Medieval City of Toledo

Two medieval towns on opposite ends of the tourism scale, and we crammed both into our itinerary in a short 3 days.



After two nights at the charming provincial town of Cuenca where tourism still takes a backseat to agriculture, we moved straight to the middle of the beaten path at Toledo, an ancient city reborn as one of Spain's most popular destinations especially after the opening of the high speed rail spur from Madrid.



Boasting a medieval centre full of marvellous architectural gems from its 2000 year history, Toledo was once what Madrid is today -- capital of the Iberian Peninsula and royal seat of a kingdom stretching from the French border to North Africa. This was in fact the heart of the Spanish Empire at its height when a seemingly endless supply of gold and silver flowed in from the New World, contributing to a level of opulence still apparent at its cathedral.



From its Roman stone bridge across River Tagus to remnants of Moorish mosques to a renowned stronghold that held back fierce Republican gunfire during the Civil War, Toledo itself is a fascinating contraction of Spanish history. We would have preferred two nights, but that would have reduced Cuenca, Segovia or Salamanca to just one. Such is the universal dilemma facing all curious travelers.



We arrived at Toledo on the high speed AVE train via Madrid -- we would have taken the highway bus directly from Cuenca if the timetable were more favorable. Greeting all travelers from a distance was the classic image of an stalwart medieval fortress on a hilltop, blessed with the natural defense of a river gorge on three sides and a colossal wall on the fourth.



Our rental apartment was a short bus ride away next to the local bus hub of Zodocover Square, a 2-minute walk from the imposing Alcazar and right across the street from the cleverly camouflaged escalator that led towards the long distance bus station just outside of the town walls.



It was a bachelor suite in the form of a small rooftop cabin with its own private patio, complete with a small but functional kitchen and satellite TV, at a 40% discount compared with our Barcelona apartment. Not quite as cheap as Cuenca, but just about anything was cheaper than Barcelona as we're about to find out.



The best part of the apartment was of course the spacious rooftop patio, four storeys up above the town walls with sweeping views of the Tagus and the rolling Manchegan plains on the horizon. It took willpower to pull ourselves away from this view and start exploring the town.



Our first stop was the 600-year-old Sinagoga del Transito, built by the king's Jewish treasurer and served as a private family synagogue for over a century until it was converted into a church after the expulsion of Jews in 1492. Jewish inscriptions from Psalms entwine seamlessly with Mudejar flourishes and intricate Moorish stucco work that echoes the Alhambra.



More Mudejar panels grace the ceiling of Monasterio de San Juan de Los Reyes, an impressive Gothic church originally intended as a mausoleum for arguably the most renowned of Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella who unified the Spanish crowns, completed the Reconquista of the Moorish south and sent Columbus to discover the New World.



The centerpiece of all is the Cathedral of Toledo, an 800-year-old Gothic masterpiece best known for the so-called El Transparente, a baroque altarpiece ingeniously illuminated by an unusual skylight cut into the cathedral's back wall. Gleams of sunlight would pass through another expertly carved hole in the altarpiece and strike the tabernacle, only once a day.



Facing the congregation is an older and arguably even more elaborate altarpiece, a 3-storey gold-gilded wood panel illustrating the life of Christ from nativity to crucifixion and ascension. Look no further in case you're wondering what this former Spanish capital did with its New World gold that Pizarro and contemporaries pillaged from the Incas.



The cathedral's bell tower offered a panorama of Toledo's medieval skyline, pleasant though slightly obstructed compared with the view from the smaller church of San Ildefonso in the next block to the west.



But the most iconic view of Toledo is actually from across River Tagus at an elevated view point known as Mirador del Valle, just below the posh state-owned Parador hotel. Here one can appreciate medieval Toledo's prowess as a majestic stronghold, shielded on three sides by a sharp bend of the river and accessible only via a three heavily fortified stone bridges.



Our original plan was to take a quick taxi to the Mirador then a 3km downhill hike to the 14th century arched bridge of Puente de San Martin. At the end we got lazy and hopped on the touristy train-bus for a 60 minute trip around the perimeters of the walled town, including this highlight stop at the Mirador.



Towards the end of the trip we passed by the 16th century town gate of Puerta de Bisagra, impressively crenellated and prominently bearing the imperial emblem of the Habsburgs, proud reminder of an era when the mightiest empire in the world was centered right here in Toledo.



In the evening we spent much time on our private patio, enjoying the panorama of the lower town while hundreds of local families passed underneath towards an end-of-summer fiesta and concert held just outside the Gothic cathedral. One hectic day at arguably Spain's best-preserved ancient cities was far too short as we suspected.

Enough of sightseeing. What about the food you ask?

Just last year Toledo was honoured as Spain's Capital of Gastronomy for its distinctive dishes with rustic roots. While the locals may assert -- and correctly so -- that the best eateries are all in the countryside away from the tourist action, that didn't stop us from conveniently sampling a few native dishes within the medieval walls.


LO NUESTRO (Toledo)
Location Map

For lunch we stopped at this tourist-focused restaurant (i.e. English menus that I try to avoid if possible) on an easy-to-miss alley in the Jewish quarter, steps from Sinagoga del Transito and a few minutes' walk from either Monasterio de San Juan de Los Reyes or from the Cathedral.



