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Sainte Croix (Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur), France May 2025 (Tour 11)

After leaving Serignan we drove east (passing our 3,000 mile mark for this tour halfway between Montpelier and Arles). We were heading further east into Italy but were determined, first, to make the most of a day at least in Martigues (often referred to as the Venice of Provence). To this end, Vanya found us a campsite just a few miles south of Martigues in the tiny hamlet (and I mean really tiny) of Sainte Croix.

Camping Marius backs on to the beach of a small bay (Anse Sainte Croix) in the Golfe de Lion. There are at least two beaches on the bay and dogs are allowed on the first of these. It wasn’t long, therefore, before we were down on the beach with Nala and Beanie and, naturally, whilst there, I skipped over a small rise (by the lifeguard station) to check out the second beach where dogs are not allowed. There are other campsites in the immediate area of the beaches but ours was the only one open so early in the year and, except for a handful of people on the beach, I had the area pretty much to myself.

Behind this second, very pretty beach, is a small promontory overlooking the bay and on it are two chapels. The first is the 12th century ruin of Saint Terro and the second is the 17th century Chapel of Saint Croix. I was unable to gain access to either but the views weren’t bad. Further along on the promontory are what’s left of some WWII defensive fortifications (gun emplacements, small bunkers and a concrete mount for radar equipment) which were installed by the Luftwaffe following the German occupation of France. The views from this point out to sea and back across the bay are excellent and the Cap Couronne lighthouse is easily visible to the west of the bay.

view across Anse Ste Croix to Cap Couronne

Anyway, enough about Sainte Croix. It’s Martigues we’re here to see…

Serignan (Occitaine), France May 2025 (Tour 11)

We came to Serignan for a couple of nights to take advantage of Yelloh’s Camping Le Serignan Plage. We would then continue east to Italy, stopping off at the beautiful little coastal town of Martigues on our way. I’ll write about Martigues later.

A little about Serignan first and then a great deal lot more about La Serignan Plage. I make no apologies for focusing on Camping La Serignan Plage at the expense of Serignan Town. We needed the break and, anyway, Serignan is mostly about it’s beautiful beaches which Yelloh Camping Le Serignan Plage has in abundance.

Serignan is situated in the Herault department of Occitaine, less than 10 miles south of the thriving town of Beziers and, perhaps, 14 miles west of Agde with it’s fortified cathedral. It sits on the banks of the River Orb and comprises a small compact old town, a port, some beaches and, not forgetting, the Orpellieres Nature Reserve.

Starting with the old town, the Collegiate Church of Notre Dame de Grace is at the heart of the old town. It’s foundations date from the 10th century but it has been modified numerous times; most recently during the 1960’s. It’s a large church for such a small place; 3 naves and 10 chapels and there’s a small trapdoor in front of the choir which leads to the graves of 40 canons who have been interred in the church over the years. To my mind, it’s most impressive features are the 7 tall stained glass windows in the apse

The River Orb and the Collegiate Church of Notre Dame de Grace

Serignan’s port is a bit of a misnomer. There used to be a port and it used to serve the city of Beziers but it’s long gone. In it’s place is a burgeoning marina for leisure craft; sailing yachts mostly. In terms of it’s facilities I think this is best described as work in progress for the moment but I don’t doubt, the authorities will get it right here.

I’ve said already that Serignan is all about it’s beaches. I’ve read that there are four in total; La Chapelle, the Seoune, the Grand Maire Beach and a naturist beach which hasn’t been given a name (probably to discourage voyeurs from ~~goggling~~ googling it). However, I believe there’s a fifth beach, L’Orpellieres, with it’s impressive dunes, which fronts the Orpellieres Nature Reserve.

Of course, the Yelloh Camping Le Serignan Plage has pride of place amongst the beaches. They are wonderful… but, everything about Le Seignan Plage is first class. Small wonder they are ranked amongst the top 10 of France’s 12,000+ campsites. We have long been impressed by Yelloh La Brasilia down near Perpignan but, after a couple od days down at Serignan, I think Le Serignan Plage just edges it.

I’ll let the photos do the talking…

Filet Mignon de Porc with a Jus Reduit au Cepes and Gratin Aveyromnais from the Lou Pas d’Oc Restaurant

… and there is so much more about the place; their own baker, butcher, even a fishmonger; minimarket, shops & hairdressers, etc. You need only look at their web site for full details.

