Toledo Essential
Description
Explore Toledo, known as the city of three cultures (Christian, Jewish and Moorish), on an essential half-day tour from Madrid. Designed for travellers looking for an adventure that gives them the most essential of the city, this package allows you to discover Toledo from two perspectives: with your own local guide and at your own pace. Delve into its rich history with an engaging live guide who will share local knowledge about Toledo's cultural, artistic and architectural heritage. The tour covers essential sightseeing sites such as Toledo Cathedral (guided entrance to the cathedral is not included in this ticket) and the vibrant Jewish quarter, as well as exploring the city's more local streets representing the three diverse cultures that once thrived here. Experience the freedom to shop and savour Toledo at your own pace during your free time!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Enjoy and explore the city of the three cultures and the coexistence of the Jewish, Moorish and Christians for centuries.
The Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo is a Roman Catholic and It is the seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toledo. The cathedral of Toledo is one of the three 13th-century High Gothic cathedrals in Spain and is considered, in the opinion of some authorities, to be the magnum opus of the Gothic style in Spain.
The Jewish Quarter, the best preserved in Europe
The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes is an Isabelline style monastery built by the Catholic Monarchs in XV century. This monastery was 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 (1476) over the army of Afonso V of Portugal.
The Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, originally known as the Ibn Shushan Synagogue is a museum and former synagogue. Erected in 1180, according to an inscription on a beam, it is disputably considered the oldest synagogue building in Europe still standing. It is now owned and preserved by the Catholic Church.
The Mosque of Cristo de la Luz is a former mosque and It is one of the ten that existed in the city during the Moorish period. The edifice was then known as Mezquita Bab-al-Mardum, deriving its name from the city gate Bab al-Mardum. It is located near the Puerta del Sol, in an area of the city once called Medina where wealthy Muslims used to live.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Infants under 4 years old are considered lap children and are free
Reviews(55)
Interesting site. Bus was half hour late, we missed the 1800 cut off to go into the cathedral as a result. The air conditioning was set uncomfortably cold and we could not stop the airflow. As a result I now have a sinus infection. Also the USB was not working so we could not charge our phones. Our guide was great but his command of English was poor. As a result I had a number of questions but the people speaking Spanish kept interrupting us.
Fantastic experience for a quick visit to Toledo. ( Did half day tour) Bus left and returned on time. No side excursions to gift shops. Both our chaperone on bus ride and local guide ( Maria) were excellent. No issues with language barrier. Very informative but would recommend full day tour if want to tour cathedral, grab lunch and have more time to explore this historical treasure.
Dear Robert, First of all, thank you for taking the time to leave your review. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your experience with us. We wish you a happy day. Best regards, Experience Travel Tours Customer Service Team.
Cathedral visit amazing to see the architecture and all details. Organs in Cathedral is something Synagogue - I see it first time , it was very simple and peacefull
Dear Marina, First of all, thank you for taking the time to leave your review. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your experience with us. We wish you a happy day. Best regards, Express Toledo Customer Service Team.
Charming historic city.Home to the great painter,El Greco,who worked there in the 16C,and many of whose masterpieces can be seen there We were unlucky in that we missed the interior of the Alcatraz,the citadel fort.Closed for refurbishment. The town is stunningly situated at a bend in the river Tagus.There are many good restaurants and tapas bars.Stay at the Boutique Hotel Adolfo,Only 12 rooms so book in advance.The hotel is in the historic heart of the city,at Zocadavar Plaza.
Dear John, First of all, thank you for taking the time to leave your review. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your experience with us. We wish you a happy day. Best regards, Express Toledo Customer Service Team.
We almost missed the bus at 9:00 in the morning because in the instructions it said that it made a stop in the Banka Espana metro but ultimately meant that it was the nearest metro stop. We called before 9:00 for clarification but the office is open at 9:00. Finally 09:03 someone picked it up and told them to wait for us together with another couple who had understood the same thing. Generally a relaxed quick (about 1 hour) tour of Toledo and then free time.
The entrance to Toledo is spectacular!!!! The organization and quality of the first-rate guides, always friendly.
Estimado Cliente, Primero agradecerle el tiempo invertido en dejar su comentario. Nos congratula saber que ha disfrutado de su experiencia con nosotros. Deseamos que tenga un feliz día. Un saludo, El equipo de Atención al cliente de Express Toledo.
Toledo on your own pace was not “on your own pace”. Obligatory sword shop killed an hour of valuable time. Two stops for photos also ate into valuable exploration time.
Hi Dean_K., We really appreciate your comments. Tourist loves the stop at the sword factory, perhaps we have to reduce the time and this is the first time we receive a complaint to stop to admire the impressive views of Toledo with the Tagus river. We thank you for your comments.
The bus to Toledo was crowded. We arrived 30 minutes early and still were the last three on the first bus. None of us got to sit together. My seat mate took a bit more than her share and the ride was uncomfortable. The bus tour of Toledo was interesting and we saw things we hadn’t seen on previous trips. The city was crowded with other groups and sets with earphones were needed as it was difficult to hear the guide over other groups. The walking tour of Toledo was also interesting and the guide was clearly knowledgeable and tried to get the group involved. When it came time to split off for those who had paid for the Cathedral guided tour, the guide did not have our information. After a brief discussion, she said she would take care of us. Later she acknowledged that we did have reservations, but that they hadn’t accessed all of the reservation apps that make reservations with them. Happily, Susana did a fabulous job of the cathedral tour. After free time for shopping and lunch we went down to meet the bus. The buses were almost on time. The organizer checked us in and we were able to sit together on the way back to Madrid. The organizer came aboard and told us that there would be two stops in Madrid. One at the Neptune fountain where we had boarded and the other on the Grand Via near the Puerta del Sol and the Plaza Mayor. This information was incorrect as we were dropped off on the back side of the Riu Hotel on the Plaza de España. Many of the guests were angry as we were nowhere near the section of the Grand Via that was close to the Puerta del Sol It was late afternoon and very hot so we had to find a taxi to take us back to the Puerta del Sol area. Just a few things marred an otherwise good tour.
Hi Thank you very much for your comments and apologies for this inconvenience. I hope you have enjoyed in guided visit to the Primate Cathedral and the rest of the tour. We will also ask for information about the drop off point. It sounds estrange, anyway apologies.
Great tour, comfortable bus with AC, panoramic tour was good, you stop to take amazing pictures. The tour was good but it did no show the mosque of Christ of the light or the synagogue so had to go see them ourselves on the free time given, but in the description for the tour it mentioned we would pass by them. So would be good if the tour included that.
Hi Anna_K Thanks for your comments which help us to improve day a day.
The tour was a god value for the price. It included a round trip ride and walking tour. The guide was friendly and informative, and it was nice having some free time to explore Toledo on your own.
Thanks for your comments. The information you provide us about guides is helpful to improve our tours
