Toledo

Toledo is seventy kilometers south of Madrid. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain and its old capital as well. This is also the city with an excellent location. The whole little town was built on a hill and moreover, the river Tagus flows in its foothills. Before you enter the city, you have to experience a fantastic view of Toledo – the way around the rim of the adjacent hills; otherwise your visit to this city would not be complete. Many famous artists made pictures of this wonderful landscape. One of those artists was El Greco. It is not surprising that this city has such a rich cultural and historical heritage.

Famous Marzipan from Toledo:

Toledo holds one of the most typical, old towns of Spain. It is surrounded by medieval walls with a beautiful entrance gate to the city which opens to the main square, Plaza de Zokodover. After an outstanding panorama, you will soon recognize the smell of almonds. Toledo is full of tradition and antiquity. Today this city is well known for its plantation of almonds.

This tradition was started by the Moors, who planted almonds and began to mix them with sugar in order to get marzipan. In Toledo you can try marzipan in all shapes and colors, with full yolk, honey, pumpkin and sugar. In the Moorish style, before modeling it is mixed with orange juice or rosewater.

City Attractions:

This small city has many narrow streets. However,  these streets can be proud of numerous Arabic homes, synagogues, mansions (Alkasar), Gothic churches and monasteries,(Convention de Santo Domingo Antiga) and houses in mudejar style – mix of Arabic and Gothic style (a combination of stone and brick). That is what makes Toledo unique; it has kept the tradition and ambience of the medieval city. After the Romans and Visigoths, Toledo was conquered by the Moors in the 8th century.

Moreover, in the middle ages before the arrival of Christians in the city, there was a very important Jewish community. Therefore, today you can find two synagogues De Santa Maria la Blanca and Del Transit, where you can see exhibitions of the history of Jews on the Iberian Peninsula.

In addition to the Jewish synagogues in Toledo, there are few remnants of the Moorish heritage such as Mesquite del Cristo de la Luz from the 10th century. This is the only remaining mosque, but Christians have changed its name to the palace Taller del Moro. In this part of the old town, there are many souvenir shops specific to the city.

This city is also famous for its swords. You can buy them from 25 to 600 euros.