We’d have stayed longer but for the weather which was bringing mosquitos out in ever increasing numbers. Where’s the hot sun when you need it?

Aigues Vives (Occitaine), France May 2025 (Tour 11)

We were making our way to Italy and our next planned stop after Lourdes was to be a 5 star campsite in Serignan some 3 to 4 hours or so to the east of Lourdes. Vanya has had enough of the inclement weather and wants a couple of days in a nice place so as to “realign” (my word, not hers).

And then we discovered we could have a problem. France has long operated a Low Emissions Zone around Paris (not dissimilar to that in London) which has seen us studiously avoid that city. The French system is known as the ZFE, which is short for ‘zones a faibles emissions’. It seems that since January 2025, France has extended the ZFE to include any city of more than 150,000 people and to travel through such areas, drivers (and this includes drivers of foreign registered cars and motorcycles) must first obtain and display a ‘Crit Air’ vignette. Failure to display a vignette is to break the law and will in all likelihood lead to fines.

Cities which have already introduced ZFE

We could apply for a vignette online but, having read up on the subject, it seems such applications can take weeks to process and, even then, the vignette is sent to the puchaser’s home address. That left us in the lurch because Toulouse and Lower Gascony, through which we would have to travel to get to Serignan, operate the ZFE system. We were left with no choice but to make a detour around Toulouse and Lower Gascony and that detour both added hours to our journey and prompted an overnight stop in Aigues Vives. The vicissitudes of life, eh?

And Aigues Vives? Don’t go there. The campsite got us through the night but there’s little else in this tiny village which straddles the D625 road. There’s a bakery and a church (although both were closed) and you can see from the Hotel de Ville and the odd statue alongside it… well, no more need be said except, perhaps, that we both now need to realign.

Postscript: Don’t rely on my website for the latest information on ZFE. Look for the official sources regarding this subject because it is a moving feast. Also, I have since read further about the ZFE and, while they may not be official sites, the following sites proved helpful to me:- www.frenchemissionssticker.com. and Connexionfrance.com.

Lourdes (Occitaine), France May 2025 (Tour 11)

We drove through Peyrehorade today and paused to check out the farmer’s market (I’ve see better) but our ultimate destination was Lourdes and, in particular, Lourdes Sanctuary.

I’ve passed the Lourdes Sanctuary many times before when using the A64 on our way to or from Spain (that stretch of road from Toulouse to Bayonne is also part of the E80 Trans European Motorway which extends from Lisbon in Portugal to Gurbula on Turkey’s border with Iran) but; I’ve never felt inclined to visit before. I’m not even sure why I stopped this time. I certainly didn’t visit as a pilgrim (as 3 million people do every year); I was simply interested to see what it is that attracts so many people and, I’m pleased I did. It is a spectacular place and it proved an inspiring visit – It was almost humbling to witness so much honest to goodness faith. There were people there from all over the world and the unbridled joy of many at completing this pilgrimage was palpable. It was often vocal too with some of the larger visiting groups spontaneously breaking into hymns. That was wonderful to hear and more than once brought a happy smile to my face.

The first of the two photos below is not mine. It is from an exhibition on display in the Sanctuary Grounds while I was there. It is one of many which moved me. The second is a photo I took in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. I don’t pretend my photo is in the same league as those on display in the exhibition. It isn’t. I reproduce them here simply as examples of the aforementioned ‘honest to goodness faith’ that I witnessed. To my mind, both of these photos, unlike the rest of my photos in this blog, serve to identify Lourdes as a place of Roman Catholic pilgrimage and not a tourist resort.

I’ll not repeat everything I learned about Lourdes before, during and since my visit. I’m sure anyone can discover as much as I did about the place (and more) through Google but I’ll leave you with an introduction to the Sanctuary (if you should need it) and some photos.

Starting with the introduction, I’ll simply reproduce what is written on the Lourdes Sanctuary website:-

Since the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1858, millions of people from all over the world have flocked to Lourdes every year to experience the grace of this place. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is above all the place of healing of bodies and hearts where one comes to pray humbly to the one who revealed her name to Bernadette Soubirous: “I am the Immaculate Conception”.

