Toledo: the multicultural capital of ancient Spain

The cultures that have passed through Spain have left some of their traditions in Toledo, turning any visit to the city into an authentic walk through the history of the country. Architecture, gastronomy and art in Toledo all have a multicultural character, with the nobility and tranquillity of the interior of the peninsula.

TOLEDO is situated seventy kilometres from Madrid and is perfect for a weekend away or an escape for a day, although the monumental power of the city well deserves a longer stay. For anyone who is not convinced, the city of Toledo was declared a UNESCO world heritage site because of its impressive representations of Mudéjar architecture, which combine Muslim aesthetics with Christian practices. UNESCO also emphasises its location on a granite crag and the diverse landscape of its environment, includng the river Tajo. Finally, it is a city that represents three of the main cultures that lived in Spain; Jews, Muslims and Christians. Overall, it is considered that Toledo’s patrimony should be conserved.

In the surrounding landscape of Toledo they emphasise the great 16th-century Fortress, in a Renaissance style and the Gothic Cathedral, which was completed in the 15th century. The city, therefore, guides the visitor through every known period of civilisation in the Iberian peninsula all within the same environment.

To take advantage of your stay to the maximum, several activities can be planned – the majority of them free – organised by the Consortium of Toledo. There are twelve areas to visit that summarise the city; from the Caves of Hercules, which supply water to the city, to the tower of San Andrés, which constitutes its ceiling. Reservations for this visit can be made online at www.consorciotoledo.com.

The City Hall also organises visits to the main gates and wall of Toledo, as it is interesting to see the outer location and shape of the city. The gates of Toledo city have an extensive history, including the manner in which the kings and nobles were received, and how the gates were normally closed to other visitors.

Food of Kings
With two millennia of history you might expect that Toledo has an extensive gastronomic culture, and that it is worth tasting some of the typical dishes. Partridges, a significant dish in all three cultures, are the basic dish of a succulent meal, deriving from the inland zones. The partridge is pickled for consumption, to conserve its delicate flavour, and goes well with a traditional gazpacho, also extremely delicately flavoured.

The wine of La Mancha is also one of the most renowned in the country, and Toledo is also the city of marzipan. This is an Arabian product that has been maintained throughout the history of Spanish gastronomy and consumed all year but particularly at Christmas. This confectionery is made from almonds and sugar and takes the form of small animal shapes. Giving Toledo marzipan as a gift is quite traditional, especially since they make an ideal treat for the traveller – light, small and easy to transport, not needing refrigeration and not easily damaged in transit.

In the two most famous neighbourhoods of Toledo, Santa Bárbara and Santa Teresa, numerous tapas bars exist that serve small rations of some of these typical products, with a glass of beer or wine. Don’t forget that the cheese, ham and sausages of La Mancha are exported worldwide for their quality and trying them in Toledo is a unique opportunity.

Wine routes
Whether inside or outside of the city, there are different routes for tasting wine of the La Mancha region. WineTime is a specialist wine business that offers two possibilities for wine-tastings. The first one consists of a visit to three wine cellars of the city, in which winetastings are accompanied by tapas dishes and directed by an expert that comme