Toledo in January Day 1

When we arrive in Toledo from Madrid Atocha rain is threatening so we take a taxi to our apartment. It costs less than 8 euros and I’ve had enough of escalators and luggage for today. The apartment is nice, smaller than the photos but fine for two people. I’m hungry but Andrea isn’t, so he drinks coffee and I make myself some porridge and then we go out for a stroll.

My first impression of Toledo is of the narrow streets in a pinkish brick with very tall buildings. We end up at the cathedral, at Puerta del Reloj and go in just to take a look from the small ‘free’ area. When we come out, looking for the ‘front’ of the cathedral we find instead the newly refurbished (it opened mid-December 2024) Mercado de abastos, now occupied by a nice supermarket called La Despensa.

We stock up – Pork chops of Iberico, tomatoes and lettuce, bread, some marzipan biscuits typical of Toledo. I’m relieved Andrea is showing an interest in food again. Now we have a heavy bag, so go back to the apartment planning to go out again later. We don’t, of course: we cook, eat, settle in and got to sleep.

The next morning, I get up at 6.45 to go to see the Cathedral during the free time between 8.00 and 9.30. I arrive at about 8.10 at Puerta del Reloj which is open. Free access allows you, it says on the website, to access the naves. There’s hardly anyone else, maybe another 4 people, and they soon leave, so I can stroll on my own. At this time, and free, you can’t access the sacristy with the famous paintings, the cloister, crypt, Mozarabe chapel and one or two other places. But the lights are on to see many of the side chapels, especially the beautiful capilla de Santiago, the’ treasure’ and the choir, which is fantastic – the carvings of wood and stone. I also love the enormous San Cristobal. I wander up and down and round about for an hour and it’s enough. I’ve seen many Gothic cathedrals and yes, Toledo is bigger and maybe has ‘more’ but I can’t see everything and I’m satisfied with what I’ve done. It doesn’t give me the same feelings as the Mezquita in Cordoba. It’s a beautiful church but I don’t feel anything personal about it. I head back to the apartment and Andrea, after a quick look at Mercado de Abastos which now has fresh fish.

Our mission today is to see the places included in the Pulsera Toledo Monumental. We go out at about ten. It’s cloudy and really quite cold, especially when there are bursts of wind – Toledo is on a hilltop.  

Our first stop is San Juan de los Reyes, where we buy the ‘pulsera turistica’ – tourist wrist band of Toledo Monumental which for 12 euros allows you to visit San Juan de los Reyes, la Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca, la Iglesia de El Salvador, la Iglesia de Santo Tomé, la Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz, la Iglesia de los Jesuitas (San Ildefonso) y el Real Colegio de Doncellas Nobles. It’s a good idea, although I’m a bit annoyed when I find out I’m obliged to actually put the wristband around my wrist – it can’t be taken off without a pair of scissors and you have to be wearing it to access the monuments. I never wear any sort of jewellery and I find it irritating. Oh well, back to San Juan de los Reyes, which is spectacular – for the sculpted cloister in particular, both on the ground floor and up on the first floor, from where you can also access the ‘balconies’ of the church.

Next stop, a couple of hundred metres down the road, is the Santa María La Blanca synagogue. This is more like a white-washed mini-Mezquita than a synagogue – stunning. We’re lucky because everywhere is empty – it’s earlyish in the morning, it’s January, it’s cold. We’re cold, actually, but these places are so beautiful it doesn’t matter.

Our pulsera doesn’t include the Santa Maria del Transito Synagogue another couple of hundred metres down the road, but Andrea gets free entry because he’s over 65 and I do because of the State museums card I bought in Madrid. Another marvelous place inside because of the decorated walls. Also, the heating is on full blast, and we thaw out a little and have a very leisurely look. 

On the way to the Mercado near the cathedral, we stop at another pulsera destination: Iglesia de Santo Tomé. Although this is a little imprecise and has been amended on some of the pulsera posters and leaflets. The church of San Tomè can be visited free by just going in, but is just another church in Toledo, with the door to where you really want to be closed and locked. You actually want to go in through the other door to see the El Greco masterpiece: El entierro del Señor Orgaz. We stop at Mercado Municipal for fish and then go home to warm up and rest.

Mid-afternoon we decide we will remove the pulsera for the night – so that means visiting the remaining destinations in the afternoon. No hardship. Our first stop is el Real Colegio de Doncellas Nobles. A church, with a fine tomb with interesting sculpted details, a patio. 

Ok, it was included. The next stop is at Iglesia de El Salvador, more interesting because it too was built on the remains of a Mezquita and so there are still some columns and arches and a fine Visigoth column. There are also some archaeological remains to see.

A little further towards the cathedral is Iglesia de los Jesuitas (San Ildefonso). The church is nice to look at but the best thing about it is to climb up the tower for the view over Toledo. Spectacular. 131 steps, but easy ones and a nearly a third are just up to the first floor where you can have a break and a sit if you need. Andrea comes too :) the first time since his knee started bothering him, so it’s especially special for that reason.

Our last destination of the Toledo Monumental pulsera is Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz. If you’ve just been to Cordoba, be prepared. This is a Mezquita, yes, but it’s tiny! There are nice views from the garden. All in all the Toledo Monumental pulsera was worth the 12 euros per person. Order of interest for us:

1. Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca
2. San Juan de los Reyes, 
3. Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz because it is a Mezquita ties with Iglesia de los Jesuitas for the views
4. Iglesia de El Salvador
5. Iglesia de Santo Tomé
6. Real Colegio de Doncellas Nobles.

It’s not as cold as this morning and it’s sunny so we continue down from the Mezquita to Puerta del sol and then Puerta de Bisagra before continuing up to Plaza Zocadero towards the Alcazar. Walking along the side of the Alcazar is a wind tunnel which almost takes our breath away. I’m used to cold wind, but this really is chilly. The Military museum is not for us so we go in through the Library entrance at the opposite side to the museum and take the lift to the cafeteria at the top of the tower. Splendid views of Toledo and two hot chocolates for 5 euros for two. It’s warm and quiet and we thaw and savour the hot chocolate and the moment. A fantastic day.