More explorations of Toledo. The one in Spain, not the one in Ohio.
I again made the journey from central Madrid to the wonderful city of Toledo. It was my second day visiting. I hadn’t planned on visiting two days in a row, but Toledo is just so amazingly worth it. (Check out Day 1.)
Jana Irving I cheated and took a city bus to the top of the hill from the train station. They drop you off conveniently at the Zocodover.
Jana Irving I love all the medieval buildings of Toledo.
Jana Irving It’s a tower, or maybe a house. A tower-house, maybe?
Jana Irving Even the more modern buildings fit into the medieval feel of the town.
Jana Irving An adorable university entrance.
Jana Irving My first stop was the gorgeous San Ildefonso.
Jana Irving It’s a gorgeous 18th century Baroque church.
Jana Irving There’s a neat fresco behind the altar. A little bit different from many Spanish churches.
Jana Irving They let you up into the towers!
Jana Irving The Alcázar and the cathedral.
Jana Irving Cute little El Salvador.
Jana Irving It’s really tiny but the church is a former mosque. Some of the columns and other decorations are Visigothic.
Jana Irving The 11th century church is built on a 11th century mosque, which was the expansion of a 9th century mosque that was once a Visigothic church. They excavated parts of the church. There is a small passageway you climb through to see more.
Jana Irving They found Muslim/medieval tombs and these arches in this courtyard.
Jana Irving Santo Tomé is super yellow. The most yellow church I found in Spain.
Jana Irving All these little things on the bottom of the vaulted arches were different and painted.
Jana Irving Very cute!
Jana Irving Moorish arches are everywhere!
Jana Irving Another synagogue turned church is the Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca. There were a bunch of tour groups in there that just would not leave.
Jana Irving It was constructed in the late 12th-early 13th centuries. It was converted into a church after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.
Jana Irving Some of the decoration was added during the Christian era.
Jana Irving Coming up to the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes. I got to explore the cloister but not the church because someone was getting married.
Jana Irving It’s a gorgeous cloister, I must say.
Jana Irving Very pretty.
Jana Irving I love a good cloister.
Jana Irving I love the corners of cloisters. I know, I’m weird.
Jana Irving It’s full of ornate carvings like this one.
Jana Irving The second floor of the cloister had a cool Mudejar ceiling.
Jana Irving Super cool.
Jana Irving I love these drain spouts. We got a cat, an eagle, a monkey and another bird.
Jana Irving 
Jana Irving You can visit this super fancy chapel on the inside.
Jana Irving Lots of pastels going on.
Jana Irving Love Toledo.
Jana Irving Cristo de la Luz, another former mosque turned church.
Jana Irving A very interesting building.
Jana Irving Heading down the hill, through the Puerta de Valmardón.
Jana Irving The massive Puerta de Alarcones.
Jana Irving Inside the double gate of the Puerta de Bisagra.
Jana Irving Just look how massive that gate is.
That’s all for Toledo. It was a great two-day visit. I really encourage anyone visiting Spain to make their way to Toledo. It’s a very walkable, gorgeous city that was fun just to wander around in. There are several museum and historic churches to visit as well. Well, worth the hour-long journey from central Madrid.
Check out my next update where I will be covering some random places I stopped in Spain!
or
Start at the beginning of my travels around Spain!
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