Trotting Through Toledo & Segovia: Thanksgiving Trip Part Three

Bryan here! After six crazy days throughout Southern Spain and the capital, it's time for someone else to drive and show us around with a guided tour to Toledo and Segovia!

Saturday, November 30: Day Trip Outside Madrid

Our morning started bright and early at 6:30 am for a 7:45 meet-up across the city.

Las Ventas Bullring: Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas

We boarded our bus at Las Ventas Bullring, the largest bullring in Spain with a capacity of over 23,000 people. For reference, the bullring Katie and I visited in Jerez de la Frontera back during Feria season only seats 9,500 people. This bullring is the third largest bullring in the world, behind the bullrings in Mexico City and Valencia, Venezuela.

After an hour-long bus ride, we finally made it to Toledo. Toledo is historically and culturally significant because it was the capital of two different kingdoms over numerous centuries. From the 5th-8th century, it served as the capital of the Visigoth Kingdom until it was conquered by the Moors. It became the capital again for the Castillian Monarchy from the 11th Century until 1561 before the capital was moved to Madrid. Toledo is also known as the "City of Three Cultures" due to its Christian, Muslim, and Jewish heritage.

Plaza de Zocodover

Our first stop of the morning was Plaza de Zocodover, where we made a quick pit stop for coffee and breakfast before our walking tour. When the only options open were Starbucks and McDonalds, we ate what was available!

Catedral Primada de Toledo: Catedral de Santa María de Toledo

Our first major stop of the tour was Toledo Cathedral which serves as the spiritual and administrative center of the Catholic Church in Spain. It was completed in 1493 and houses artwork by Goya, El Greco, and Caravaggio. We didn't have time to go inside, but we just imagined another pretty interior of a Catholic church.

Plaza del ayuntamiento Chrismtas Market

More importantly, while our guide was talking about the Cathedral, I snuck away to a small Christmas market whose stalls were just beginning to open. I grabbed the group a couple of mulled wines to enjoy while we continued on our journey. This tiny market was arguably better than the large one in Plaza Mayor, purely just based on the fact that it had mulled wine!

Jewish Quarter

As we made our way through the city, we found ourselves in the Jewish quarter, an extremely well-preserved portion of the city that symbolizes Spain's Jewish heritage. Along the streets were many golden plaques in the shape of the Iberian Peninsula with the word "Sefarad" (which means 'Spain' in Hebrew) imprinted on it, signifying an area of Jewish cultural or historical importance within Spain.

Puente de San Martín: Saint Martin's Bridge

Our final stop on the walking tour was the Puente de San Martin. Constructed in the 14th Century, this bridge provided picturesque views of the city and the Tagus River nearly 40 meters below.

Damasquinados Suárez

Now, Toledo may be known as the "City of Three Cultures," but it is also well known as a city of steel. Since the Roman times, the city has been known for its tough steel and exceptional craftsmanship for sword-making. Today, only two steel-producing workshops remain, and we had the opportunity to visit one.

At Damasquinados Suarez, we were able to see the fine detail that went into making steel jewelry as well as a small demonstration on heating and flattening out the steel for swords. Afterward, we visited the gift shop where Katie, Kelly, and Cindy were checking out their jewelry while Ryan marveled at the Game of Thrones swords. Ryan wanted to buy one until we reminded him that swords are on the "no fly" list for in-cabin baggage....so he was out of luck!

Mirador de Toledo

Arguably the best part of the tour was Mirador de Toledo, which provided stunning views of the city and the river! We were given 15 minutes to take it all in and grab some pictures, so if you know the Kimbles, then you know every single minute was used as a photo op. I gotta say, it was well worth the photos; just look at how stunningly beautiful the city is from this hilltop viewpoint!

Now for a nearly two-hour ride to our next stop: Segovia!

Segovia

Around 2:00 pm we finally made it to Segovia! Now, if you think like me, you're probably thinking, "What was the name of the kingdom from The Princess Diaries?" You're really close and on the right track, but that would be Genovia! You might also think, "What was the name of the country where the Avengers battled Ultron?" Still, you're close, but that's Sokovia! Inspiring neither movie is the Spanish town of Segovia!

Mesón de Cándido

Our first order of business was lunch! Katie, being the best travel guide ever, knew ahead of time that Adventures by Disney makes stops in Segovia on their Spanish tours and they bring their patrons to Meson de Candido.

The restaurant was originally an inn that opened in 1786, but in 1931, Candido Lopez turned it into a restaurant. The restaurant is famous for its beautiful views of the Segovia Aqueduct and its roast suckling pig. While we were eating, we were treated to a small speech by the owner of the restaurant (Candido's grandson) where at the end of his speech, he used a ceramic plate to cut up a roast pig and then smashed the plate on the ground. This traditional "ceremony" is a popular sight for the town and is a must-see when in Segovia.

Segovia Aqueduct: Acueducto de Segovia

Following lunch, our free time was rapidly coming to an end, so we quickly snapped pictures of the Segovia Aqueduct before meeting up with our guide! This impressive aqueduct was built in the 1st Century by the Romans and stands nearly 28 meters high!

Catedral de Segovia

After meeting up in Segovia's Plaza Mayor, in the shadows of the Segovia Cathedral, we learned that Segovia played a significant role in Spanish history when Isabel I was proclaimed Queen of Castille (now most of modern-day Spain) within the Cathedral in 1474.

Queen Isabel I is famously known for her marriage to King Ferdinand II, forming a dynastically unified Spanish kingdom, and for her sponsorship of Christopher Columbus's explorations of the Americas. Small fun fact: King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabel I visited Rota, Spain during their ruling time and stayed in the castle in our tiny southern town! The more you know!

Alcázar de Segovia

Our next stop of the tour was the Alcazar of Segovia, a medieval castle built in the 12th Century that served as a fortress and palace for the Castillian Royal Family. The castle is known to be the inspiration for Walt Disney's Snow White (1937) castle!

Katie and I both were shocked by the castle's beautiful exterior! We have seen tons of castles across Germany, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and all over Japan, but we loved the pattern work on Segovia's castle exterior walls. It is a sight to see and a lesser-known marvel! It truly looked like something Disney would design.

Exploring the inside of the castle felt like we were dropped in a Game of Thrones episode with the tapestry-lined stone walls, four-poster beds, and suits of armor. Following our exploration of the castle, it was time to make our way back to the bus and return to Madrid.

After exploring two new cities and spending nearly four hours on a bus, everyone was pretty exhausted when we made it back to Madrid. We got back to the Airbnb around 7:00 pm and no one seemed keen to go out for dinner. Instead, we ordered Domino's pizza as we packed our suitcases in preparation for an early morning of travel tomorrow! You know Katie has us up and leaving before the sun comes up, so an early night's rest was much needed!

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more to come soon!

Salud,

Bryan