Monday, March 18, 2019

Toledo (Not Ohio)

Toledo, Spain
We took a day trip to Toledo on our fourth day in Madrid. Toledo, the former capital of the Spanish Empire, is a mix of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish history. The city was once controlled by Islamic Arabs until it was once again reconquered by Christians. After living in a Muslim part of Russia, I wish we learned more about Islamic rule in the West. Islam has such an impact on the world, but the history we learn about is so white washed. I hope one day that changes.
When I visited Spain the first time we took a day trip to Segovia, which is why we chose Toledo to visit on this trip. I think I prefer Segovia, but both are full of windy hills and it might just be because I prefer hills in cooler weather than in the scorching heat. This is mostly a photo heavy post because we didn't do much except walk around the city and go on a tour of Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo, an absolutely massive cathedral. Even if you aren't religious, I'd suggest checking out the cathedral because it's absolutely beautiful. You need to pay extra to go to the bell tower, which we didn't do, so I can't recommend that, but the church itself was magnificent.
You only need to spend a few hours (maybe 4 hours tops) in both Toledo and Segovia, unless you plan on trying local foods or have some other event planned, like a walking tour. They are both quite small and don't take a lot of time to see, especially when you visit in the middle of July. However, both are beautiful cities and worth the quick trip from Madrid.

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