How I Visited Toledo for Only 25 Euro!
Welcome to Toledo
Every year Ale and I have gone away for the puente (4 day weekend) in December. Our first trip together was to beautiful Ronda and the second ended up being a weekend in Cadiz due to strikes but we later went to Marseille, our original destination.
This year we didn’t have the funds for anything big. But we’ve both been working hard and barely going out. I was dying to do something– especially since all of my private class students had canceled on me! Luckily, there is plenty to see around Madrid. We debated between recommendations such as Ávila, Segovia, Alcalá de Henares, and other quaint sounding, nearby towns. Finally, we decided on the mountaintop city (and UNESCO World Heritage Site)Toledo.
Getting to Toledo: Your Transportation Options
Toledo is the number one recommended day trip from Madrid so we figured it would be easy to get to. We were right; there are frequent buses and trains to and from the city (even on holidays!).
Train Option: The train leaves from Atocha every one or two hours starting around 7:00 am on weekdays and 9:00 on weekends and holidays. Its last trip back leaves Toledo between 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm (depending on the day).
- The train costs 10,60€ for a one way ticket and 19,10€ for a roundtrip.
- The bus costs 4,95€ for a one way ticket and 8,88€ for a roundtrip.
Spent so far: 9,00€ per person (11,00 is you include metro to Plaza Eliptica)
What to Eat
Toledo is known for its hearty food. Venison, boar, game birds, stuffed peppers, sausage and eggs…it is the perfect cuisine for a cold winter day! We needed a place where we could try some of Toledo’s typical cuisine but not spend a fortune. Luckily, we stumbled upon the perfect place.
Café Bar Toledo Cervecería C/Armas 15
Nervous to eat in a restaurant with the name Bar Toledo (we were afraid it was a tourist trap) we quickly googled it for reviews. But the only thing that came up for that address was a Bar Zorba so we weren’t sure if it had changed names or owners… and decided to just risk it. It turned out to be a good idea. The restaurant is comfortable and quaint and the food is typical and a good value.
We tried:
Tostada con carne de cerdo, brie, y balsamico: A toast with ground pork, melted brie, and balsamic reduction.
Huevos Rotos con Chistorra: A fried egg on top of fried potatoes with some fried Spanish sausage (hearty indeed!)
Venado con Salsa de Champiñones: Venison in a mushroom sauce.
Carcamusa: A very typical dish in Toledo! Stewed pork with tomato, peas, and a slightly spicy sauce (Spanish “spicy”)
Ale had two beers and I had a glass of crisp white wine. We left stuffed and satisfied. Our food wasn’t life changing, but it warmed us up on a very cold afternoon and the service was friendly.
Lunch cost: 19,50€ (We left 20,00€)
Spent so far: 20,00€ per person
A great restaurant guide (in Spanish) by the Toledo tourism board is found here!
Sights to See
Toledo is full of historic monuments (enough for another blog post) but here are some must see places in Toledo!
La Puerta del Sol
A foggy view from the top of Puerta del Sol
La Catedral Primada
A view of the gorgeous cathedral
El Río Tajo
A historic bridge on the Tajo River
Spent so far: Still 20,00€ per person since we didn’t pay to enter in any of the monuments. We loved just exploring the streets and taking some pictures!
What to Buy
Swords and sweets! Most people know that Toledo is a famous producer of swords. There are many shops where you can buy your own. They were actually a lot less expensive than I thought (around 150€ for what seemed like a really nice one!) but to Ale’s disappointment they didn’t fit the budget…
Handcrafted Swords
Ale longing for a sword and armor!
I'd recommend this sword shop for its knowledgeable owner!
Marzipan: Toledo is also famous for its homemade marzipan. Pastry shops and gourmet food stores all over town sell the sweet almond paste. I’ve never been a marzipan person, but I had to try it. It was actually delicious. I tried one with almonds and another with sweetened egg yolk. Both were excellent. We bought a small box for my mother. Although I don’t know if they’ll last until Christmas!
Spent so far: 22,50€ per person (A small box of marzipan costs around 5,00€)
And When You’ve Had Enough…
Have a hot coffee in front of one of the many beautiful monuments before heading back to the bus station. We sat down at a heated terrace near the Alcazar.
Spent so far: 25,00€ per person
And there you have it: a really beautiful, inexpensive day trip from Madrid. For only 25 euro you can see Toledo, eat and drink some great food, and even buy your mother a souvenir!
As night falls it's time to head back to the big city.
Do you have any travel tips for day trips from Madrid? Any great websites? Leave them in the comments!
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The marzipan will last. At my house we always just put it in the fridge for just in case, but in mexico it’s out all day and last forever!
Good! I couldn’t believe how good it was! In Mexico does it taste the same? I didn’t realize it was typical there too!
Fun! I studied in Toledo in 2008 and have such great memories. I remember this great mazapán cake we had at a restaurant off Plaza Zocodover. Yum! Also, the great tinto de verano and tapas (for free! a new concept back then!). Thanks for giving me a blast from the past.
Mmm, now that I love Marzipan a cake sounds delicious. Christmas time is so delicious lol!
Good job on the budget travel! I’ve been to Toledo twice but haven’t ever seen their Puerta del Sol.
Really? I’ll bet you have! It’s the entrance to the city center and you can climb up the tiny stairs…
I too have been to Toledo….many times but the pic of Puerta del Sol does not look familiar to me
I will put it on my list for next time tho!
If you’ve not heard of Maribel’s guides, there’s alot of good advice in them. altho it’s labeled “for the sophisticated traveller”, I am certainly not one of those and found them helpful. here’s the link to her Toledo guide: http://maribelsguides.com/mg_toledo.pdf
and another day trip from Madrid to consider (if you haven’t already) is Segovia. Here’s Maribel’s guide for Segovia:
http://maribelsguides.com/mg_segovia.pdf
just added your blog to my favorites!!
Thanks so much! I haven’t been to Segovia yet… it’s on my list! I’ll check out her guides!
you’re welcome, my pleasure. maybe you already know tripadvisor.com? lots of good info there and they have a forum for just about every city in Spain! I have written reviews there and participate on some forums. I have always wanted to go to Avila as a day trip from Madrid too. another idea for you. enjoy!!