My wife and I will be spending Christmas in Toledo this year. Found a great hotel airfare combo that I couldn't pass up. This is our third trip to Europe but we will only have 7 nights this time so not as much time to take on too many day trips. This is a more intimate type trip which is why I chose Toledo over Madrid but would still like to get out maybe one or two days to explore more of Castile. Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thank you.
Bill
Two or three years ago I was in Toledo at Christmastime and loved it. The streets were all illuminated with Christmas lights and decorations. On top of that we had snow and it was just so enchanting walking around in the evening. Here are some suggestions of places you might like to visit as an easy daytrip. My favorite is Consuegra. About 65 kilometres outside of Toledo is the very small town of Consuegra with its windmills and castle ruins on the hillside. Look up images of Consuegra. If you are up for an adventure, take the Samar bus (Samar.es) to Consuegra for a visit to this site. It is about an hour and twenty minute bus ride and the round trip ticket costs about 9 euros. There are multiple busses per day and the schedules can be found in English on the Samar website. It's also an easy drive through the Castilla La Mancha countryside if you have a rental car. You can walk right up to the windmills once you are there, view the castle, and then have lunch in the town below. An alternate suggestion is Aranjuez but check to make sure the palace and its gardens are open. If you like Spanish ceramics, you are not too far from Talavera de la Reina. Hope these suggestions help.
Pat,
Thank you so much, those suggestions are very helpful. Would not even have thought of any of those places and they all look wonderful. I have really been considering renting a car while there, if only for a day to see the countryside.
Of course you have Segovia and Avila as easy to reach from Madrid/Toledo.
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/segovia.html
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/avila.html
Royal Monastery of El Escorial. http://www.patrimonionacional.es/en/real-sitio/monasterios/8288
Royal Palaces at Aranjuez and San Ildefonso.
http://www.patrimonionacional.es/en/real-sitio/palacios/8281
http://www.patrimonionacional.es/en/real-sitio/palacios/8287
World heritage university town of Alcala de Henares
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/alcala_de_henares.html
Thank you very much for those links!
