Three cities – Toledo, Cordoba, and Alcalá de Henares – show tourists Spain's rich cultural heritage, says EAMON MCGRANE
SPAIN IS famous for cheap sun holidays, lager louts – and football, of course. But it is keen to highlight its cultural heritage too. Toledo, Cordoba and Alcalá De Henares are three Spanish cities with a rich culture and they’re easy to visit because they’re because so close to Madrid.
On a recent trip, our first stop was Toledo, once the capital of the Spanish empire, 70km south of the capital. Flying into Madrid Barajas airport you can take a high-speed train (AVE) which takes around 30 minutes to get there.
The jewel in Toledo’s tourist attractions is its Gothic cathedral. In early June it’s the focal point of the remarkable Corpus Christi festival, a bit like a pious St Patrick’s Day with a procession of nuns, priests and brothers from different orders, local children, policemen and soldiers.
The star of the show is the monstrance, the Gothic-looking silver-and-gold plated vessel used to hold the Eucharist which is brought through thronged streets on a float to rapturous applause.
The whole spectacle is a feast for the senses. No one does religious pageantry like the Catholic church: the sights, sounds and smells all collide to make this a unique occasion. From the thyme-scented air, courtesy of the preparations the night before when narrow streets are strewn with herbs, to the garlanded, canopied streets decorated with 15th century tapestries from the cathedral’s vaults, it’s all quite impressive, for believer and non-believer alike.
The cathedral brings together the influences of Visigoth, Islamic and Christian, creating a unique architectural tapestry. Inside is pure religious and artistic wonderment. Only St Peter’s in the Vatican rivals it for its flamboyant beauty.
It also houses original paintings by such masters as El Greco, Ticiano and Caravaggio. There seemed little security for such precious works and one wag remarked that “the General would have them gone in a flash”.
Rambling through the streets of Toledo is a curious experience. Their design was originally classically Roman with a grid-style layout. You’ll now find it a more maze-like experience where a doorway can bring you into another street. This was a Muslim idea to confuse invading armies and not give them a clear line of sight when attacking.
Toledo was also home to the famous painter El Greco in the later part of his life and is the subject of some of his most famous paintings, including The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, exhibited in the Church of Santo Tomé.
Because of its location close to Madrid, Toledo really is a must-see as a day trip from the capital or as a longer break.
Less than two hours from Madrid by high-speed train is Cordoba, which like Toledo, is listed as a world heritage site. Again, the influence of a number of cultures can be seen in the architecture of the old town: Jewish, Muslim and Christian.
One thing you must do in Cordoba is visit the archaeological site Medina Azahara. In the Middle Ages it was a capital of an Islamic caliphate and one of the largest cities in the world.
The city was lost for centuries and only rediscovered about 100 years ago. It has since been excavated and some very impressive ruins have been found with some parts quite intact. The tour guide told us that most of the work on the site has been done in the past 30 years, yet only one-tenth of the overall location has been uncovered.
It’s an extraordinary place: because so much of it still remains, you get a real sense of walking around part of a town and not just a few ruins. This was a living, breathing, functioning city and you can almost sense the caliph and his men strutting around their domain hundreds of years ago.
In the visitor centre near the site you can watch a video which reconstructs the whole area, allowing you to visualise the former majestic power of Medina Azahara and the Muslim empire it was part of.
ONE OF CORDOBA'Sother heritage jewels is its Mesquita or mosque. Under Christian rule the mosque was turned into a church and a cathedral was added to the structure. The mosque is stunning and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Islamic art in the Western world.
The Mesquita was originally constructed on a Christian basilica and, interestingly, this is why it does not face Mecca. The Muslim builders felt it would be too much effort to turn the existing site in the right religious direction.
Simply wandering around the old town also has its charms and you could easily do this for hours in the narrow cobbled streets where around every corner there’s an interesting sight to take in. For instance, the Jewish quarter is home to the only remaining synagogue in Andalucía. Venturing to the Plaza de Tiberiades you’ll find a bronze statue of the Jewish philosopher Maimonides, one of the most important thinkers of the Middle Ages.
Heading back to Madrid by train, we arrived at our final destination of Alcalá De Henares, 30km away from Spain’s capital. Arriving late to a hotel in a newer and rather shabby part of the town created a bad first impression.
