I’ve actually visited Toledo twice now, once in December of 2016 and once in March of 2018, It’s a great little town and if I didn’t recommend visiting, I wouldn’t be writing about it!
Lucas had already been before so he was my guide. We hopped on the bus from Madrid to Toledo with our student transport cards (I can’t rave enough about those cards by the way). It’s about an hour ride and super pleasant, through the Spanish countryside, but as a narcoleptic I have to admit that I slept through most of it.
The bus drops off at the edge/bottom of the city, and you have to go up a crazy long escalator to get into the city. At the time it was the longest escalator I had ever seen, it felt like we were on it for a good 5 minutes, but I’m quite certain I’ve been on longer escalators now in China and Russia.
We wandered through shops and streets while Lucas pointed out all of the examples of Arab, Jewish, and Christian architectural influences.
We went to La Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz, the Mosque of the Light of Christ. Does that name sound a little weird to you? It is a tiny little Muslim Mosque built in 999 that was converted to a Christian Cathedral much later. The architecture, both inside and out is so distinct.
The best part of Toledo though is the cathedral. You would never expect anything like it from such a small city, but it’s the most beautiful cathedral I’ve ever seen, even many years, and cathedrals later.
Most of my pictures were taken on my phone, so I had to steal one to really show it.
You can spend HOURS in the Toledo Cathedral with an audio guide, so be careful if there’s more you want to do!
To complete our triad, we also visited the Synagogue of Santa María La Blanca, which is widely considered one of the oldest synagogues in Europe. The really significant part about it though is that it was built while the city was under Christian control, by Islamic Architects, intended for Jewish use.
By this point we were starving, and we tried to find a little restaurant that Lucas had eaten at before, but after wandering around hunting for it, we finally gave in to hunger and stopped at the first affordable one we saw – Corral De Don Diego. It turned out to be one of my favorite restaurants throughout Europe!
I don’t think the restaurant itself had anything really spectacular to offer, but it was magical to me. I had a salad with tuna and pomegranate arils, called an ensalada mixta that I immediately became obsessed with, but somehow I never had one quite as good again.
The best part though was that there was a guy playing accordion there (which I love). I took a little snapchat video to remember it.
The first time I went to Toledo in 2016 I took this lil video of an accordion player during lunch. pic.twitter.com/RQg7v5eeWK
When we went back with my brother in 2018, we sat at a cafe so Lucas could use the wifi to finish a project, and I heard another accordion that seemed a little too familiar, and I managed to catch the EXACT same bit of the song on video. It was straight up from the twilight zone.
When I went back in 2018, I caught the SAME accordion player playing the SAME song. pic.twitter.com/zOWD1koqJ6
We had a really late lunch (as usual, it seems like we always end up eating at weird times) and had just an hour before sunset, and decided on a whim to zipline across the river. I think it was only 10 Euro, and I figured why not?
We wandered through town in the dark, sat at the edge of the river looking at the lights and then walked back to the bus station to head back into Madrid!
I absolutely recommend a day trip to Toledo if you’re coming from Madrid. It’s so close and it has so much to offer. If you are a student, please look into getting a student transport card in Madrid, it also works for regional bus trips! But if you don’t have a student pass, the bus is only 5 Euro each way and a very pleasant drive. Bus picks up at Plaza Eliptica and takes about an hour. You can also take a train for 15 Euro each way and it only takes a half hour.
Usually when I do these city guide posts I include some things I consider “overrated,” but its such a small city that if you’re only spending one day it’s easy to fill it up without having time to go anywhere that’s not really worth the time. Nothing is really overrated.
Must Sees in Toledo:
Take a walk! Toledo is built on a hill, and there are beautiful views everywhere you look. The streets are tiny and winding and its very fun to get lost without really being lost. If you have an eye for it, pay attention to the differences between Christian, Islamic, and Jewish influences in the architecture. There are also lots of cute and interesting shops sprinkled through the city.
The Cathedral- It costs a few Euro to get in and a few more for an audio guide, but its well worth the money and time spent to really enjoy every inch of the most incredible cathedral in the world.
La Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz, the Mosque of the Light of Christ- It is a tiny little Christian church inside of a converted mosque built in the year 999. Really unique and well worth a visit just to appreciate the mix of cultures in the city.
