Monday 18 February 2008

Short trip to Toledo

It has been a lot of time since the last post in my blog. I had been very busy with my life, my parents came to visit me here in Spain and I have traveled a bit also :) I'll try to write about all the places I visited as soon as I can.

One of the trip I had was an afternoon long visit to Toledo. Even if this beautiful city is only two hours and a half by car from where I live, it was my first time there. The historical center of the city is really nice, with stone streets and old styles building, it gives you the impression of having returned back in time.

Since we have been there shortly, we didn't manage to see everything that this known world heritage site offers, but we weren't lazy neither :)

The Synagogue of El Transito is the oldest synagogue in Toledo. After the expulsions of the Jews it has been transformed in a church (as was usually happening in that period), but if has maintained its original decorations, a must to see. Today it forms part of the Sephardi Museum, where you can read about their habits, traditions and daily life.

The Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca is a symbol of the cooperation of Jews, Muslims and Islams in the Middle Ages. Even if later was transformed in a church, you can clearly see the influence of the other two cultures in its architecture.

Of course we didn't miss the church of Santo Tomé famous for the painting The Burial of Count Orgaz of the famous Spanish painter El Greco. We were lucky to be able to admire the painting quietly, since it wasn't that crowded that day.

In the end we managed to visit the Cathedral of Toledo, considered the nicest Gothic cathedral in Spain. Since I have seen already many cathedral here in Spain it didn't surprise me, but I have to admit that it is amazing, for sure worth a visit!

We went for a drink in the bar Enebro which a very good friend of us has suggest us. We were surprised to receive together with the drink a tasty and quite big tapas.

Toledo is a very nice city where you can feel the Spanish history and culture. It is a city where I'd like to come back again to know better and I will suggest everyone to go to visit it! If you ever have the opportunity to go don't leave without buying some typical Demasquinados from Toledo.
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