XII.           TOLEDO

 

Toledo – Terrain

 

Toledo is very hilly – the clear, expansive views of the surrounding countryside from the old city and the views of the old city from the hilly countryside are a big part of its attraction.  The former capital of Spain and home of El Greco is extremely well preserved and clean, with stone buildings in an appealing unity of style, many of which are undergoing restoration and renovation.  The main streets are navigable in an electric wheelchair, but many areas have steep compound angles and assistance is occasionally required.  A person in a manual wheelchair would need to be pushed throughout much of the city.  Many of the smaller streets have stairs, so in a wheelchair one often must take the longer route, but the city center is small and distances are short.  Most streets lack sidewalks; it’s essential to beware of cars.  The advantage is that curbs are not an issue. 

 

We enjoyed Toledo very much and enthusiastically recommend it despite the terrain.  By comparison, Toledo is far less steep, winding and confusing than Siena, Italy, and the streets are not as narrow.

 

Toledo – Transportation

 

Because the old city center is compact, we didn’t use public transportation.  The city operates a tourist “train” of several open cars; this didn’t appear accessible. 

 

Toledo – Hotels

 

Where We Stayed

 

Hotel San Juan de los Reyes.  Four star. Reyes Catolicos, 5.  Phone 011-34- 925-283-535; fax 011-34-925-221-410.  www.hotelsanjuandelosreyes.com.

 

This 38-room hotel is well located in the old city center very close to the El Greco Museum, Transito Synagogue/Sephardic Museum and San Juan de los Reyes Monastery.  It’s not far from the Cathedral as the crow flies but, because many of the small streets have stairs, a wheelchair must take the longer route, which takes about 15 minutes.  The street in the immediate vicinity of the hotel is flat, which is unusual in Toledo. 

 

Opened in 2000, the hotel is in a 19^th century brick building.  One important feature is the garage in the basement, which is accessible via the regular elevators.  This was quite an advantage for transferring and unloading.  There are a couple of stairs at the front entrance and a ramp wouldn’t be feasible because of space constraints and because it would protrude into the street.  Wheelchair access is through the café, which has a moderately steep slope at the entrance and automatic sliding doors.  This was fine because the café entrance is only a few feet from the front entrance and the café is open late.   The hotel has an accessible public bathroom at the lobby level.

 

We stayed in room 004 on the ground floor.  We were told there is another adapted room identical to it, including a roll-in-shower.  The room is very well lit and has good air conditioning.  There is no view.  The bedroom is small, but there was sufficient space for Howard to maneuver his wheelchair.  Most likely the bedroom is small because the bathroom is so large.

 

The bathroom is superb; it was by far the largest and best-designed accessible bathroom we saw in Spain, and one of the best anywhere!  The floor and walls are warm sandy colored granite.  There is a spacious, well designed roll-in shower with several grab bars and an easily reachable soap holder.  The shower hose is long and well located, and has strong water pressure.  The floor has good drainage.  The only flaw is that the floor is slippery; it is the same shiny stone surface as the walls and lacks anti-skid tape.  The hotels’ architects and owners are to be highly praised for including roll-in showers when, inexplicably, many other newly renovated hotels in Spain lack this essential feature.

 

The toilet is large, long and high (a bit higher than typical accessible ones in the U.S.); it is similar to many of the accessible toilets in Italy.  There is a fixed grab bar on one side and a fold-down one on the other, with plenty of transfer space at the side with the fold-down bar.  The sink is large and has a long lever faucet handle.  The towel rack and mirrors are at a good accessible height.  Toledo was one of our last stops and, after having to work around barriers at so many hotel bathrooms, it was a welcome relief to have a nearly perfect one!

 

A solo wheelchair traveler would encounter some barriers in the bedroom, though fewer than any other hotel we stayed in.  The door is heavy and the room entrance hall is narrow.  The built-in closets are not accessible to most people who use wheelchairs.  Overall, however, we were very pleased with access at Hotel San Juan de los Reyes and would gladly stay there again.

 

Other Hotels to Consider

 

The following hotel told us it has an adapted room, though without a roll-in shower:

 

Hotel Abad.  Three star.  Renovated in 2002.  Real del Arrabal, 1.  Phone 011-34-925-283-500.  www.hotelabad.com; info@hotelabad.com.

 

Hotels Without Adapted Rooms

 

The following hotels told us they do not have adapted rooms:

 

Parador de Toledo.  Four star.  Cerro del Emperador.  Phone 011-34-925-221-850. www.parador.es; Toledo@parador.es.

 

Hotel Pintor el Greco.  Three star.  Alamillos del Tránsito, 13.  Phone 011-34-902-154-645.   www.hotelpintorelgreco.com.

 

Toledo – Monuments and Museums

 

Cathedral.  The main entrance is accessible, but you must ask the guard to open the large doors.  There is one high stair to the museum containing several rooms of superb El Grecos and some Caravaggios and Titians; there is a portable ramp but you must ask the guard to set it out.  There are two very high stairs up to the choir and no ramp, but much of the choir can be seen from below.  There is one medium height stair to the treasure room; there is no ramp but Michele was able to tilt Howard’s wheelchair. 

 

El Greco Museum/House.  Unfortunately but understandably, this Renaissance era palazzo is not wheelchair accessible: all the galleries are up one or two flights of stairs and there is no elevator. 

 

San Juan de los Reyes Monastery.  This building is inaccessible; the areas open for viewing are up a flight of stairs.

 

San Tome Church.  This small church contains El Greco’s masterpiece The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, which is in almost pristine condition even though, according to the guides, it’s never been restored.  The building is accessible via an entrance on the left side as one faces the front.  The side entrance is uphill from the main entrance where the ticket window is located.  A guard will open the side doors. 

 

Sephardic Museum/Transito Synagogue.  This grand, meticulously restored 14^th century synagogue features an ornate yet elegant wooden coffered ceiling in Mudejar style, beautiful decorative horseshoe arches, and friezes of Hebrew letters in a variety of styles.  Access is via a narrow but gradual ramp.  There is no elevator, so the second floor isn’t accessible, but the restored sanctuary and many exhibits with artifacts covering ten centuries of Sephardic history are on the ground floor, so a visit is very worthwhile.  We highly recommend the informative audioguide.  There is a patio in the rear with ancient Jewish gravestones; it is accessible via a gradual ramp.  The gift shop is on the ground floor and the bathrooms are on the second floor.  The gift shop has a large selection of books about Sephardic history, including several in English.  Because of the incomplete access, admission is free for wheelchair users.

 

Synagogue Santa Maria la Blanca.  This beautiful synagogue was built in the 11^th century in Arabic style.  Its horseshoe arches, feeling of open space and intricate friezes with abstract patterns echo, on a much smaller scale, those of the Mezquita in Cordoba.  Wheelchair access is via a side entrance with one moderate height stair; the entrance is on the left side of the building as one faces the front.  It took some persistence to get the guard to open the side entrance, but once he did, he was eager to explain the building to Michele in Spanish.  There is only one floor, so it’s easy to see everything.  The area in front of the building is undergoing renovation, so access may be simpler in the future.

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