Has anyone visited Toledo? I am thinking about going there in late July but I'd love to hear some opinions, tips, ideas from others....

Hi Marie,

I'm taking a daytrip myself to Toledo in late August. I'm an El Greco fan and one of the things on my list, in addition to visiting the Casa Museo de El Greco, is stopping by the Iglesia de Santo Tome to see "The Burial of Count Orgaz." I took a Spanish art history class in college, and I remember seeing the painting for the first time in our text and was completely awed by its detail. Seeing it in its real life setting should be a treat.

I believe getting to Toledo from Madrid is no problem at all. Buses are probably the best method since it is a relatively brief trip.

I'm sure others will respond with more suggestions as well. There is the cathedral and the alcazar.

I have been to Toledo twice and it is one of my favorite cities in Spain. It is easy to get there from Madrid, just take a train or bus. it's really nearby so it's like and hour drive maube 1 1/2 on train. Toledo is a fascinating city full of islamic, jewish and christian history, along with the cathedral, Alcazar, and teh art. It's a great city, you will relaly enjoy it, best of luck!

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San Lorenzo del El Escorial Page!! Check it out! http://www.geocities.com/missmadrid98/homepage.html?957296168010

missmadrid98,

I checked out your webpage. Sounds like you had a wonderful life changing experience in Spain! Life is something!

We were in Toledo last year and it is an easy day trip from Madrid. Don't forget to stroll through the narrow streets of old town Toledo and eat lunch on one of the major plazas.
If you are taking day trips out of Madrid, don't miss Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen). I still believe this is one of the most dramatic sites in all of Spain.
Let me know if you have any questions.

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"No other success can compensate for failure in the home."

yes twentysomething i did have a life changing experience in Spain. I absolutely love it there, I am planning to move there soon.

missmadrid98,

first of all, i am a HUGE fan of "Mullets Galore," so i loved seeing the link Mulletsgalore.com on your website!! never forget, FEAR THE MULLET!!! (que viva el "mullet"). Everyone who reads this should check out http://www.mulletsgalore.com , it is possibly the funniest site in existence is one of my favourites....

also, i used to live near toledo (in villanueva de los infantes) and was lucky enough to get to go there every now and then. if there is one thing you should do it would be to go to the parador on the south side outside the main "walls" of the city on a hillside and look at the vista de toledo... especially on a full moon night.. it must be what inspired domenico teotocopoli (el greco) in his style...

also, you can catch buses headed to toledo from madrid at the arguelles moncloa station (by the airforce building - can't miss it..) i'm sure you could also catch buses at the sepulvedana station near palos de la frontera metro stop..

hope this helps someone

Pd> vivan mullets; can you feel the mulletude??

ppd>also i wanted to include to miss madrid98 that i really like your Bio page on your website... i'm impressed with your effort to get to spain and your determination to have a good time! you must be a really great person... muy buena suerte, "ave maría cristina." ( i used to call my friend in spain this whenever i would meet her or see her around town...)

[This message has been edited by real_megia (edited 07-01-2000).]

thanks real_megia for your comments. Yes i love Spain very much and i will be moving there soon. There isn't a reason why I shouldn't and i'm on my way as soon as I get things in order. I am so glad you liked my website, it's kind of mickey mouse looking but i work on it daily to improve my information and data. I love to share my experience with spain and help all of those who would love to go. Spain has truly touched my heart and has become a part of my soul! I am working on my 5th trip i will be going in november to check out the situation of me moving there, really looking forward to it. Adios!!

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San Lorenzo del El Escorial Page!! Check it out! http://www.geocities.com/missmadrid98/homepage.html?957296168010

missmadrid98 (ave maría cristina),

i wish you very much luck in your next excursion to Spain... i think you will do well and Spain will contiue to inspire that special area of your heart. who knows, maybe you will meet a special man there?

also, i wanted to suggest that if you are going to spend any time north of madrid in the sierra, check out Los Molinos, which is a cute little mountain village just a short busride past Pozuelo de Alarcón... it's great to be there for the encierros (the bull running), and the people are great, of course..

also, check out La Granja, toward Segovia... it's a summer palace for the Borbon royal family (was one, i should say).

anyway, i'll keep checking out your website now and then and i wish you muy buena suerte porque tienes muchísima cara (y duende)!

¡que viva españa paa siempre!

ah toledo, one of my very favorite places in spain. its labrynthine streets are just amzing. its a city with a splemdid arabic layout. most of the quarters have a very media-like feel to them.
as for places to visit that i would tell peole not to miss, i would start with the two synagogues. you cannot go to the epicentre of sephardic culture and not wander through these two monuments. la sinagoga de santa maria la blanca and la sinagoga del transisto are specatuclar examples of toledo's intermingling of jewish,muslim and christian culture. next i would make a special trek over to la mezquita del cristo de la luz. it is a mosque dating from 999 a.d. its the only purely arabic building remaining from before the reconquest. of course you'll want to wander through the alcazar and the catedral.
more than anything else you'll want to soak up the atmosphere in toledo. just walking the narrow streets of the juderia or taking a path down to the banks of the tajo..thats what the essences of the town is. its one of those amazing places where you feel as if you're walking in a place where something happened. one of the best ways to do this is to stay over night.(which i have) the darkness brings a eerie aura to the streets. you can really feel its moorish-medieval pulse. have a great time!