And as for some (tourist style) photos:-

I wandered Lourdes Sanctuary for a number of hours (taking a great many more photos than have been reproduced here) and then visited the town (intending to return to the Sanctuary early the next morning, when fewer people were about and when the light would be better, to improve on my photos). Entry into the Sanctuary is free and it is open to the public at this time of the year from 06.00 to 01.00! Good idea but the plan didn’t work. The visit to the town was a waste of time (it’s full of tat, plastic relics, etc) and then, I didn’t get back to the Sanctuary the next day. So, the only part of the sanctuary that I did any justice to was the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. In case you are unaware, there are another two Basilica’s and 25 Chapels (to say nothing of the numerous statues and dioramas). Next time?

Urt (Nouvelle Aquitaine), France May 2025 (Tour 11)

We crossed back into France because the weather in Spain was proving so unpredictable. All things being equal, we’ll head for the south of Italy (Puglia) but will stay in the south of France until bad weather once again moves us on.

Not far over the border with Spain in the Pyrenees Atlantiques department of Nouvelle Aquitaine is the small town (less than 2,500 inhabitants) of Urt. It sits on the banks of the Adour River about 15 kilometres east of Bayonne and, for much of the town’s history, it’s principal industry has been large scale salmon fishing from the Adour although; there is evidence too of boat building in the area. Nowadays, with salmon levels reducing, Urt is busy rebranding itself with a primary focus towards tourism and, particularly, angling and hiking opportunities in the area.

We chose to stay at a small but very comfortable camping site, Camping Ferme des 4 Chenes, which is just short walk from the town centre. Vanya wanted to give Nala a rest day and offered to stay with the dogs (and work on her tan) while I set off to explore the town.

Urt is not a big town and doesn’t require much more than an afternoon to properly explore (and that includes the 4 mile walk to Belloc Abbey, assuming you are interested in a working Benedictine Monastery). For my part, the town’s most interesting feature is it’s church, Our Lady of the Assumption of Urt. There’s been a church by this name in Urt since at least the 11th or 12th century but this building was constructed as recently as 1675 in the typically Pays de Basque style (white walls and timber frame with large wooden galleries inside) which I adore. Despite it’s relatively small size it has so many arresting attributes and, principal amongst these, are the impressive baptismal font, some wonderful stained glass windows by Charles Carrere (not all of them religious) and there’s a votive ship suspended from the ceiling in the nave (dating back to the late 19th century) which is, presumably, a nod to the town’s shipbuilding past. Most unusual is the church organ behind the altar. These Basque style churches really are something else.

Another salute to the town’s Basque heritage is to be found in Castet’s Park where a pelota court was built in 1929. Seeing it reminded me of our stay in Ascain a few tours ago when I stopped to watch part of a pelota tournament. By the way, the Castet Park offers a route down to the Adour River and is worth walking through if only to see the old washhouse which was fully restored by volunteers from the village.

There’s little left down by the river to remind you of the town’s fishing heritage except perhaps the Auberge de La Galupe. More than 300 years old this building on the towpath served as an inn for the town’s fishermen and, of course, bargemen travelling the river. It later became a restaurant and was owned and operated for more than 30 years by one of Urt’s most favourite sons, Christian Parra. He won two Michelin Stars during that time and was famous for, amongst other things, his black pudding, tuna belly and local salmon creations before retiring in 2002. The restaurant is now operated by Stephane Besse and remains a renowned restaurant but is closed on Monday and Tuesday (isn’t everything in France?) or I would have tried to reserve a table. Shame, because the taster menu looks so very exciting and fairly priced.

There are a couple of other restaurants in the town, a bar and a few shops (including a reasonaby well stocked mini-market) but nearby Belloc Abbey and it’s Benedictine Monastery called. The community comprises some 40 monks who support themselves by offering overnight accommodation (for those who seek peace and quiet for a period) and through the production and sale of a traditionally produced, semi-hard sheep’s cheese known simply as Abbaye de Belloc. The taste of the cheese is not unlike burnt caramel and it pairs well with a range of red, white and rose wines. It is recommended however that the cheese be complemented by crackers (to produce a crunchy element which goes with the creamy texture of the cheese) or honey (to add a touch of sweetness) or olives (which provides a salty and/or briny flavour which pairs well with the cheese and creates a well balanced bite). Who am I to argue with that? It appears a very successful little business.

Next stop is Lourdes by way of Peyrehorade (and it’s farmers market).

Torrelavega & Cartes (Cantabria), Spain May 2025 (Tour 11)

We took a day out from Ceceno to visit Torrelavega so as to stock up with supplies from the Carrefour Hypermarket and visit the nearby town of Cartes which had been recommended as a place to visit by one of the bar staff at our campsite.

