An ancient walled city in the center of Spain just a short distance from Madrid, Toledo has a lot to offer the visitor. What to do in Toledo, Spain for a day, weekend or longer? Read on to discover some secrets of Toledo.

The Weekend Travel Guide to Toledo, Spain

Whether you stay in Toledo for a day, weekend or a month, here are some of our favorite things to do, lodgings in Toledo, and of course tips for eating and drinking too! And we’ve included a handy Toledo, Spain attractions map  you can view on your smartphone or computer which you will find at the end of the article.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Getting to Toledo
Things To Do in Toledo Spain
Free Things To Do in Toledo Spain
Day Trips to Toledo from Madrid
Toledo Restaurants & Bars
Places to Stay in Toledo
Getting Around in Toledo
Toledo Attractions Map

Getting to Toledo

It’s easy to get to and from Toledo from Madrid and other parts of Spain. (be sure to check out our guide to Madrid too!)

Traveling by car it is about half an hour from Madrid to Toledo. If you don’t have a car of your own you can rent one or use shared Blablacar like locals do.

It is also very easy to reach Toledo by bus from Madrid with ALSA bus and takes less than an hour. You can also take the RENFE direct train from Madrid and other places in Spain. Check Trainline for ticket and route options within Spain and from other countries as well.

If you are traveling around Europe you might want to check Flixbus for inexpensive bus rides.

The closest airport to Toledo is Madrid (MAD). You can fly into Madrid airport from most cities in Europe and of course from all over the globe. Check Skyscanner for the best prices and flight schedules for multiple airlines that fly into Madrid.

If you arrive by train or bus keep in mind that you will have to climb the big hill to get to the city. Good news! There is a giant escalator. I wish someone told me that before I hiked up carrying my luggage. Check out the Toledo tourist map below for information.

Just a note on luggage… if you don’t like dragging your bags, you can have them shipped directly to your hotel with Luggage Forward. Check it out, it might be less expensive than you think!

If you plan to visit Toledo only for the day, see below for guided day trips that include transportation.

Top Things To Do in Toledo, Spain

Toledo is an ancient city that sits on a hill at a bend in the Tagus River (yes the same river that is in Lisbon where it is called Rio Tejo, in Spanish it is el Tajo). The old city is a UNESCO heritage site due to the historic monuments from Arab, Jewish and Christian populations. Wander the tiny alleyways, marvel at the views over the plains of Castilla-La Mancha.

Guided Tours in Toledo, Spain: If this is your first visit to Toledo, you might want to get oriented with a walking tour. Or maybe you’d enjoy a food tour! I like to take a tour when I first arrive in a city to get oriented. Plus you can ask the guide for secret cool things to do in Toledo.

• Take a private walking tour with guide to learn about the city’s history and most famous sights
• Learn how the locals live in Toledo, where they shop for groceries and how they get around this magical city on a private tour where you’ll learn insider secrets and tips
• Taste the products of Castilla-La Mancha: try the local olive oil, wine and cheeses.
• Learn about the local wine regions and take a virtual tour of the vineyards while you sample 5 varieties in this Toledo tasting room.

Self-guided walking tour Toledo, Spain: If you’d rather explore the city on your own that is completely doable as well. Here are some of the top things to see in Toledo, check below for our Toledo, Spain attractions map.

• Toledo still has the magnificent city gates including Puerta de Bisagra, Puerta del Sol, Puerta de Alfonso VI and Puerta del Cambrón.
• Monasterio del San Juan de los Reyes is a 17th century church and monastery with an interior garden. When I was in Toledo I happened upon a wedding at the church and a night time concert in the garden. Magical!
• Are you a fan of El Greco? Then you must visit the Museo del Greco honoring the famous painter. Also visit the Church of Santo Tome which has an El Greco painting.
• Visit the stunning Gothic Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada, a beautiful church with amazing artworks inside.  Get your tickets here and skip the line
• Convento de San Clemente is a lovely place to stop in and buy typical sweets called mazapan from the nuns.
• Take a look at the interesting exhibits at Museo De Los Concilios Visigodos
• Visit one of Toledo’s miradors to see views over the plains. Check out Mirador Del Azor, Paseo del Miradero and the city gates for gorgeous views. Mirador del Valle is the perfect place to get a view of the city of Toledo itself.
• Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca is a museum and former Jewish synagogue with beautiful Moorish architecture that is now owned by the Catholic church
• The Museo del Ejército is an interesting museum housed in the Alcazar. It has exhibits about Spain’s military history and the building itself is stunning. Check out the amazing views from the rear terrace.
• Visit the gorgeous gardens of the Alcazar.
• Take hot air balloon ride over beautiful Toledo!
• Plaza Zocodover is one of the main sights in Toledo as it is the central square.
• One of my favorite things about Toledo is wandering the small streets and finding hidden alleys, cobertizos, small squares and old arches and doorways. Some favorite streets for a Toledo walking tour are marked on the map below. Walking around the small winding streets in Toledo Spain at night is also an interesting thing to do, but it’s pretty easy to get lost!
• Puente San Martin is a 14th century pedestrian bridge over the Rio Tajo.
• Toledo can get quite hilly. If you tire of walking you can combine sightseeing on you own with the hop on and off bus.
• Get the Green Pass for free entry to the cultural monuments of Toledo

Free Things To Do in Toledo Spain

Walking around Toledo is of course free. Put on your comfy shoes and go for a wander through the small and crooked alleyways. If you love taking photos you’ll find a lot of great photo ops. This is my favorite free thing to do in Toledo.