Hi, Hope I haven;t missed your trip to Toldeo. It is fabulous, I have been many times. The people are great, the food is great, and so much to do and see. Enjoy!!

real_megia/Group, at about what time (generally) do the day-trip tours leave from Madrid to Toledo? Return time? In October, I hope to take one of the guided tours (in English) and report back to you all about its quality/thoroughness.

The first time I visited Toledo in 1995 was a kind of self-guided tour with a ladyfriend, but it was hardly thorough, just walked around, saw the cathedral, and had lunch before the evening's Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions.

Saludos, MadridMan

If you take the bus to Toledo you may miss one of the most memorable rail stations you can imagine - also, Taberna RuAn across the street from the station where my son said he got the best bocadillo de jamón he ever tasted.
Toledo is also famous for its Mazapán.

[This message has been edited by Antonio (edited 07-18-2000).]

Eddie, that's tempting. But this time around I'm more interested in the guided tours in order to review them. I'll be taking others in Madrid (and hopefully we ALL know I don't need any tour of Madrid to get acquainted with the city! ). Maybe I'll have to make a special trip to have that ham sandwich though. hehee.. Sounds GREAT!

Saludos, MadridMan

MadridMan,

hello! long time no post for me...

first of all i apologize for not answering your question much sooner, work has been HEAVY lately, and even tho i am a web programmer i just have not had time to visit my favourite site, MadridMan.com, por supuesto!! all apologies...

to offer my "duro"(cinco pelas), i want to say that i don't know much about the day tours to Toledo. the most i've done from Madrid is to catch the bus from Moncloa station, or the sepulvedana (near palos de la frontera metro), and ride down... my experience in Toledo has always been with friends and on excursion over to Toledo from Ciudad Real and Infantes, so i'm sorry i can't help you more...

One thing i do know is that you are very resourceful and WILL find the best tour to tell us about!! does that help??

muchísima suerte, MadidMan! eres cojonudo y estoy seguro de que vas a averiguar algo bueno.

ps>perdona el uso de un taco... normalmente no hablo asi, pero es que llevo mucho tiempo sin hablar castellano..

pps> otra cosa, creo que nos hace falta un buen website para <<Fiesta con MadridMan, version 2.0>>, no?? (asi se llamaba, no? la fiesta que tendra lugar en el bar brillante??) no voy a poder asistir, creo...

Wow !!!

Can't wait to get there... it's sounds great.

We will stay at Hotel-residentia La Almazara, a bit out of the center (3,5 km). Anyone can comment (will it be an assel to be out of center since we dont have a car, anyone actually stayed there before)?

We've been told it's about a 20 min walk... but it sounds like such a beautifil place!

Merci beaucoup !

About Toledo: it;s a small place, and I sure wouldn't want to be 3 kilometers OUTSIDE the whole city. I agree that Toledo in the late afternoon/evening is when it is at its best. Mornings are MOBBED with tourists doing the ALL TOLEDO IN 2 hours route (my students have been on it, and i DESPISE seeing Toledo that way). You have to make an effort to see all the amazing places detailed in the previous posts, on your own, free from droning guides and shutter-clicking tourists. Remember that Toledo in summer is ghastly hot. So, if your hostel has a pool, and is in a shady nice place, go for it. Otherwise, stay within cool city walls, sleep all PM and view all evening and before 11 in the morn! rgf

I agree that the 'Toledo in two hours' tours are a poor way to see this town. The cathedral alone deserves a two hour visit.

I will be in Spain in October (lke so many others, based on the messages I have read) and after several days in Madrid I will be driving to Costa del Sol. En route, I hope to stop in Toledo for several hours (that's all the time I can afford I'm afraid). I was wondering if anyone is aware of an 'official', 'secure' parking lot, as I will have my luggage in the car. I am a little afraid to leave my luggage unattended in a rental car. If anyone can provide me with some info or who else I might be able to ask, I would greatly appreciate it.

PS Madridman - I'll be watching to see when the party is in Madrid.

There are only two ways to go on parking in Spanish cities/large towns. One, find a parking garage, indicated by "P" on the town maps (sometimes it is an area). Lock all valuables in trunk. Second, the sneaky way, follow the signs to the PARADOR, where there is one, and park there. They always have lots and those are pretty safe, and free! Exceptions: not muching parking in Caceres. In Toledo, the parador is outside town, but I still think parking there, maybe having a snakc in the cafeteria/bar and taking a cab into the city is a good idea!

Hi Marie,

Holy Toledo! Don't get lost! I spent 2 months their many years ago and learned that you better bring a map! It's a Labyrinth. It took 2 weeks before I could get back to the dorms without getting confused. It's extremely hot there in summer and rarely rains. But, so much to see and do! - just check Madridman's site. I'm sure he has it covered!

Marie, it's better to go by bus from La Estacion Sur de Autobuses (Madrid). [There are buses every half an hour and direct ones every hour] You can go by train, but it's a local trip (many stops) [and there are fewer trains than buses]

Loretta

[Loretta, I edited your message to add more information]

[This message has been edited by Loretta (edited 08-08-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Antonio (edited 08-08-2000).]