Contributed by Shira Rosenbaum and Aaron Roller | Last Travel Date: Aug 2006
Kosher Info: Alas, to what was formerly a thriving Jewish town, there is no kosher food available. We were able to find a few fruit stalls around town, but we mostly brought food from Madrid (which is only about a 1-2 hour train ride away.
Tourist Info: Toledo was Shira’s favorite place in Spain. The old city/ touristy area is on the top of a hill with an encircling wall and a moat at the base. It is very reminiscent of Yerushalaim (which is interesting when you consider it’s Jewish history). The hike up the hills is probably pretty arduous. We took a taxi, but there are outdoor, covered escalators that can also take you up to the gates of the city. The town is very old and very beautiful with little houses and cobble stone paths. I don’t recall going to very many non-Jewish tourist sites, but the town was just so fun to walk around in and take in the shops. Toledo is famous for metal works so there are a ton of knife and armour shops. There is also a tourist train (think the tram at Disney) you can take which is a little cheezy but a LOT of fun.
Jewish Info: There are a few old (around 14th century) synagogues to see in Toledo, including the El Transito Synagogue which houses a nice Sefardic Museum. Don’t be confused by your guidebook: Spanish Synagogues often have Catholic names since many were used as Churches during and after the inquisition like the Synagogue de Santa Maria Blanco.