Torrelavega is a sizeable industrial centre (51,000 inhabitants) about 17 or 18 miles to the west of Cantabria’s capital city Santander. It doesn’t appear to have a lot going for it except that a great many supermarkets are grouped together in a large retail area to the east of the city and Vanya wanted to stock up on Cava and Albarino wines before we left Spain. It suited our needs perfectly.

Just 4 miles south of Torrelavega is Cartes, sometimes called Cards. Cartes is a small medieval town of almost 6,000 people. I say ‘medieval’ but there’s really just the one street, Camino Real, with it’s rows of small stone mansions (so typical of Canatabria) which reflects anything medieval and even then it is late medieval. In fact, most of the houses date from between the 15th and 18th centuries.

We wandered up and down the mostly pedestrian Camino Real a couple of times with Vanya checking out a small store selling various local produce and buying me one of the local ciders. Camino Real is a beautiful street and was alone worth the trip out. The mountain mansions that line this street, many with coats of arms carved into the facade and wooden balconies filled with plants and; large ceramic flower pots lining the pavement create something of a spectacle. One of the older buildings on the street proved to be a small and very friendly bar. We took lunch there – some good wines, a plate of assorted cold cuts and cheeses and the best croquettes I have ever tasted (being two each of Iberico ham, prawns and some truly delicious cheese ones). We also got to talking with one of the locals who insisted on buying me “a special Cantabrian wine” which tasted not unlike the txakoli wine I sampled in Zarautz way back on Tour 5 in the Basque Country. It’s not my favourite type of wine but, hey, it would have been rude to say no.

This was a very short trip to Cantabria but I know we’ll return. It’s on now to Urt on the other side of the Pyrenees.

Ceceno & Oyambre (Cantabria), Spain May 2025 (Tour 11)

We decided to move to Galicia by way of Candas in Asturias and paused at the tiny hamlet of Ceceno on our way to Candas. The already uncertain weather across Spain was becoming increasingly unpredictable and we thought to tarry for a day or two on the Cantabrian coast until the weather situation in Galicia was more obvious.

The drive from Haro took us northwest through the Cantabrian Mountains. It was an easy drive of about 2.5 hours and the weather, for the most part, was kind. Vanya chose Ceceno because she had found an apparently good campsite (Caravaning Oyambre Cantabria) a little to the northwest of Ceceno and within easy walking distance of the coast. Also, the pretty towns of Comillas and San Vincente de Barquera are nearby (we visited both places as part of our travels during Tour 4) and, more importantly because our supplies were running low, the larger town of Torrelavega with it’s Carrefour Hypermarket is just 21 miles away.

The drive through the Cantabrian Mountains was pretty (not my photo)

Caravaning Oyambre Cantabria proved an excellent campsite and we were happy to stay two nights. The facilities were excellent and included a heated swimming pool and fitness area (neither of which we used); a small shop and; best of all a decent restaurant-bar. The food in the restaurant-bar was good and reasonably priced.

While staying at the campsite I took a short walk down to the beach at Oyambre, crossing part of the Oyambre Golf Course on the way, but it was quiet and with very limited facilities. Perhaps it would be better in the summer?

We visited Torrelavega to buy supplies (Cava mostly, because the weather in Galicia and Asturias was getting worse and it seemed likely we would have to head east back into France) and, upon the recommendation of a member of the campsite staff, took time to visit the little town of Cartes just to the south of Torrelavega. I’ll write separately about Cartes.

The weather in Galicia was deteriorating. Very reluctantly we decided to leave Spain but Vanya was suffering because of the damp and cold. In Cantabria, the weather during our short stay remained dull but the rain at least held off and as we departed for France the clouds lifted, briefly, from the mountains. There’s a lot of snow up there on the peaks.

Haro (La Rioja), Spain May 2025 (Tour 11)

Haro – Probably Vanya’s favourite town in Spain. We keep coming back and this has to be our 5th or 6th visit in the last few years. On this occasion we were looking to stay for the Friday and Saturday nights but ended up staying on for the Sunday night too. It was another party weekend in Haro.

I’ll not risk repeating myself by writing in any depth about the town and what it holds. You only have to read my earlier blogs for that information. Instead, I’ll write a little about how the people of Haro always seem to have something to celebrate. Vanya and I are convinced this town is the party capital of Spain. I’ve written previously about the annual wine celebrations of 29 June when the people of Haro and Miranda de Ebro have a wine fight and 3 day wine party (see Tour 6) and, more recently, I wrote about the ‘Battle of the Bands’ (see Tour 9). Well, as we arrived this time it seemed a football party was under way and this too was set to last for 3 days.