Many of the local museums and monuments have free days, check their websites for the latest information. If you are on a budget you can definitely take advantage of these free things to do in Toledo.

• The Military Museum and Alcazar is free on Sundays
• The Catedral chapel is free to enter, just be respectful when services are happening
• The El Greco Museum is also free on Saturday afternoon and Sunday

Day Trips to Toledo from Madrid

Is Toledo, Spain a must see? Although Toledo is a small city there is a lot to discover and the small alleyways have secrets around every bend. But perhaps you don’t have more than a day to spend in Toledo. If so you might enjoy some of these day trips to Toledo from Madrid that include transportation and will save you time and effort.

• This full day tour of Toledo from Madrid takes in all the sights including the Alcazar and Monastery and includes lunch too.
• Wine lovers will enjoy this trip from Madrid that includes visit to a winery as well as the monuments of Toledo.
• Only have a few hours to spare? Take this half-day tour from Madrid and see the main sights of Toledo.
• Combine your visit to Toledo with trip to see one of the famous windmills of Consuegra on this guided tour from Madrid

Be sure to also check out our weekend guide to Madrid, with tons of tips for things to do and see in that lovely city.

Places to Eat & Drink in Toledo

Toledo has food options for all budget levels. Here are some of our favorite places to eat in Toledo. And of course some of the best places for a wine, cocktail or craft beer. Yes, Toledo has an amazing craft beer bar! See below for a handy google map with all these locations and more.

• A treat for the senses, Taberna El Botero serves special cocktails and creative food.
• If you are looking for something a bit different, check out Mercado de San Agustín, a food hall with lots of options.
• Go for romantic tapas at Restaurante Alfileritos 24 and sit in their cave like dining room.
• Clandestina is another good choice for a romantic lunch or dinner. On warm days sit in their charming outdoor patio.
• Cervecería Trébol has a lovely outdoor seating area with trompe-l’œil paintings on the surrounding buildings.
• If you want to try the typical food of the region, have lunch at Restaurante Museo de Productos de Castilla-La Mancha
• Stop by Taberna Embrujo for typical tapas and a drink or two
• Craving craft beer? Check out Cervecería Lúpulo. Tasty beers and they serve food as well.

Remember to check out the map below for the addresses of these restaurants.

Places to Stay in Toledo

There are many places to stay within the small city of Toledo. If you can find a place with a roof terrace you’ll experience lovely views. I definitely recommend you use HotelsCombined to compare lodging prices across all booking engines when searching for accommodations. And you can click the links below to get more information and availability for each option.

For a limited time,  if you register at Booking.com using this link and then reserve using the links below you can get $20 cash back! It’s a special offer from Booking.com.

Budget lodgings in Toledo:

• Oasis Backpackers Hostel Toledo: a great roof terrace at this conveniently located hostel.

Apartments in Toledo:

• Apartamento de Lujo Av. Barber
• La Casa del Alfarero
• Nuncio Viejo
• Teatro Rojas
• Capricho Toledano

Hotels in Toledo Spain:

• Entre Dos Aguas Hotel Boutique: a small hotel that was previously the home of a famous Spanish guitarist
• Eurostars Palacio Buenavista: sleep in a 16th century palace
• Hotel Casa Urbana: rooftop terrace offers superb views
• Fontecruz Toledo: a former empress’ palace
• Hotel del Cardenal: a charming hotel with a pool surrounded by medieval walls

Getting Around in Toledo,  Spain

If you are only visiting Toledo for a weekend you will probably be able to see all the sights on foot. However, Toledo is quite hilly so if you are not up for that there are other options to get around.

As mentioned above if you are arriving by train or bus you can access the city on the hill via escalators near Puerta de Alfonso VI. The location is marked on the map below, and the escalators are open from 7am to 10pm daily. There are also local buses to Plaza Zocodover. Of course you can also walk up and down the hill, it offers lovely views and takes about 15-20 minutes if you are in reasonable shape and aren’t dragging a lot of luggage like me.

There is a tourist sightseeing “train” that you can use to get around – get tickets here. Or check out the hop-on-hop-off bus. And of course you can hire a taxi to get you around the city.

Toledo, Spain Attractions Map

Use this map to create your own self-guided walking tour of Toledo.  All of the above locations (and more) are included on the below map which you can view on your computer or smartphone. Click here to access the map. If you open it when you are logged into Google you should also be able to access it in the Google Maps app on your phone. I hope it helps you find some amazing places and fun things to do in Toledo.

I hope you liked this weekend guide to Toledo and that you enjoy your visit to this fascinating place. Be sure to check out our other articles about Spain linked below.

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