One day in Toledo

You can then head to the Santa Cruz Museum, located to one side of Plaza de Zocodover. This site consists of the old Hospital de Santa Cruz and the Santa Fe Convent, which have been refurbished and converted into a cultural venue hosting major temporary exhibitions. We entered the convent building via Calle de Santa Fe. Right from the start, it is striking to see how the most modern elements and materials have been integrated into the structure of the old convent. Inside, there is a huge glass window offering views over the Paseo del Miradero avenue, the gardens of the new Conference Centre and the River Tagus. Exit the building onto Calle Santa Fe, and if you turn left, you will come to the Santa Cruz Hospital building. It is well worth a visit, if only to see the courtyard, the marble staircase of Covarrubias and the enormous arches in its interior.

This is a good time to stop for a cup of coffee or a snack. There are several cafés and outdoor terraces in the area, but as we’re very close to the Alcázar, we can take the opportunity to climb up to one of its fortified towers and enjoy the spectacular panoramic view from the café at the Castilla-La Mancha Library. Looking out the window, we are greeted by a spectacular panoramic view of Toledo from above. 

We left the alcázar and, after wandering around for barely five minutes, we reached the cathedral via Calle Cardenal Cisneros. It is so magnificent and there is so much to see that we could spend hours and hours there: the Chapel of the Kings, the famous golden Monstrance, the magnificent paintings in the Sacristy, the choir… We learnt about the curious tradition celebrated every 15 August, to mark the feast of Our Lady of the Tabernacle. On that day, it is customary at the Cathedral to drink from earthenware pots, jugs and glasses filled with water from the Cloister well, as the water is said to be miraculous. You’d better make a note for future visits.

Leave the Cathedral and head towards the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where you will find the two Renaissance buildings of the Episcopal Palace and the Town Hall. Along the street on the left, you’ll come to the alley of the Cuesta de la Ciudad (the city hill) which you can climb to reach the Jesuit church (also known as the church of San Ildefonso) in the Plaza Padre Juan de Mariana. It is located at the highest point of the city, so this is a perfect opportunity to once again enjoy the panoramic views over the tightly packed rooftops of Toledo from its towers.

Looking towards the south, on the upper banks of the Tagus River, you can see the Cigarrales mansions, the old recreational estates of Toledo's bourgeoisie, many of which have been transformed into luxury accommodation.

Now it's time for lunch, and nearby lies Calle Alfileritos, a street lined with bars and restaurants where we can sit and relax. The atmosphere in many of them is particularly warm and charming, as they are often housed in old Toledo town houses or multi-story mansions that have been renovated while preserving their most distinctive decorative features. Menu suggestions include, for example, cocido (chickpea stew), carcamusas (stewed pork with tomatoes and peas), partridge, venison, or any game dish. To accompany the meal, one of the local wines with designation of origin, of course.On the way to Alfileritos, we pass the convent of San Pedro Mártir on our left, which now belongs to the University of Castilla-La Mancha. The two interior cloisters are perfect for stopping and enjoying a moment of calm.

After a good meal, head towards the city’s Jewish quarter. It is about a 15-minute to walk to Plaza del Salvador, where we see the Municipal Archive - a contemporary-style building resulting from the renovation of the former Church of San Marcos. The building is particularly unusual, among other reasons because the archaeological remains discovered during the building works are integrated into its structure.

Heading out of this square along Calle de Santo Tomé, you will come to the Church of Santo Tomé. Inside the church you can see the painting, “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz”, one of the masterpieces by the famous painter, El Greco. We continue along Calle San Juan de Dios to visit the Synagogue of El Tránsito, which also houses the Sephardic Museum. After marvelling at the beauty of its decorative plasterwork, you can head into the museum to learn more about the Jewish tradition in Spain. The next stop is another synagogue, Santa María la Blanca, which we reach via Calle Reyes Católicos. The intricate carvings and details of its capitals are a sight to behold.Continuing down the street, we come to the imposing Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs. Having explored it, we can’t help but be surprised to learn that, according to reports, the monarchs thought it was “small”. There are plenty of craft and souvenir shops throughout this area. Some of these shops also have a workshop where visitors can see the craftspeople at work. Damascene ware, ceramics, leather goods and embroidery are particularly characteristic of Toledo. Not to mention, of course, the famous swords.

Heading up the Paseo de la Virgen de Gracia, we enter the convent district. Of course, if you fancy a peaceful stroll, this is the perfect area, as these streets are characterised by calm and silence.In some of the convents, you can also buy sweets handmade by the nuns. The Convent of San Antonio, the Convent of San Clemente and the Convent of the Agustinas Calzadas are just a few examples.Every now and then, when we look up, we spot some elevated passageways: these were used by the religious orders to move from one building to another without being seen in public. Continuing our walk, we reach the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz and the Puerta del Sol, from where we can see the Church of Santiago del Arrabal and the inner side of the Puerta de Bisagra.

At this point, we were very close to Zocodover Square, so we didn’t hesitate: we took a taxi from the rank next to the square to take us to the Parador de Turismo, situated on one of the hills on the outskirts of the city.

The idea is to have a drink on the café terrace while enjoying the magnificent panoramic view of Toledo at sunset. It is the perfect reward after a day of sightseeing.