As we arrived on Plaza de la Paz for pre-dinner drinks, it was clear something special was going on in Haro. Crowds of people wearing Athletic Bilbao football shirts were gathering and almost everything on the plaza was bedecked in Athletic Bilbao’s red and white colours; including the Bandstand upon which two bands, Los Otros and a Metallica tribute band called Harollica, were noisily tuning their musical instruments. Oh, and one of Haro’s ‘oompah’ bands wearing red and white were playing lively music and strutting their stuff all around the old town. Haro appears to support Athletic Bilbao almost to a man and they were hosting the 51st International Congress of Athletic (Supporters) Clubs which would see some 400 more Athletic fans from all over Spain descend on the town for three days partying. That the festival should have started the day after Athletic Bilbao had lost 3-0 to Manchester United in the first leg of the Europa Cup semi-final was perhaps an unhappy coincidence but; no, if anything, it seemed to add to the occasion. It appeared the Athletic fans were determined this setback should not ruin their celebrations especially since their team are having, by any standards, a very good season.

Athletic Bilbao are currently 4th in Spain’s La Liga and have reached the semi-finals of the Europa Cup. That’s no mean feat given that they operate what is known as the ‘Cantera Policy’. This Policy limits the club’s player selection to those who are either born in the Basque Country or have been trained in football within the region. They’ve operated this policy since 1912 and it is born of a will to promote local talent and, most especially, preserve the club’s Basque heritage. To date no player without Basque origins or ancestry has ever played for the club. Of course this means that they have a considerably more limited pool of players to draw upon than any other Spanish football team and for them to have made even the semi-final of the Europa Cup is a great achievement and well worth celebrating. So they did. They went mental and we were delighted to have been able to share in their celebrations.

There was one downside to the sudden influx of Athletic Bilbao fans from other parts of Spain. The bodegas in the station district were packed solid; so much so, we were unable to get into the MUGA! We did however get into Bodega Balbainas (which very much pleased Vanya) and for the first time ever, they allowed us to bring Nala and Beanie inside. Once again Vanya broke with tradition and started drinking during the day (she was never going to resist the Lumen) and I discovered a very excellent (if expensive) red by the name of Vina Zaco. We had a great time and by the time we had finished, we were wiped out for the rest of the day.

Haro just gets better and better!

Riaza (Castile y Leon), Spain May 2025 (Tour 11)

We were chasing the sun again. Vanya was keen to revisit Galicia by way of an old favourite, Candas, in Asturias and the weather forecasts for both Regions looked promising. Time would tell. So far this tour, the weather has been anything but predictable.

We passed the 2,000 mile mark as we made our way north but it wasn’t an enjoyable drive. It should have been an easy two hours on the motorway to Riaza (a small market town in Segovia at the foot of the Ayllon Mountains where we would overnight) but it took us almost 5 hours, the traffic on the A1 motorway in and around Madrid was so bad.

Riaza is a small picturesque town, some 70 miles north of Madrid and just 25 miles northeast of the small fortress village of Pedraza (a Pueblo Mas Bonitos de Espana which we visited a couple of years ago – Tour 7). It is situated in a beautiful mountain setting close to La Pinilla Ski Resort. Indeed, the Riaza Town Council own the ski resort. After a short walk around the town, as I sat drinking a glass of the local red wine outside one of the bars on the Plaza Mayor, I could almost believe I was sitting in the Riaza of 300 years ago. The large oval shaped Plaza (previously a bull ring?) could hardly have changed in that time.

Still used to hold festivals, the occasional bull run and the weekly farmer’s market (exactly as it was 300 years ago) the Plaza Mayor is covered in a mix of gravel and sand. The imposing town hall (the ayuntamiento) dominates the plaza which is otherwise almost completely surrounded by mostly 18th century two and three storey houses. These houses come complete with wooden galleries and/or balconies and; for the most part, are fronted by a mix of wooden and stone porticos which provide a degree of protection from the area’s cold winters and hot summers. The town hall also dates back to the 18th century although the wrought iron bell tower wasn’t added until 1895.

I was happy to sit outside a bar on the plaza, basking in the sunshine and sipping my wine, for more than half an hour before continuing my circuit of the town.

