Big day today with another trip on the fast train - this time to Toledo. After the great Toledo incident of 2011, Collette finally got to go to Toledo!
Toledo.
Toledo is a beautiful but confusing city with an amazing history but tiny streets like rabbit warrens stretching out in every direction.
Exploring the windy, hilly streets of Toledo.
On arrival we attended mass at the Cathedral with the locals before heading off to find a good coffee (very few and far between here in Spain - but our hotel has a Nespresso machine!) and the Church of Santo Tomé - home to a famous painting by El Greco, "The Burial of The Count of Orgaz".
We also visited the Santa María la Blanca Synagogue (Toledo was once home to a Jewish community) and the San Juan de Los Reyes Monastery which was originally built in the 1400s, destroyed by Napoleon's troops in the 1800s and rebuilt, today it is home to a group of Franciscan Friars. Bloody Napoleon has a lot to answer for in Spain!
The Cloisters of the Monastery.
We then headed back to do a tour of the Cathedral - an eclectic mix of architectural and artistic styles as each generation tries to outdo the last! Toledo was a Muslim city for many years and it is easy to see how this has influenced much of the architecture of the city.
Toledo Cathedral.
The day concluded back in Madrid with Tempranillo, Tapas and Churros with chocolate - yum!!!
Posted with Blogsy
well, I had breakfast at Say Grace!!
ReplyDeleteBut Toledo. . .isn't that in America?
ReplyDeleteSo far, as I trawl through your blog despite my threats of not looking at any more jealousy-inspiring photos, Barcelona is my favourite destination (that you visited, not me alas) in Spain.
Just sayin' . . . like you care. . .
Parky x