What to do on a Day Trip to Toledo from Madrid
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Why you should Visit Toledo, Spain
Toledo, Spain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its long history of peace between its Jewish, Christian, and Muslim inhabitants. If you are a history lover, you can’t miss this day trip to Toledo. Wandering the city streets takes you back in time to an age of knights and castles. I truly felt like I had time traveled!
Toledo, Spain
What you need to know about Toledo, Spain
General
Toledo is in Central Spain, about 30 minutes from Madrid. Spain is in the European Union (EU) and part of the Schengen Zone.
Money Stuff
Spain’s currency is the Euro (EUR). Make sure to have both cards and cash here.
Language
Spanish is widely spoken. English is not as common, especially among older people. It would be useful to know some basic Spanish here.
Safety
Toledo felt safe to me, but I was with my husband the whole time. There are a lot of narrow streets with high walls, so if you are a solo traveler I would stick to the main roads as much as possible. Always use common sense when traveling and keep your valuables hidden!
How to get to Toledo from Madrid for a Day Trip
The best way to do a self guided day trip to Toledo is by taking the high speed train from Madrid. It only takes about 30 minutes which means you have plenty of time to explore this ultra historic city! Once you get there, walking around the city is easy. You won’t really need to use public transport at all. However, if you plan on hiking around the city later in the day, make sure to wear comfortable shoes because it is definitely a long walk. More on that below!
Alternatively, there are organized day trips to Toledo from Madrid where you’ll have a private guide to take you to all the below places and more while they tell you in-depth histories of the city of three cultures.
What to do on a day trip to Toledo from Madrid
View from Rio Tajo near Puente de Alcantara
Walk the banks of Rio Tajo
When you first arrive on your day trip to Toledo, you will see the Rio Tajo, a gorgeous greenish blue river that runs around the city. You can get some amazing photos if you walk along the riverbank by Puente de Alcantara. Since we went in December, there was a fog coming off the water that felt magical and the water was perfectly glassy. A photographer’s dream!
Alcazar de Toledo
Alcazar de Toledo
Buy your tickets online before you go to the Alcazar de Toledo! We did not and learned that it was closed when we went on our day trip to Toledo. Even if you are unable to tour the inside, I recommend walking around and admiring the castle. On the grounds, there is also a lookout point to the Infantry Academy where you can take beautiful photos of the rolling hills surrounding Toledo.
Lunch in a Historical Building
If you love local eats, you should definitely have lunch at Lo Nuestro. This hole in the wall was the perfect stop for lunch. The service was fantastic and the chef came to talk to me personally about my dietary restrictions. And the food was delicious. Make sure to have some wine with lunch too!
Santa Iglesia Catedral
Wander & Discover the Churches, Synagogues, and Mosques of Toledo
Toledo’s history is steeped in religion. You can find many historic churches, synagogues, and mosques here. You can tour many of them as well, but you probably won’t have time for them all on a day trip to Toledo. I recommend picking one or two to tour, or just wander the city and see them all from the outside. We chose to tour Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo. IMO it was a bit gaudy and definitely overpriced. But my favorite Christmas Market of the whole trip was right outside so it ended up being a win!
Here’s a list of the others we liked from the outside:
Iglesia de Santo Tomé
Sinagoga del Tránsito
Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca (Sinagoga Ben Shoshan)
Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes
Best photo spot in Toledo - look for these giant boulders!
Hike around Toledo
This hike is why we chose to do a self guided day trip to Toledo. While being inside the city was amazing, seeing it as a whole from the outside provided a totally different perspective. If you love photography, I HIGHLY recommend adding this into your trip.
So here’s what to do:
Exit the city through Puente San Martin
Take a left onto the main road that runs along the river outside of the city
Keep left along the road until you reach Puente de Alcantara (where you entered the city)
As you are keeping left on this road, there are several spots to take breathtaking photos. You can find most of them marked on Google Maps, but the absolute best one is up a rock scramble closer to Puente de Alcantara. Once you see it, you can’t miss it. Let your creativity run wild as you walk! Most of the photo spots will be up off the road either on rocky paths or in the woods, so wear sturdy shoes. This should take you about 3 hours to complete (esp if you take a million photos like me) so pack water too!
Final Thoughts on What to do on a Day Trip to Toledo from Madrid
I hope you enjoyed this day trip to Toledo! Toledo and Segovia were my favorite parts of Central Spain. If you’re interested in more guides for Spain, check out these posts!