It was pleasant sitting in the sunshine drinking a local wine

After I finally roused myself, my next stop was the 15th century Church of Our Lady of the Mantle which is just off the plaza and behind the town hall. It holds an impressive altar and a fair number of religious paintings but, that’s all I can tell you about the church.

And then I wandered the streets for a while longer but, except for some fine views of the nearby mountains, there wasn’t much else to see. One unusual feature of the town which I did find helpful is that almost all the roads and/or streets seem to lead back to the Plaza Mayor where, of course, all the town’s bars and restaurants are to be found.

It was an early night for me that night. Vanya wanted us to get away early to Haro in the Region of La Rioja. La Rioja is to the northeast of Riaza while Candas in Asturias is to the northwest (and this change therefore added a great many miles to our journey) but such detail counts for nothing because Haro is without a doubt Vanya’s favourite town in Spain.

Toledo (Castilla-La Mancha), Spain April 2025 (Tour 11)

Almost completely surrounded by the River Tajo (the Tagus River), Toledo is a small but beautiful city which was Spain’s capital under Charles V for more than 40 years until, in 1561, Philip II made Madrid his capital. Toledo is often described as the ‘city of three cultures’ and, certainly, it’s history and architecture is rich with the influences of it’s erstwhile Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities. Indeed, Toledo’s extensive monumental and cultural heritage prompted UNESCO to declare the city a World Heritage Site in 1986 and it has since become one of Spain’s most popular tourist destinations.

Over the two days we had allowed ourselves to visit Toledo, I was never going to have enough time to see all the historical monuments I had read about and I therefore prioritised them. Top of my list was the Iglesia de San Ildefonso (more often known as the Iglesia de los Jesuits). The Iglesia de Santa Tome, the Sinagoga Santa Maria La Blanca, the Monastery of San Juan de las Reyes and the Alcazar de Toledo had to be in my top five and; of course, I was keen to see the Puenta de Saint Martin and the Puenta de Alcantara (i.e. the two bridges of San Martin and Alcantar together with their attendant city gates). Oh, and not to forget the (former) Mosque of Cristo de la Luz. If it’s religious buildings that you are interested in, the list in Toledo is almost endless.

It may surprise some that Toledo’s Cathedral (the Primatial Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, to give it it’s full name) was not included in my top five but; I was so fixed for time and; when you’ve seen as many cathedral’s as I have, Toledo’s… well, like I said, I was fixed for time.

We were booked into Camping El Greco on the banks of the Tagus and within easy walking distance of Toledo’s old town or, to be more precise, it’s walled city. It was a short walk to the 14th century Puenta de San Martin, one of the two original bridges into the city (the other being the Roman Bridge, Puenta del Alcantar) and without a doubt my favourite of the two. I did my best to ignore the teenagers zip-lining over the river, took a few photos and then made my way up past the Monastery of San Juan de las Reyes (and after an all too short visit) and then on through the Jewish Quarter until I reached the Iglesia de San Ildefonso.

The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes is the first impressive building that you’ll see in the city after crossing the Sant Martin Bridge. Ferdinand and Isabella commissioned it in 1476 to commemorate the Queen Isabella’s victory at the Battle of Toro (which secured her claim to the throne). It’s run by an Order of Franciscan Monks and was once the largest monastery in the city but much of it was destroyed by Napoleon’s troops during the Peninsula War. It has a beautiful enclosed cloister and garden area with a cluster of orange tree. It makes for a real oasis in this busy city.

Cloister of Monastery San Juan de los Reyes

My next stop was the Iglesia de San Ildefonso. I suspected the Jesuit church would be a beautiful church in it’s own right (the Jesuits rarely did things by halves) but I knew too that it is possible to access it’s bell tower and I figured that from this vantage point there would be some exceptional views over the city. I wasn’t disappointed on either count. Of everything I saw in Toledo over the two days we were there, this building is my favourite.

It was during my visit to the Iglesia de Ildefonso that my list of priorities changed a little. In the church I learned it is possible to buy a tourist bracelet for just 14 Euros which allows entry into seven of Toledo’s most impressive monuments (at least twice and for as long as you like provided it is open and you are wearing the bracelet). The bracelet is convenient and great value for money since entry into each of the seven monuments is at least 4 Euros but, be warned, it does not cover entry into either the Cathedral or the Alcazar of Toledo. That fact saw the Alcazar disappear from my list of “must-sees”. On this occasion I would make do with a walk around the outside of both the Cathedral and the Alcazar. I think entry into the Alcazar is free on Sunday’s anyway.

It is easy to pinpoint both Toledo Cathedral and the Alcazar of Toledo. Being 90 metres tall, the 13th century cathedral’s spire is visible from almost anywhere in the city while the Alcazar of Toledo (originally a Moorish Palace before being converted into a Castillean Palace) is the most prominent building in the city and occupies the highest point of the city. It’s a massive structure, built more like a fortress, and was in fact used as a defensive stronghold by Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. It was badly damaged at that time but has since been restored. I passed the Cathedral on my way up to the Alcazar and, to be honest, while they are two of the most significant buildings on the Toledo skyline, I didn’t feel bad about passing them by.

Alcazar of Toledo & Toledo Cathedral Spire

From the Alcazar I retraced my steps to the 13th century Sinagoga Santa Maria La Blanca in the old Jewish Quarter of the city. There are two well preserved synagogues from the Middle Ages in Toledo, the Santa Maria La Blanca and the Transito Synagogue (which also contains a small museum). I don’t recall ever having been into a synagogue before but the Sinagoga Santa Maria La Blanca quickly became my second favourite building in Toledo. It is remarkable in it’s simplicity. There are no fixtures nor fittings on show; no furnishings; just white walls, columns and stone arches and a gallery (where the Jewish women stand?). Of course, it may not have always been so but it’s simple elegance so impresses me. It is beautiful and, ironically, not unlike a couple of mosques that I have also been inside. The synagogue was converted into a church during one of the city’s pogroms, hence it’s Christian name.

Another building which had it’s name changed by the Christians was the Mezquita del Crist de la Luz (the Mosque of Christ of the Light). This small but imposing onetime mosque was built in 999 and is recognised as the oldest standing building in Toledo and one of the oldest in Spain. I don’t know for sure but it wouldn’t surprise me if this change of name also occured during or following a pogrom (this time against Islam).

My next planned visit was to the Iglesia de Santa Tome (Saint Thomas’s). My interest in this relatively small and unassuming church was one of El Greco’s more famous paintings – The Burial of the Count of Orgaz. It’s impressive but it doesn’t rate among my favourites.

I did get to see a fair few other places while wandering Toledo and all but one impressed me. It was the Plaza de Zocodover which disappointed me. I’d read so many positive things about the square (e.g. it has long been the social hub of the city and the liveliest of places) and I was really looking forward to sitting on a terrace, people watching, over a glass or two of wine. It just didn’t work for me and I think it is because this part of the city has more than it’s fair share of souvenir shops and far too many tourists. It is inevitable that a city with all the attractions Toledo has and being so close to Madrid (it’s little more than half an hour by train) will attract numerous tourists and, hey, I’m a tourist but; what gets my goat are those countless groups of people (with absolutely no spacial awareness) following men and women waving umbrellas or flags in the air who insist upon suddenly stopping and blocking the city’s narrow winding streets for a chin-wag without consideration for anyone else. Know what I mean? Okay, sorry about that. Rant over.

The walled city is very touristy and it contains an abundance of shops selling nothing but marzipan (which I did rather like the look of but how do they survive?) and; a great many souvenir shops selling tin suits of armour and toy knives (which, I suppose are intended to pay homage to Toledo’s famous steel). More interesting is the city’s preoccupation with Manchego Cheese. The city even has a Manchego Museum (the Museo del Queso Manchego Toledo), so concerned are they to promote and preserve the many different varieties of this local cheese, and the museum offers cheese tastings complete with local wines. It’s a rhetorical question but, how often have we attended wine tasting with cheese being used to enhance the taste of the wine as against our attending a cheese tasting session where the wine is simply used as a palate cleanser? There’s a turnaround.

Overall, I really like Toledo. There are so many interesting monuments to see and the city has a lovely feel about it (notwithstanding all the tourists). We’d have liked to stay longer but the walled city is on a hill and there are a great many staircases and steep slopes which Nala (in her wheels) would find difficult to negotiate. There are some strategically placed escalators and at least one elevator but, even so, the narrow crowded lanes would cause her a problem.

A pleasant and abiding memory of our all too short visit to Toledo will be of Vanya and I sitting on the porch of the bar back at the El Greco campsite on our last night, with wine in hand, gazing at the city’s skyline and watching the many different monuments light up as darkness descended.