5 of 7

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 3

advertised themselves as within view of the city walls' or with dramatic views over the city', all of which is true and if you were a bird the claim that they are a stone's throw away from the city' would also be true but we cannot fly and to gain the city from any of these hotels requires a long trek or a taxi to and across one of the bridges.
The informed then will have taken a hotel on the north side of the walls and it is from this direction that, on foot, you obtain your next impressions of Toledo. The main gate into the city is through the north wall and it is impressive. Called the Puerta Nueva de Bisagra it has two massive round towers with a huge coat of arms between them and solid wood and copper plate gates. These take you into a courtyard where you are faced with equally impressive square towers and an arch between. You can fully appreciate the gates from any of the refreshment stalls in the park north of the walls.

Once through the gates you are immediately into a rabbit warren of streets and alleys. Unlike most Spanish towns and cities there is only one true open square, Plaza Zocodover. Space on the rock was so in demand that there was no room for more. Space was at such a premium that the Toledians built down into the rock itself and created caves and cellars. Over the centuries these were used for storing water in cisterns, alchemists laboratories, wine cellars, necromancy, places of worship and as hidden passageways between buildings. Today many are still in use as beer cellars and in some cases, restaurant dining areas. Toledo is not for the claustrophobic. One excavated cellar, the Caves of Hercules' has at various times been a Roman water storage cistern, a Visigothic Christian church and a XII century church. By the XVI century various legends had evolved about the caves and Cardinal Siliceo explored the basements of the church in an attempt to find the true story. What he found only exaggerated the legends.
The Caves of Hercules is one of a series of sites badly publicised in a pamphlet called Discover a Different Toledo'. The sites include towers of various antiquity, a mosque, Arab baths, Islamic Halls and a Roman Baths, none of which are on the tourist route'. It is the latter, only found by accident, that supplies the leaflet required to find the other sites and takes bookings for visits at the remaining sites since they all open on different days. The Roman Baths is on Calle Alfonso X El Sabio.
One place that is advertised by the tourist

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Travel destinations: Toledo, Spain?
We want to hear your view. Write now!