Discovering the old town the following morning, however, was far more reassuring, as it transported you from new and scruffy to a mixture of Roman classicism, Christian and Muslim design. The old part of Alcalá contains more than 465 listed buildings, a long history of culture, Renaissance thought and academic life.
THE CENTRE OFthe city remains fundamentally medieval, with many winding cobbled streets, and historic buildings. The city centre surrounds Plaza de Cervantes and is crossed by a long pedestrian main street, the Calle Mayor.
Alcalá is the birthplace and early home of Spain’s most famous writer Miguel de Cervantes whose masterpiece Don Quixote is celebrated in the Cervantes museum based in the writer’s family home.
Outside the house there is a statue of Don Quixote and Sancho and it’s a popular spot for tourists to get a picture taken of themselves sitting with the renowned fictional characters.
Although there’s not a maternity hospital in sight, one of the more curious things about Alcalá is its stork population.
The city has become renowned for its avian inhabitants.
Their huge nests can be seen on top of many of the churches and other buildings in the city, and are themselves a notable attraction.
ASIDE FROM THEbuildings associated with the university, the city's most important and historic building is the Cathedral-Magistral of Saints Justus and Pastor.
The cathedral houses the remains of these saints who were two schoolboys martyred near the city during the fourth century, when Christians were persecuted by the Romans. As someone who once stuck to the more predictable areas of Spain such as Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga and Marbella this trip certainly revealed another side to a country that’s often talked about more for its beaches and hedonistic tourism.
While these locations are not off the beaten track, what you do get is a closer look into the heart of the real Spain, its history and traditions.
- Eamon McGrane was a guest of the Spanish Tourist Board
Where to stay and eat
Stay Toledo
Pintor El Greco, Alamillos del Tránsito, 13, Tel: 00-34-925-285191 or visit hotelpintorelgreco.com. Old and new styles mix together well in this four-star hotel. An ideal spot to explore Toledo’s old town. Doubles from €60, €80 with breakfast.
Eat Toledo
Hostal del Cardenal, Paseo de Recaredo, 24. Tel: 00-34-925-220862 or visit hostaldelcardenal.com. Also a hotel but great for alfresco dining. Nice location close to the old town. Set tapas menu from €24.
Locum, Calle Locum, 6. Tel: 00-34-925-223235, locum.es. Classy restaurant in the old town. Full of character and great food – €40 for a set menu of tapas which includes coffee and water but not wine.
The Abadia, Plaza de San Nicolás 3. Tel: 00-34-925-251140 or visit abadiatoledo.com. Lively restaurant full of nooks and crannies also in Toledo’s old town. Tapas dishes start from€2 to €9.
Stay Cordoba
Las Casas de la Judería, Calle de Tomás Conde, 10. Tel: 00-34-957-202095 or visit casasypalacios.com. Old-style five-star hotel in Cordoba’s old town near some of its best eateries: it has a modern sensibility and spacious, airy rooms. Two nights for two adults in a double room €276, room only; with breakfast, €352.
Eat Cordoba
Almudaina, Pl. Campo Santo de los Mártires, 1. Tel: 00-34-957-474342 or visit restaurantealmudaina.com. One of the best meals of the trip in a restaurant housed in an atmospheric 16th century palace. Recommended. Tapas menu €35.
Tavern Casa Rubio Tapas Bar, Calle Manuel Maria Arcona, 1. Tel: 00-34-957-481862. Another atmospheric eaterie in the old town. Forget the indoors and get to the alfresco rooftop dining area. Great food also.
Restaurant el Churrasco, Romero 16. Tel: 00-34-290819 or visit elchurrasco.com. Good service and big portions. Tasting menu €36-€40.
Stay Alcalá de Henares
Rafaelhoteles Forum Alcalá, Bulgaria, 2. Tel: 00-34-91-291-8500 or visit rafaelhoteles.com. A business hotel and a bit sterile, but boasts a nice roof area with bar, pool and entertainment. Doubles from €90.
Eat Alcalá de Henares
The restaurant in the Rafaelhoteles Forum Alcalá, where tapas is done in a nouveau cuisine style. While interesting and tasty enough, tapas should be rustic not arty. Tapas testing menu €35.