The Synagogue of Santa María La Blanca – it is considered to be one of the oldest synagogues in Europe. (It is currently only being used as a museum though, even though the Jewish community has asked for it to be returned to them.) The really significant part about this synagogue is that it was built while the city was under Christian control, by Islamic Architects, intended for Jewish use; all three in one!
El Greco Museum – I have to admit I actually didn’t go myself, but Lucas went when he stayed in Toledo for 2 weeks and he absolutely recommends it. It’s built in a recreation of his house and has the largest collection of his paintings. In Lucas’s own words “that man knew how to use blues like no one else can.”
Off the Beaten Path
(I have to admit again, I didn’t get a chance to see these for myself, and I’m only going off of recommendations, but these mark all of my boxes, of interesting, unique, and quick visits.)
Roman Circus – In a park right outside the city walls, there are the ruins of a Roman circus, and over 75% of it is preserved!
Caves of Hercules – Its really just an ingenious Roman era water tank, but the history and legends surrounding it make it special. My favorite is that Hercules built a palace here to practice necromancy!
I also enjoyed the zipline over the beautiful river at sunset, but it’s not really a must see since it’s a pretty small zipline and that’s something you can do anywhere in the world, and it’s not really off the beaten path, since there are advertisements for it plastered all over the city.
Madrid is such a great city! Its a perfect place to go solo, its safe, and has so much to offer.
Best aspects of Madrid
Public Transportation- Its well designed, easy to understand, well connected, and affordable.
Museums- If you love Museums, Madrid is the place to go. Beyond the “Golden Triangle” ( Prado, there are so many special interest museums to pick and choose from.
Day Trips- There are lots of small towns with so much to offer, just a short bus ride away. My favorites are El Escorial and Toledo.
Food, clubs, shopping
Must Sees in Madrid
Museo Prado- One of the most incredible museums I have ever been inside, definitely on the same level as the Louvre. (Bring a student ID, you’ll get in for free!)
Plaza Mayor (Make sure you see Fat Spider-man!)
Parque Retiro
Palacio Real
Teleferico – It was closed when I went in 2016, but it has since been reopened and I hear it’s wonderful.
The hardest I’ve ever laughed in my whole life. And I EMPTIED my wallet for him. Worth every penny.
Off the Beaten Path
Keep an eye out for “Fat Spider-man” in Plaza Mayor
El Rastro Flea Market (Every Sunday at Plaza de Cascorro and Ribera de Curtidores)
Metro Garden (Inside Atocha Station there is a HUGE tropical garden. One step through the doors and you’ve left the city.)
Faro de Moncloa- You can see all of Madrid from the observation tower.
Templo de Debod – An Egyptian Temple plopped down right in the middle of Parque de la Montaña.
Overrated
Palacio Cristal – Its a beautiful palace made completely of glass in the middle of Retiro Park. If you are already in Retiro, you should definitely go and see it, but I wouldn’t make a special trip just to go see it during opening hours. It is listed as an art exhibit, but the “art” inside is the fact that it’s silent.
Palacio Cibeles – Again, beautiful from the outside and you’ll definitely walk past it, but there isn’t much special inside, especially if you’re on a time crunch. Mostly history of Madrid and how the city is laid out.
What and where to eat
Museo de Jamon – I am utterly obsessed with it. 2 Euro’s will get you an incredible sandwich made with Jamon Iberico and a slice of cheese on a flaky, buttery croissant. Truly the love of my life. I can’t tell you how many of those sandwiches I have shoved directly into my face. I wish there was anything like it in the US.
There is a great chocolate shop in Sol Plaza called La Mallorquina, definitely stop there for some sweets.
Ceviche
Paella
Gulas (baby eels)
Chocolate and churros
Tortilla- egg, potato, sometimes onion, always delicious.
Orange Juice- The machines they use to juice oranges in Spain (Italy & France too) make it taste so much better than anything you’ll ever get in the states. Go into any cafe and they’ll have it!
1st- It was my first time in Europe. It was my first time flying alone, it was my first time flying out of the country even! Up until this point, I had driven everywhere I had been except once, when I flew to DC on a school trip. This trip was BIG for me.
Luckily, I already had my passport, even though I had never used it. I was supposed to take the customary best friend backpacking trip after high school, but I put my eggs into the wrong basket and it didn’t turn out.
