My significant other and I drove to Toledo last Sunday afternoon, leaving Madrid at about 6pm and arriving at the Puerta de Bisagra at about 7pm. The drive to Toledo is easy (as soon as you get out of Madrid and all its construction projects) and we encountered little traffic going out of Madrid.
I had my 2004 Toledo Tourism Office Map of the city with me and ready to guide us to our hotel. We arrived in and entered the Puerta de Bisagra, the main gate into the city from Madrid. We drove slowly, cars lining up behind us as we looked left, right, ahead, admiring the buildings and looking for directional signs to the old center.
I HAD THE BRIGHT IDEA to "BISECT" the city of Toledo to our hotel. The map showed what appeared to be major city streets leading us there. WRONG! Well, in part it was wrong.
Entering the Puerta de Bisagra, then went left following the outer edge inside the walled city. We easily found the Plaza de Zocodóver on our right. "Okay, take the next left. Hmmm.. WHERE? That's a one-way street in the wrong direction!" So we go up past the Alcázar (FYI: closed indefinitely for renovation) which was on our left. "Take a right at the end of the Alcázar." "What? That tiny, steep street? Let's find another way." Rounding the Alcázar in a counter-clockwise fashion we found the main road at the wall. "We want to go to the right along the river. Ummm.. That's a one-way in the wrong way. Great." So we go BACK around the Alcázar, Plaza de Zocodóver, and back up to past the Alcázar on our left to that TINY street on the right. "Do you feel brave? It'll be alright. I'm sure of it. We have a nice, little CITROEN A3. "Right Turn, Clyde." So we go down this
somewhat narrow, one-way, downhill street. "Hmmm.. This street is getting NARROWER! QUICK! PULL IN THE SIDE MIRRORS!" Down, down, slowly, slower, SLOWER, SLOWER, just made it past that drainage pipe. "Okay. I'm getting out to see if this street goes somewhere." I walk downhill to the first "intersection" (term used VERY loosely), turn right, downhill another street, downhill another and another and another until FINALLY I reach a widening and some cars parked on the sides next to a government building. Whew! So UP UP UP UP (why did I wear these sandals today - cobblestones - oh my aching feet) UP UP I go again to the car, I'm panting, she's still waiting there patiently but nervously. "Okay honey. It'll be okay. Just go slow.
Okay. Well. There. Now we've done it. There went the back left wheel well. Just a paint scrape. Nothing crumpled. What's done is done. Now a couple inches to the RIGHT. Now down, now left, now right. Okay, it went on like that for a good 30 minutes total until we got to "Bajada del Barco" - a "major street"
which we had no trouble negotiating - I get in the car now. We reach the end of the "Bajada", arriving at a "T", the Carreras de San Sebastián - the main street skirting the walls of the city. WHEW! We turn right and follow it around the edge, it becomes Calle de los Descalzos, we pass the "famed" Hostal Descalzos", then we see our hotel (
Hotel Pintor El Greco ) but we can't turn there - prohibited - so we go UP the hill, left, down the other side and there we are! Parked on the street just beside the hotel (Parking meters but free after, what, 6pm?? - until 10am).
Leaving the hotel the next morning was SO easy. We just went down to the same main road which almost hugs the city walls, all the way to the, this time, one-lane Puerta del Cambrón, now we're outside the walls, took a right on the Paseo de Recaredo, then around the Glorieta de la Reconquista, then back to the Puera de Bisagra then out of the city and on our way back to Madrid.
Driving IN Toledo was a true adventure. My recommendation to you all would be - DON'T DO IT. That is to say, NEVER take a small, one-way street between old buildings. You may just get stuck if you have a larger than SMALL car and you might get lost. DEFINITELY don't try this at night. Luckily we were there on a Sunday evening so there was very very little traffic and even fewer pedestrians. It's best to find the nearest/first parking garage you see or park next to the Alcáar in that parking garage and then walk to your hotel if you can. OTHERWISE, ask your hotel (if you're spending the night) for specific directions.
We felt VERY fortunate to have
survived our drive through OLD Toledo without any major damage or cardiac arrests.
Saludos, MadridMan
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