For a small city, Toledo has some old and storied history. Situated on a gorge overlooking the Rio Tajo, the old brick buildings and walls of the old city will take you back hundreds of years. While it is an easy bus ride from Madrid and most tourist destinations sights can be seen in a day, it is worth staying overnight in order to fully experience this magnificent city.
Toledo was known as “the city of three cultures” based on the fact that Jews, Christians, and Muslims coexisted peacefully inside the small old city walls for many years.
Some of the oldest synagogues in Europe can be found here along with 14th-century arch-shaped mosques and Gothic cathedrals. The El Greco museum houses some incredible Spanish art while the Toledo Cathedral will take your breath away.
The best part about Toledo is that the old city is all in one area, while the modern, residential neighborhoods are across the river. Almost everything is walking distance and getting lost in the maze of Arabic style alleyways and windy streets will make you feel small and young inside this ancient city. There are not many other cities in the world that you can find some of the oldest architecture from these 3 religions all in a few miles radii!
