Monuments, natural landscape and souvenirs are a blend worth driving from Madrid to Toledo to see.
Entering the former capital of Spain through its great surrounding fence gates gave me the feeling of escaping the chaos of our modern life and entering into a different era.
The small town is called “The City of Three Cultures” for bringing Jewish, Christian, and Muslim heritages together in one place.
From the Victorio Macho Museum to St. Tome church, Toledo is definitely a miniature version of Spain’s long artistic history.
But the glorious architecture of Castillo de San Servando was the ultimate source of fascination to me.
The huge construction of the medieval castle was a part of Toledo’s defenses against Islamic invasion, but it is said that the monumental edifice was originally built as a monastery in 1088.
Another unforgettable experience was drinking a cup of coffee while enjoying the fresh air and the breathtaking panoramic view from the highest spot in town.
Souvenir-buying was the last stop on my full-day tour. Toledo is known as the main industry for Damascene, handicraft jewelry decoration. It is a unique technique that introduces gold or silver thread inlays on blackened metal accessories.
I stood for a long time trying to make up my mind as to which design to choose. A flower and bird ornamented necklace was my eventual choice, a common design reflecting the Renaissance artistic style.
In a blink of eye the day came to an end, and I decided I would stay longer on my next visit to Toledo.
