Toledo is small city with a monumental, cultural and historical heritage that began over 2,000 years ago. It seemed destined to play a big part in history, having gone from Roman municipum to Visigoth capital to Muslim stronghold to Spanish capital city and, today, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Spain's most cherished gems.
What makes it most interesting is the artistic diversity found throughout the centuries-old winding streets of Toledo's enchanting Old Quarter. As other cities succumbed to inner-city religious strife in the centuries leading up to the back-to-back expulsions of the Jews (1492) and Moors (1502), Toledo was the famed "city of three cultures", where Christians, Moors and Jews lived together peacefully. This is precisely why In a country otherwise packed with churches, Toledo boasts intact buildings and designs influenced by Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
The result is an open-air museum that reflects the religious and cultural diversity of Toledo's - and Spain's - fascinating past. The breathtaking Cathedral, built between 1226 and 1493, is a must see, as is the Cristo de la Luz mosque (999) and the synagogues of Santa María la Blanca (1180) and El Tránsito (1356). Other monuments of note include the Alcázar fortress, the Puerta del Sol and other original gateways into the once-walled city, the remains of the Roman circus and the El Greco Museum, which displays an incredible collection of his works in what was once his home.
Want more information about Toledo? Check out our Toledo Guide
Learn Spanish in Toledo
While we don't currently have any Spanish courses available in Toledo, we do have schools in exciting and emblematic cities throughout Spain and Latin America. Check out our list of current destinations on the following page: