Toledo

Pic: View from my hotel window & Toledo skyline at dusk.

I don't have many good photos of this city of Toledo, which was proclaimed a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1986. Under Arab rule, the city was called Tulaytulah.

Accoding to Wikipedia:

"Toledo reached its zenith in the era of Islamic Caliphate. Historian P. de Gayangos writes: The Muslim scientists of this age were not rivaled in the world. Perhaps among their greatest feats were the famous waterlocks of Toledo."

Most of the historical buildings are jam-packed in the old city, which is situated on a hilltop with a 150 degrees view, surrounded on three sides by a bend in the Tajo River. Our "hostal" was also situated here, daintily perched on the slopes and besides twisted alleys. Amongst the important buildings is the Alcázar, which we only saw from the outside as it is temporarily closed for renovation; the cathedral, which we saw from afar in between buildings, and two mosques which we wanted to see but didn't because it was past their opening hours. Needless to say, I lost some enthusiasm in Toledo as the weather was dreary and I guess the sights in Toledo just could not compete with the sights of Granada and Cordoba.

Our failed attempt to locate a kebab shop, and then a Pakistani restaurant that resorted us to settle for fillet-o-fish at McDonald's didn't help lift our spirit at all. I, for one was glad we left the next morning to our final destination, that is the metropolitan Madrid, a mere 1 hour drive away.