7 essentials if you visit Toledo

Are you coming to Toledo and you don't know where to start? Don't worry! We help you plan your visit so that it is an experience you will never forget. Of course, we already tell you that the City of the Three Cultures will bewitch you and make you always want to come back.  

Recinto amurallado 

Toledo, situated on top of a hill overlooking the Tagus River, has been a fortified city since Roman times. The rest of the cultures that lived in it built walls that we can still see today. Among the most famous are the Puerta de Bisagra, the Puerta del Sol or the Puerta del Cambrón.

A good start to the route is to enter through the gate of the most popular wall, the Puerta de Bisagra. Its two round towers, its gigantic "Imperial City" coat of arms and its courtyard with the sculpture of Charles V stand out.

Cristo de la Luz Mosque and roman road

After climbing the alley that continues to go through the Puerta de Bisagra, is the door of the Christo de la Luz and you can see remains of the ancient Roman road next to the Mezquita Cristo de la Luz.  

It was built in 999 as "Mezquita de Bab al Mardum", and was later converted into a Christian church at the end of the 12th century. It's the oldest mosque preserved in Spain, where you can clearly see the mixture of different cultures that participated in its remodeling.

Toledo Cathedral

The next must-see is in the old quarter of the city of La Mancha. An authentic open-air museum, declared a World Heritage Site, where the Cathedral of Santa María de Toledo imposes itself. 

It is the only Primate Cathedral in Spain in which its 92-metre Gothic tower, its doors, its interior and, above all, the "Gorda Bell", which weighs the equivalent of 4 elephants, is the largest bell in Spain.

Burial of the Lord of Orgaz in the church of Santo Tomé

The Church of Santo Tomé does not stand out for the architectural interest of the building, but for the artistic jewel and tourist attraction it houses: the famous painting El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz by El Greco.

The dimensions of the oil painting, almost 5 meters high, its color and level of detail in each figure are impressive.

Sinagoga del Tránsito y Sinagoga Santa María la Blanca

The jews also lived in the City of Three Cultures, but of the 12 synagogues they built, only 2 remain today: the Transit Synagogue and the Santa María la Blanca Synagogue. 

After crossing the Jewish quarter of Toledo you arrive at the 14th century Transito Synagogue, where you can admire its wooden roof and its beautiful plasterwork decoration. For its part, the Santa María la Blanca Synagogue was built at the end of the 12th century with an exquisite Mudejar architectural style typical of Cordoba's Islamic art, which is more reminiscent of a mosque than a jewish synagogue.

Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes

At the end of the 15th century, at the request of the Catholic Monarchs, a franciscan monastery was built, the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes. It is considered the best example of elizabethan gothic style, with a beautiful two-story cloister combining Gothic and Mudejar elements and a beautiful wooden coffered ceiling on its upper floor.

Viewpoints of the Tagus River

A picture is worth a thousand words and a picture you should take of Toledo is the spectacular panoramic view from the viewpoints of the Tagus River. We recommend the Mirador del Valle, located to the south of the city on the ring road. 

From here the panoramic view is spectacular, distinguishing perfectly its architectural jewels and the bridges of San Martín and Alcántara. Morning, sunset or night are all good moments to fall in love with these views.

These are some of the must-see sights if you're coming to Toledo. So take your suitcase and come to this wonderful city. If you want to delve into its history and curiosities, bet on our Toledo Monumental tour where you can learn the most important of the city from the hand of our guides. With the Cathedral tour, you will know everything about its greatest architectural jewel. And if, on the other hand, you want to know its secrets, with our Toledo Subterranean tour we are going to enter the interior of the city, knowing how people lived here and why there are so many caves. Live a unique experience with our guided tours!