The city of Toledo
Declared World Heritage Site, Toledo is one of the most important centers of the European medieval history. The first one to report about it was the Roman author Titus Livius, who describes it as a "small fortified town", and fortification has always been an important parameter in its history, still evident to
today's tourist for the monumental walls around, and the "Swords of Toledo" gave to its steel-production world-wide fame. It was capital of Spain from the Gothic epoch until 1560, fact that explains its really impressive medieval architecture. Nearly all the different stages of Spanish art are represented in Toledo: Moorish-Mudejar-Jewish buildings, such as the Transito and Santa Maria la Blanca Synagogues; Gothic structures, such as the splendid cathedral: and Renaissance buildings are all here. Toledo is a beautiful mixture of Muslim, Jewish and Christian cultures that lived together in peace during a very long period. In the 16th century, the city became home to El Greco, and Toledo has many of his paintings, among which is "The Burial of the Count of Orgaz", his masterpiece which is housed in the Mudejar Church of S
anto Tome.
Walking through its streets one feels like having stepped back into the Middle-Ages, but in the best sense of it, and perhaps you will search your pockets for a few gold-ducats to buy some of Toledo's fine handicrafts or just to enjoy of its highly recommendable cuisine.
Toledo is situated just 45 minutes from Madrid and its airport, easily accessible by highway and AVE (high speed train).