views of Toledo's medieval citadel. To round off your 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 Bisagra Gate

The Bisagra Gate is not the most famous or the biggest in Toledo, but it is one of the most beautiful and definitely worth a visit. Located opposite the Parque de la Vega and close to 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 defence of the city, so close to it are also the gates of Alfonso VI, Alarcones and Sol and the chapels 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 city's main landmark, as it is located near the Palacio de Congresos and the Army and Santa Cruz museums. You can get to this square from the Puerta de Bisagra on a ten-minute walk along the five streets that separate them.

The Plaza de Zocodover is also the focal point of local festivities, it was the scene of the Inquisition's autos de fe, executions were carried out there and it even served as a bullring. It is also one of the most picturesque squares 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 old citadel of Toledo with the outskirts of the city and is one of the most important bridges that crosses the Tagus River because it links the Conference Centre with the Castle of San Servando. It also has a very particular architectural design dating from Roman times.

You can reach the Alcántara Bridge from the Plaza de Zocodover on a five-street walk that will take you approximately 10 minutes, and if you plan to visit Toledo in summer you will be able to contemplate from the bridge the strong flow of the Tagus River, which during the summer season is when it flows at its strongest.

On the other side of the citadel of Toledo you can also see the striking architecture of the bridge, which was originally designed with three arches, but was damaged and rebuilt in the 10th century until it was left with only two, hence its particular inclination towards the right side, as the third arch was reduced to a horseshoe-arched gateway.

A tour of the common areas of the Castle of San Servando

The Castle of San Servando is actually an ancient monastery more than 1,000 years old, built during the reign of Alfonso VI, which coincided with Toledo's most fruitful period.

San Servando was also a refuge for the Knights Templar during their pilgrimage on the Way of St. James, a fortress and the scene of the city's mysteries and ghostly legends.

The castle currently houses a hotel, but without being a guest you can tour the exterior and the common areas of the building, which is one of the largest in the city. Visiting this eye-catching castle is one of the children's favourite activities, 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 areas and the exterior of the building with free admission.
• Opening 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 Alcántara Bridge and San Servando Castle, where you can wait for the sunset over the Tagus River, I suggest you 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 not to be missed are cochifrito manchego, carcamusa, arroz a la toledana, sopa de ajo, venison with mushrooms, tortilla and tiznao de bacalao or tiznao de trucha. As you will see, all the typical Toledan dishes are elaborate and can be eaten as tapas or as a main meal, and accompanied 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 savour the local gastronomy and round off an intense 48-hour tour of one of the most interesting cities on the outskirts of Madrid.