Rick Steves Says This City Is Home To Spain's Most Gothic, Magnificent Cathedral

An hour from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport by car or just under two hours by train and centrally located in the heart of Spain, Toledo is famed for its rich cultural fusion, medieval architecture, and fortified hilltop views. The adopted home of El Greco, the visionary artist whose paintings, sculptures, and architectural work helped define the Spanish Renaissance, Toledo is a historic city where ancient civilizations, iconic art, and enduring traditions collide.

While Spain is arguably one of the best European destinations to retire abroad, according to European Travel Guru Rick Steves on his website, Toledo is the country's "most" alluring of towns, home to the "most confusing street plan in Spain", the "most Gothic" cathedral, and "the most Spanish of all Gothic churches" with the most stunning of altars. The town itself is perched atop a rugged granite ridge, and protected on three sides by the Tajo River, which serves as a natural moat, while the city's most breathtaking architectural marvel, the Cathedral Primada Toledo, rises "brilliantly above the town's medieval clutter."

Considered among the most spectacular cathedrals in Spain, this stunning masterpiece houses works by Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco himself. The Gothic interior is "laden with elaborate wrought-iron work, lavish wood carvings, and window after colorful window of 500-year-old stained glass," according to Steves. As remarkable as the building itself is, its Capilla Mayor stands as its most extraordinary treasure. The altarpiece, adorned with painted wooden sculptures depicting the lives of Christ and the Virgin Mary, and embellished with real gold, is the result of a collaboration among French, Flemish, and local artists.

With deep-rooted influences from the Visigothic, Roman, Muslim, Christian, and Jewish cultures that all at one point called this grand paradise home, the 2,000-year-old city is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, honoring both the individual impact of each culture and the powerful legacy of their interconnectedness. Nowhere is that influence more seen and felt than in Toledo's stunning and seamlessly blended architectural feats.

In addition to the Cathedral Primada Toledo, the Alcázar Fortress of Toledo looms imposingly over the city. Formerly a royal palace, the building now serves as the city's military museum, adorned with a different artistic style on each of its four facades, honoring the various cultures, historical events, and reconstructions that shaped its storied past. Nearby, the ornate Museo de Santa Cruz, once a 16th-century hospital, is now the home to El Greco's altarpiece, the "Assumption of Mary," which Steves notes is the "culmination of his inimitable style." Its stunning ground-floor gallery is laid out in the shape of a cross, which leads to eight additional bays housing their own timeless masterpieces.

A testament to Toledo's Jewish history and influence, the Sinagoga del Tránsito is a 14th-century synagogue turned museum on the western edge of Toledo's Old Town. A shining example of Mudéjar architecture, a distinct architectural style developed in Spain by Muslim craftsmen, the synagogue is adorned with carved pine ceilings, ornate geometric and natural plaster decorations, and arabesque patterns and arches. On the north end of Old Town, the Cristo De La Luz Mosque is the oldest standing building in the city, and also one of the oldest in Spain. Built in 999, the modern-day Bab al-Mardum Mosque has gone through as many religious conversions and cultural transitions as the city of Toledo itself.

After a day spent wandering through Toledo's varied architecture, cobblestone streets, and multicultural history, it's easy to see why Spain, now home to the world's most powerful passport, has long been a crossroads for global travelers. True to the city's multicultural beginnings, the restaurants and eateries of Toledo offer a veritable smorgasbord of Spanish and international influences.

Steves praises Plaza de Zocodove's people-watching scene and "eateries serving basic food at affordable prices," one of which is Street & Soul. A plant-based restaurant that features Thai, Mediterranean, Italian, and American-influenced cuisine, Street & Soul is also a 2025 Tripadvisor Traveler's Choice award winner. Nearby, the very popular Pizzería La Focacceria serves up a variety of pizzas and pasta dishes, starting at just $8.

For a more upscale take on true Spanish cuisine, head to Restaurante Alfileritos 24. Boasting a 4.4-star rating from a whopping 6,500-plus Google reviews, Alfileritos 24 serves traditional Spanish tapas in a lively and vibrant atmosphere. Sitting in the center of Toledo's Old Town, just outside the Cathedral Primada Toledo, Taberna Skala is another highly-rated, award-winning restaurant specializing in family-style dining centered around a traditional tapas menu almost guaranteed to leave you wanting more. To round out your meal and time in Toledo, Steves recommends picking up a few pastries and finding a bench on the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where you'll be able to enjoy the bubbling fountain, Spain's best-looking city hall, and of course, the piece-de-resistance, the Cathedral Primada Toledo.