Guide to Toledo: A Perfect Day Trip from Madrid

Toledo is one of the most beautiful places in Spain. It was the capital of Spain until the 16th century when the royal residency moved to Madrid. Today, it is referred to as The City of Three Cultures because all 3 main abrahamic religions – judaism, islam and christianity thrived in Toledo and left their remark. All of that makes Toledo the best day trip from Madrid if you ask me.

I had time for a one day trip only and I knew it had to be Toledo. So, in this blog post I am sharing with you how to get to Toledo and what to do there on a one day trip.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

Heads up! Some links in this blog are affiliates. If you click and buy, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Rest assured, I only recommend stuff I’ve tested or trust. You can read more about our affiliate disclaimer here.

📖 Read my The Ultimate 4 Days in Madrid Itinerary blog post.

How to Get to Toledo

Getting to Toledo from Madrid is quite easy. There are 3 ways to reach it, so let’s discuss them all.

By Public Transport

Personally, this is the best and easiest way to get to Toledo, especially if you love exploring the place on your own.

There are 2 options: by train or bus.

We took the fast train from Madrid’s Atocha Station and it took us about 30 minutes to get to Toledo.

The bus is half the train price (both are quite affordable btw), but the ride takes about 1h30min, so I would definitely opt for the train if you’re choosing between the two.

✅ Check the prices here.

By Car

Additionally, you can also rent a car and do the road trip.

By Guided Tour

There are many guided tours from Madrid to Toledo, so if you’d love to have someone organise everything for you and to have a local guide to learn from, then this is the best option for you.

What you will notice online is that a lot of tours offer a visit to Toledo, Segovia and perhaps one more town in a single day, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I think it’s better to dedicate one full day to Toledo only because there’s a lot to do + it’s such a beautiful town, trust me, you would not want to leave it that soon.

One Day in Toledo Itinerary

Here we’ll discuss what you can do in Toledo in one day and what are the main sites to check.

✅ Consider taking this best rated Toledo Private Tour with Licensed Local Guide.

Alcantara Bridge

Alcantara Bridge is a Roman stone arch bridge built between 104 and 106 AD. When you’re approaching the entrance to the once completely walled city, this will be the very first thing you’d see.

At this moment I knew I would love Toledo, which still remains to be my favourite smaller town of Spain. The bridge makes a great photo spot as you can see below.

Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes

The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes is one of the most beautiful sites in Toledo.

It’s an Isabelline style Franciscan monastery founded by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile to commemorate both the birth of their son, Prince John, and their victory at the Battle of Toro in 1476.

It reminded me a lot of Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon.

✅ I highly recommend getting this Toledo Tourist Bracelet with Entry to 7 Attractions to save the money and skip the lines.

Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca

Also known as the Ibn Shoshan Synagogue, it’s a museum and former synagogue in Toledo.

It was erected in the late 12th or early 13th century and is considered the oldest synagogue building in Europe still standing. Later, it was converted to a Catholic church in the early 15th century.

The synagogue is one of the best examples of how different cultures and religions shaped the history of Toledo.

Calle de los Reyes Catolicos

Calle de los Reyes Catolicos is a beautiful street in Toledo where the synagogue is.

It makes for a great photo spot.

Mosque of Cristo de la Luz

The Mosque of Cristo de la Luz is one of the ten mosques that existed in the city during the Moorish period. Originally known as the Mezquita Bab al-Mardum, its name was derived from the nearby city gate, Bab al-Mardum.

The mosque was built in 999 and is notable for remaining largely unchanged since its original construction.

In 1186 King Alfonso VIII granted the building to the Knights of the Order of St John, who repurposed it as the Chapel of the Holy Cross which is still well preserved today.

Another great example of the mix of religions in Toledo.

Puerta de Valmardon

Also known as Bab al-Mardum in Arabic, Puerta de Valmardon is a city gate of Toledo, right next to the mosque.

It was built in the 10th century and is one of the oldest gates in the city. Its name ‘mardum‘ means ‘blocked up‘.

I loved the views from there a lot!

Catedral Primada de Toledo

Toledo Cathedral is one of the three 13th-century High Gothic cathedrals in Spain.

While the exterior is nothing too special, the interior was extremely gorgeous. You have to go there when in Toledo!

It is definitely one of my favourite churches and cathedrals, and I’ve been to plenty!

Statue of Cervantes

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is one of the most important Spanish writers, known for his book Don Quixote, which is considered to be the first modern novel.

He was born in Toledo province which also inspired his writings. So, it’s no surprise that you’ll find his statue there, which is 2 m (6.5 ft) high.

📖 Check my 16 Best Books to Read before Visiting Spain: A Reading Guide blog post.

El Greco Museum

El Greco Museum in Toledo has a great collection of El Greco’s paintings because he lived for majority of his life there.

Alcázar of Toledo

Toledo Alcazar is a fortress that dominates the views in Toledo.

It’s the first site you’d see as soon as you approach the Alcantara Bridge because it’s on the top of the hill, which means beautiful views are guaranteed from there.

Alcazar of Toledo was originally a Roman palace built in the 3rd century and then became a fortress in the 10th century under the rule of Caliph Abd ar-Rahman III of Cordoba.

It was later restored in the 1540s by Charles I and his son, Philip II of Spain.

During the Spanish Civil War, Colonel José Moscardó held the Alcázar against Republican forces, so it became a symbol of Nationalist resistance.

Today the Alcázar houses the Mancha Regional Library and the Museum of the Army which you can visit.

Is One Day in Toledo Enough

If you can, I definitely recommend staying overnight in Toledo.

And not because one day is not enough, but because the town is so pretty, you would not want to leave.

But speaking of activities, yes, if you have one day only, it will be enough to explore Toledo and its main sites.

As mentioned before, I do not recommend mixing it with other places because it will be rushed.

Is it Worth Visiting Toledo

While everyone heads to Madrid or Barcelona first, it is such a shame not to explore smaller towns.

If you’re visiting Madrid, definitely plan at least one day to visit Toledo.

It’s a great example of Spanish medieval architecture and history, it has a rich cultural heritage and beautiful sites to see. It’s really no wonder that the city of Toledo has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Toledo is definitely worth visiting.

Where to Stay in Madrid

Given that you will probably take a day trip from Madrid, let me share some of the best hotels there.

📖 For more check my Guide to Madrid: 8 Best Areas and Hotels for Every Traveller blog post.

Additionally, if you’re interested in hotels with the pool, then check my Top 11 Madrid Hotels with the Pool: Best Rooftop Pools blog post.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

Like this post? Pin it!📍