Spain has been a fascinating city to explore – which is good because my flight to Madrid from the US was so late that I missed my separately ticketed flight to London, much to my dismay and my wallet! This led me to have more days in and around Madrid to explore rather than hopping off to the UK. One of those days I decided to book a tour to Toledo and Segovia.
Toledo is a couple hours south-west of Madrid and is known as the “City of Three Cultures” with a fascinating mix of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish influences found all over the city. In today’s age it seems to be an incredibly touristy area mostly full of shops selling tchotchkes and over-priced Damascus steel items. I’d recommend trying out the delicious marzipan! While you are meandering around give the Cathedral a quick look as it is quite lovely.
Overall Toledo seemed to be a good place to buy postcards and gifts for friends and family but it gets incredibly busy later on in the day so if you could head over late morning that would be the best time for photos and wandering around.
Segovia is in north-west Spain, a shortish drive from Toledo. It is famous for a huge Roman Aquaduct located in Plaza del Azoguejo. It is a lovely area to walk around in and far less touristy than Toledo. With that in mind if you end up in Segovia in the afternoon be prepared for Spain’s infamous siesta time when shops close.
Overall, I found it to be a lovely day visit to gorgeous cities near to Madrid. If you are in the area I’d say give it a try as long as you can find a tour with reasonable prices. If you had to choose between the two I think Toledo might be a better option.
Happy travels!
