Toledo and Salamanca?

October is a great time to visit both of these great cities. I spent three days in each of them on my trip last year. It was sunny and in the upper 70's (F) everyday. I stayed at the Catalonia Plaza Mayor (less than a five minute walk from the Plaza) and I was very satisfied with the hotel. The Front Desk staff was very helpful. I had to leave early in the morning to catch a train to San Sebastian (before breakfast) and the night desk clerk made me a cup of fresh coffee and went down to the kitchen and got me a bag of pastries to take with me on the train. It is simple to go from Madrid to Salamanca by train and there is now a new AVE line there that takes less than two hours.
Toledo is 30 minutes from Madrid by train - barely enough time to get settled in... I stayed at the Toledo Imperial Hotel, on the plaza on the back side (top) of the Alcazar. It was a nice hotel and very well located, being only a five minute walk from the main square - Plaza Zocodover, where the TI is located. One caution, it is a steep hill down to the Plaza from the Imperial, and it seemed even steeper when I walked back up it to me room in the evenings. Be sure to visit the Cathedral, Santo Tome. the El Greco House/Museum, the old synagogue, the Army Museum, etc..., Check out the Mercado de San Augustin for restaurants. It is only a short walk from Plaza Zocodover and it is a complex of several different (all excellent) places to eat. I especially enjoyed the top floor burger place.

Jack, thanks for the info. Where did you stay in Salamanca? Was 3 days enough, too short or too much in Salamanca and Toledo? Did you stop in Avila?

Hi Ann -

I stayed at the Catalonia Plaza Mayor in Salamanca. Three days each in Toledo and Salamanca was good, but each could possibly be done in one less. I didn't go to Avila on last year's trip as I had done it as a daytrip from Madrid a few years ago.

I did a search for Plaza Catalunya and one came up in Madrid so I thought you were talking about Madrid. Thanks for clearing it up. Any other tips for the 2 cities? Did you stop in Avila or stay over?

I took a train from Madrid (Chamartin station) to Avila and spent the day there. As I remember, it was a 90 minute or so ride each way. I returned to Madrid in the evening. Among the main sites are the wall - you can walk portions of it - the cathedral, and the convent.