Toledo People & Culture

One of the most beautiful cities in Spain, built by the Hebrew people and you can realize while your walking by the city, and if you love the Middle Ages swords...Welcome to Toledo :)

Known as The City of the Three Cultures, it has been inhabited by jews, muslims and christians for centuries. Amazing place to visit, like travelling so far away in time, it's a medieval city 30 minutes away from Madrid, by train. Beautiful gothic cathedral, magnificent views from the Mirador.

Visit the gold filigree factory. They do gold jewelry by hand. It's pricey but AMAZING. They also have swords. A small pendant for a necklace with a diameter of about 1.5" costs around 30 euro. They have three different qualities and the price depends on how high the quality is.

make sure you visit the gold working/swordsmith companies, and don't skip out on the 'old Toledo'!!

From the times the Moros (Arabs) ruled in Spain, there was a certain type of inlay of gold strands on silver. For example, I purchased an inlay of Don Quixote on his horse with a windmill on a disk about 7 centimeters in diameter and the entire inlay was in gold. This is called Damascus gold because it is done in only two places now in the world - Toledo and Damascus. They sell a lot of junk stuff to tourists, BUT if you will look for this, it is a rare item indeed. They will seal it inbetween two panes of glass with a bronze frame around it for you to hang on the wall or to display on your desk, etc. It is very beautiful.

Toledo is amazing! Be ready for a lot of uphill walking - the city is so cool though that you won't mind. There is a tour that will take you over to the other side of the valley - which is worth the ticket price since it would be another crazy uphill climb. It also tells you the local legends which are neat and gives you a chance to take pictures.

It's better to go in autumn and spring. Good times to go Carnaval in February or the Corpus around the month of June

as beautiful as it is, be prepared to go uphill almost all the time (I have no idea how they constructed the city like this, I always though you should be albe to find streets both up and down).

Once the capital of Spain, Toledo has played a central role in the country’s political and religious history since Roman times. It has been a major European centre for learning and the arts for generations of Jews, Muslims and Christians alike. All of which makes wandering its narrow streets with a head full of summarised history a slightly overwhelming experience. A labyrinth of cobbled lanes – often no more than an arms width apart - twist and dip all over the old city, suddenly opening up to medieval cathedrals, synagogues, fortifications, art museums, or the stunning Alcazar. Like a lot of places in Spain, it is a town hard to appreciate in a single day. IMPORTANT...CATHEDRAL OPEN FOR LIMITED HOURS ...A MUST SEE WITH EL GRECO ART AND UNUSUAL DESIGN..DO NOT MISS.

Do the trip around the city and see the beatyfull sightseen!!!