At the time it was horrible and absolutely crushed me, but it turned out great in the end! I took all my savings for the trip and I bought a Mini Cooper instead! I waited a few more years and when I finally got across the Atlantic it turned out exactly how it was meant to be!
Finally getting to Europe was such a long time coming, but it turned out so much better for me to go when I did, with the person I went with, and where I was at in my life at that point. It was better than I could have ever imagined.
Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing. I had such a different vision in my mind of what backpacking Europe was going to be like. It probably would have worked out fine if I had gone with my friend, we would have floundered a bit, but figured it out as we went a long. I’m sure it would have turned out in the end, and it’s not like we would have died or anything, but I was doing all the planning myself and I had no idea what I was doing. I knew what I wanted to see and where to go, but I didn’t know how to actually get anywhere.
When my friend backed out, my mom tried to get me to go by myself. I could have! I thought about it… But I’m just so glad that I didn’t. I wanted someone to share it with, and going with someone that I love makes all the difference! I don’t know what I would have done without Lucas with me.
Side note: I also don’t know how I ever would have made it through without a smartphone. How did people do it back in the day?! No pocket translator? No scanning QR codes? No online tickets? No train schedules? No Google maps?!? The horror.
So, Lucas and I had only been dating for about 7 months when he left for Madrid for 4 months. That was hard. Real hard. Spare you the details. I promised him I would come to Spain to be with him after the semester was over. I don’t think he believed I was really coming until I was actually on the plane though!
The day before I left I was a wreck. I had a final at like 7 pm, I got home, did homework til 1 am and then finally started packing. So long story short I ended up with like 6 shirts, 3 pairs of pants, 2 dresses, 1 pair of shoes and 30 pairs of underwear lol. I could have fit everything I brought into a carry-on no problem.
I flew from Phoenix to Dallas, and then Dallas straight into Madrid. On the way to Dallas, I sat next to the sweetest little old lady. She asked me where I was headed and I told her that it was my first flight, and I was going to Madrid to see my boyfriend! She told me how romantic it was and how excited she was for me right before I fell asleep. Something about the cabin pressure knocks me right out. It’s wild. When we landed in Dallas she knew I was nervous and she walked me all the way across the airport, helped me get to my connection and gave me a hug. I wished I could keep her.
That wasn’t even the best part of my luck though. While I was waiting, I logged into my flight check-in one more time to check my seat and I saw that I could still change it! So I did. I moved myself from a window seat with two other people on my row to the only completely empty row on the plane. It was so awesome. The lady at the gate had to reprint my tickets when I tried to board, which was a little bit stressful, but it was well worth it. I slept sprawled out for most of the flight, but every time I woke up I caught the lady across the aisle glaring at me. The entire flight. It was awesome.
When I finally landed in Madrid, I was so excited to see Lucas. I met a girl while I was waiting in baggage claims and we started talking because we were both alone. I told her I was meeting my boyfriend who I hadn’t seen in 4 months and that I could not handle waiting for my luggage any longer. While I was talking to her all the sudden I see Lucas running towards me! I was so blown away. Somehow he had SNUCK into baggage claim because he couldn’t wait one more minute either. 😍 My favorite memory. Probably of all time.
Finally back together again! ❤
The first day in Madrid was pretty boring. I was so dazed from the time change and staying up so late, and the pure excitement. First thing we did was drop off all my stuff at Lucas’s apartment. He had a room in a flat that he shared with 9 people in the dead center of Plaza Mayor, which is in the dead center of the city. Then we went to the metro office to set up my student metro card, which was a bit of a hassle, but well worth it. The metro system in Madrid is great.
Madrid is just beautiful in general though, everything you could want from a European city: the architecture, the food, the street performers, the lights, cathedrals and museums.
Let’s start with the museums- Madrid has some of the best. They call it the trifecta. (At least Lucas does.) Prado (the love of my life), Reina Sofia (which is incredible if you’re really into modern art), and Thyssen-Bornemisza (which has everything else you might be missing). But those aren’t even all of the museums. There’s also a naval museum, history museums, and the Museo Archeologico Nacional- MAN, all super close to each other, and they are some of the best museums in the world. I’m serious. Prado is in the same league as the Louvre. You cannot go to Madrid and not go to Prado. (You can get in free with a student ID!) I should know, I’ve been there 4 times. 😉 I really enjoyed the MAN too. Lucas says it’s the best archaeological museum he’s ever been to. But if you only have time for one museum, I can’t recommend Prado enough.
