Three days in Madrid- use one for Toledo?

It is definitely worth one of your days in Madrid to visit Toledo. It is an UNESCO heritage site for good reason. As Spain’s former capital, Toledo is a microcosm of Spanish history from the Romans, Jewish, Visigothic, Moorish, and Christian influences.

The highlight of Toledo is the Cathedral, one of Europe’s best, not only for the architecture and religious significance, but the art work. One of our favorites to visit was the El Greco Museum a small collection of paintings including the View and Plan of Toledo. Also, if you are an El Greco fan, his masterpiece, The Burial of the Count Orgaz is in the Santo Tome chapel.

A delicious dilemma. I adore them both. It depends on what your interests are. For me, there is nowhere better, from an art historical point of view than the "miracle kilometer" that contains The Prado, Reina Sofia and The Thyssen. I could easily spend a very long time in those "cathedrals". However, Madrid, nice though it is, is much more of a "city" than Toledo. There is noise, traffic, crowds, etc. By contrast, entering Toledo is a walk into a previous life. There will be tourist crowds, but the narrow streets and amazing architecture transport time. The cathedral is magnificent, the atmosphere of the ever present El Greco is captivating and the ease of the journey from Madrid is not, in any way, a deterrent. I'm going to be there in the middle of October, for even one day less than you are planning, and I'm already grappling with the same "dilemma". I wish us both luck.

Toledo is very nice and definitely worth seeing, with some good individual sights, bucket-loads of history and an overall "harmonious ambiance".

Mind you there must be dozens, if not scores, of places just in Spain/Portugal I could have written that about and most of us aren't ever going to see them all.

Madrid isn't my favourite city, but one and half days, some of it jet-lagged, is hardly doing it justice in my view.

I'd play it by ear and wait to the evening of day two before deciding whether to go the next day to Toledo or do more in the capital.

I agree with the last poster, wait and see if you want to go for a day trip. You can buy train tickets in Madrid's Atocha the day before your day trip and the cost isn't that much different that buying beforehand.

If you don't 'do' art, then definitely make a Toledo day trip. If you are interested in art, then decide when you are in Madrid which has the greater pull. You only save about a dollar booking Toledo tickets beforehand. Yes, sometimes trains sell out - but not all of them. My primary reason to go to Madrid was for the art 'kilometre', so I stated in a small apartment a few blocks away and very handy to Atocha train station so I could get to where I wanted to be.

Thank you all for helpful responses!

If it makes a difference, here is my current plan for my first two days in Madrid:
1) Arrive, Madrid historic core walk (from RS guidebook), Royal palace
2) Prado, Retiro Park, Centro de arte Reina Sofia, Gran via walk (from RS guidebook)

Is there anything major I would be missing by going to Toledo? I do enjoy art, but not so much that I think I would need more than the two museums on the second day.

Your second day looks pretty ambitious. With two museums and the park. Honestly, the Gran Via isn't my favorite street and walking down it might not be the best use of your time. I'd spread out my museum days. I was overwhelmed just with the Prado, I don't think I could handle two art museums in one day. Finally, I'd add to go see a market, either the San Anton or the more touristy San Miguel for a bite to eat.

Those are kind of ambitious days in Madrid but your level of interest are up to you. Reina Sofia is much smaller than than the Prado which is really big - not Louvre big but big.
Note: Do NOT miss - Guernica at the Reina Sofia. I thought I was ready for it, but I had no idea how impactful a piece it is.

I would recommend making the time for Toledo - especially if you aren't going to see that kind of medieval city elsewhere. The cathedral there is crazy packed with interior chapels and sights and there are some smaller museums but the main sight is the city. It IS a touristy kind of town but looking past that and brush up on the history some before you go it is really worth seeing.

Sevilla is a great city and parts have some of the medieval vibe but it's flat and doesn't have quite the same historic packed hilltop feeling.

Have a great trip!
=Tod

I did Reina Sofia on their free admission day and only went for the Picassos and that section of the museum. Under an hour. I was not as moved by Guernica as I was by the photographs in the gallery leading up to it. They show the reality and humanity. I just didn't get the representation despite repeated replays of Ricks explanation. However, I spent 7 hours in the Prado. I really enjoyed the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum and its modern additions juxtoposed with its old world art that started it all. They also have a temporary exhibit so see if that appeals. Looking at an article, it is described as 'filling the gaps between the Prado and Reina Sofia'...but with such a short time, it may be too much of things similar to your 2 chosen museums.
Keep in mind Retiro Park is a little ways from the museums and you might just be too footsore to do it all. That is going to be a lot of standing and mileage - even just through museum corridors. There is a very nice botanical garden next door to the Prado.

Is there a way to buy the Madrid-Toledo ticket in advance online and have an e-ticket?

Also, if it's a paper-only ticket, must I buy this at Atocha station? Can I buy this elsewhere for convenience?

I purchased ours on the Renfe site and printed them.

I would most definitely recommend a daytrip to Toledo. It is one of my favorite places in Spain. It is a fast train ride there and back from Madrid. Either take a taxi or a bus from the train station to Plaza Zocodover in the center of town, because it is a long uphill walk. (I did it once in the summer heat and would not walk it again.) The cathedral in Toledo is so impressive! Toledo is a place where you can truly see and appreciate Christian, Jewish and Arabic influence and contributions to Spain. There are many interesting sites to see and it is fun to just roam the narrow streets. The gates to the city are beautiful and very photogenic. You will want to see the iconic views of the whole city and the Tagus River. Either take the little tourist train or pay a taxi to take you to the miradores (viewing spots). I don't know if the tourist train will actually stop at those spots.

Your day 2 in Madrid is very busy. El Prado, El Retiro and Reina Sofía are all relatively close by. I would skip a Gran Vía walk. Try to find time to visit the Mercado San Miguel, it is next to the Plaza Mayor.