Tour Companies for Toledo and Segovia from Madrid

Hi Chris,

I love those two cities, and many folks will say that it is too rushed to try to do both of them in one day, and I would basically agree, except I have traveled to both of them a few times before (by both train and private car), as well as Ávila, and on a recent trip to Madrid last Summer I absolutely did take a one day tour to Toledo and Segovia. Well, I wrote about this a while back, and I occasionally get private messages asking me what company I used, so here is a copy of my message response:

If you have the energy and the passion to see a lot, day trips are great ways to tour, as everything is highly organized, expertly led, and accurately timed. I am completely bilingual and I have lived in Spain, but I always book day trips and tours just for the convenience!

The tour operator is IBE Tours. The tour includes inside visits to both the Alcázar in Segovia and the Cathedral in Toledo, which many other tours may not. It is a full day, but well worth it. Lunch is on your own in Toledo. The tour guide is bilingual Spanish/English, and walks with you in both cities. Having the private bus ready and waiting means not worrying about trains or taxis in the local cities. However, we did have to meet the bus near the bullfight arena in Madrid very early in the morning, and we took a taxi there.

Here is a link:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g187514-d13181709-Segovia_Toledo_Tour_with_Alcazar_Ticket_and_Optional_Cathedral-Madrid.html

If you like medieval cities you could also consider a day trip to Ávila, and/or Salamanca. Another option is a day trip to El Escorial and Valle de los Caídos, two stunning spots to visit.

¡Buen viaje!

Regards,
PhilaLady

Thank you PhilaLady. Much appreciated. Yes I am trying to decide of just doing a deep dive in 1 city (like Toledo) on our own vs doing a tour with 2 cities. We have 5 nights in Madrid so I thought I would take 1 full day as a day trip. We did a full day tour in Portugal and yes its a very long day.

Appreciate the info and Ill decide in next few days.

Regards
Chris

Thank you PhilaLady.
We too have to decide if we will only go to Toledo or try to do a combined trip. I had been leaning to only Toledo since most on these forums recommend only 1 in a day. It is very tough decision because I know it is usually better to enjoy one location at a more enjoyable pace. But it is so hard when we do not have the time in our itinerary to add another day, and it seems unlikely we will be back again, at least in the foreseeable future.
Chris, please keep us posted of your decision and I will try to do the same.

Seeing just Toledo and Segovia means about 4.5 hours of driving, whoever is doing the driving. Adding Ávila adds an additional 30 minutes or so.

Ávila can be seen in a couple hours.

The Alcázar in Segovia can take a while to see if you’ve never been there and one can take an hour or so exploring the area by the aqueduct. Going to one of the overlooks outside of town will also take a little bit of time.

To me, Toledo deserves much more than a half day. One can get a feel for it, but it’s best seen when one can wander the streets and get lost so to speak.

Yes, you can do a whirlwind tour of both places in a day, but it will be a long day and it may leave you wishing you had only visited one adequately. It wouldn’t be my preferred way to see the towns (any more), but it’s your trip and you need to make the best use of the time you have.

Following.

Due to time constraints we are planning to do a one day trip from Madrid to Toledo so are interested in recommendations, too.

Thx

Thanks for all the advice. I think we have decided to just do a full day in Toledo on our own rather than rush around and try and do both cities on a tour. That way we don't just do a dive-by of each city and spend many hours in a van. Hopefully we return to Spain and can see Segovia next time.

Safe travels all

Chris