When I got settled in, metro card, sim card, luggage, shower and nap, Lucas took me around and showed me his favorite places. We walked the streets hand in hand, and he took me to my first cathedral – Catedral de la Almudena. I was in awe. I had never seen a building so beautiful or grand. Now that I have seen lots of other cathedrals, I don’t look back and think it’s the most beautiful anymore, but it will always have a special place in my heart.
2016
2018
We walked through the gardens as the sun was setting and had the sweetest time together. I still couldn’t believe I was in Spain!
The next day we toured Palacio Real de Madrid. A PALACE. It was lavish and shiny and huge and everything you’d expect from a Spanish Palace. I loved it!
Afterwards Lucas bought me my first sandwich from Museo de Jamon, and from then on an obsession was born.
I love Museo De Jamon so much
“The products in this section are only for consumption outside of the establishment”
We spent hours in Prado, and finished the evening walking through Retiro Park, lush, green and cold in early December. On the edge of Retiro there is a pathway that always has accordion players next to a miniature lake circled with monuments. We sat across from the lake at a little restaurant where we ate baby eels and watched the birds. I didn’t think it could get much more magical, but then Lucas went and rented us a little boat on the lake! My heart melted. All of my very best days somehow involve a boat. I couldn’t think of anything more romantic.
Best day of my life!
We walked the city, we went into so many museums and found a secret garden under one of the old train stations. We went into Lucas’s favorite coffee shop, Jaleo, for neopolitanos and magic orange juice. We wandered through El Rastro street markets where I bought the cutest gloves and hat. We went into so many antique shops, and antique bookstores. We spent a nice evening going up in the Faro De Moncloa and looked down at the whole city lit up at night.
Libreria Bibliofilos
Faro De Moncloa
And one of my all-time favorites- in the middle of Plaza Mayor, is a man who stand there every day dressed as spider-man. But he weighs like 300 pounds. He is “Fat Spider-man” and he is hilarious. I only saw him the first time in Madrid, but when we went back again in 2018 we stopped to talk to him and I laughed my ass off. I ended up giving him all the money I had on me. He earned it!
Fat Spider-man is an icon of Madrid
Lucas had done all these wonderful things with me, but he still had finals to study for, so I had the chance to do a bit of wandering on my own. It was good for me to get out of my comfort zone. Be forced to speak Spanish, figure out the metro on my own and try to remember where things were.
I went and hunted down a bracelet I had seen in a kiosk at a metro stop, and decided to see some of the things that Lucas hadn’t gone to. It turned out later that he hadn’t gone to them because they were pretty disappointing, but the real magic was in my adventure to find them.
The first one on my list was Plaza Cibeles. I had seen the outside of it with Lucas, but for some reason I was dying to know what was inside. It’s really close to Retiro Park, but I didn’t trust my memory, so I typed it into Google maps. Or I thought I did. For some reason I just typed Cibeles. And followed the map. All over the city. it actually turned out quite well to get lost because I got to see so much of the city that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. I did eventually find my way to Plaza Cibeles, There was a small museum inside, but nothing too spectacular.
Next I wanted to see the inside of the Crystal Palace, which Lucas and I had walked past the evening before. He told me that there was some sort of art installation inside, but by the time we got to it, it was already closing. So I walked and walked, deep into the park. Some immigrant guys tried hitting on me in Spanish and I just hurried past them and pretended I didn’t understand what they were saying. It was pretty awkward. By the time I got there I was tired and I really hoped there was something good inside. But it turned out that the art installation was just the fact that it was an empty room. The art part was how sound travels. I was pretty disappointed, but the lighting was nice for some pictures at least!
I ended up wandering around for 7 hours throughout the day and I just felt so safe and capable (even though I got lost, and even though I got hit on). Madrid was just a wonderful experience for me.
We ended the evening with a lovely Spanish tortilla in a restaurant outside of Plaza Mayor before we flew to Paris the next morning!
Finding Eden 