What drew us in were Menus del Dia promising a range of regional dishes such as the pictured oven-baked Migas with jamon and raisins, plus deer and partridge from the local hunters. Prices weren't exactly cheap -- nor would I expect such at a town full of day-tripping tourists -- but were somewhat reasonable at 17 euros for 2 courses with drinks.



Blessed with the lush foothills of Montes de Toledo, this region is nationally famous for its tradition of game meats ranging from wild boars to venison to partridges and hares. We shared two such dishes starting with this Ciervo en Salsa, or venison slow-braised in red wine and served in a clay cazuela. In fact this was my most memorable dish in Toledo, a true meat-lover's favorite with its rich, unabashedly gamey flavors and generous portions.



Much less flavorsome was the Perdiz con Pochas, another local favorite of stewed partridge with white beans served at just about every restaurant within the old town. Honestly I could not even tell the difference in terms of flavor between this partridge and a generic chicken. After one remarkable dish and two lackluster ones, I'm not sure that I would recommend this restaurant.

Bill for Two Persons

Menu del Dia	17 Euros
Judias con Perdiz	10 Euros
Cerveza Artesana	3 Euros
Vino Castilla la Mancha	4 Euros
TOTAL	34 Euros (CAD$51)

That final dish must have been disappointing enough that I wanted to give Toledo's partridges one more chance to redeem themselves on my tastebuds. That led us to our next restaurant.

RESTAURANTE FABULA (Toledo)
Location Map

This was the authentic local eatery that we had been searching for: small and cozy, a wholly Spanish clientele that typically preferred to stand at the bar than to sit, and a single waitress who spoke only Spanish. Needless to say we were the only non-Spanish clients that evening.



And the menu feature none of the celebrated Toledano classics like Ciervo en Salsa or Perdiz a la Toledana, opting instead for the same ingredients in refreshed interpretations catering to the local townsfolk. Remember the flavorless stewed partridge from lunch? Here our partridge was deboned, pulled and tossed into fresh salad, and the gamey essence of the wild partridge was day-and-night compared with the earlier dish. This was the Toledano partridge that I had been salivating for.



We also ordered an appy of sauteed mushrooms and this well-executed dish of seared duck breast with rock salt and vinegar reduction. Not exactly a standard Toledo dish, but a pleasure at less than 10 euros.



Surprisingly the partridge salad turned out to be the most expensive dish in a moderately cheap dinner with an appy, two mains and a dessert -- an airy orange soufflé pictured above -- to share, plus wine and beer, for about 19 euros per person. This was much better value in retrospect compared with our choice for lunch, and finally a restaurant in Toledo that we thoroughly enjoyed.

Bill for Two Persons

Ensalada de Perdiz	13.5 Euros
Champinon a la Plancha	5 Euros
Magret de Pato	9.5 Euros
Souffle de Naranja con Chocolate	4.5 Euros
Glass of Red Wine	2.2 Euros
Cana of Beer	2.5 Euros
TOTAL	37.2 Euros (CAD$55.8)

Venison and partridge aside, Toledo is arguably even better known for its Mazapan, a local recipe for the glazed almond-sugar confection that boasts its own Denominacion de Origen. We picked up 6 pieces -- the lavish pine-nut-covered variety being our favorite -- from the 160-year-old Pasteleria Santo Tome for snack and as part of our breakfast the next morning.

Bill for Two Persons

Pasta de Pinon x 2	2.38 Euros
Mazapan de Delicia x 2	1.79 Euros
Pasta de Almendra x 2	1.03 Euros
TOTAL	5.2 Euros (CAD$7.8)

The nutty aroma of the Mazapan went surprisingly well with a platter of certified, hand-cut Jamon Bellota Iberico from Salamanca that we picked up in a vacuum pack from the local supermarket. Ingredients for this decadent breakfast probably totaled more than 12 euros, unprecedentedly expensive for our Spanish trip but certainly worth every cent.

Cuenca - Restaurants and Rental Apartment

Aside from spectacular views and ease of access, unheralded Cuenca also offered some of the best values in dining and apartment rental among the 13 Spanish cities we visited. Here are just some of the reasons why my wife ranks Cuenca among her favorites towns in Spain.



RECREO PERAL (Cuenca)
Location Map

Highly recommended by our apartment's owner, this classy riverside restaurant turned out as one of our favorites anywhere in Spain. We're talking about a gargantuan feast that our waitress predicted that we wouldn't finish, a 6-course modern Spanish menu with foie gras, oxtail and all, including a bottle of local red, for less than 30 Euros per head.



A 10-minute downhill walk from Cuenca's medieval quarters, Recreo Peral is widely considered the best upmarket dining option around Cuenca's old town. While it is possible to order a la carte, the best offer here is a Menu Ejecutivo which includes not just one or two, but four appetizers to share, plus individual entrees and desserts for each diner, plus wine. And sizeable appetizers too, apart from this first course of crusty Croquetas with a soft creamy filling of Jamon Iberico.



Appetizer #2 turned out to be my favorite dish in Cuenca -- a basketful of baby squids or Chopitos, tenderly deep-fried in Andalusian style and served with flavorful Padron peppers, substantial enough as a main dish anywhere else but relegated to one of four appetizers here. It was by far the best calamari-type dish I've had in recent memory.



Appetizer #3 was my wife's favorite and would be a highlight in just about any meal: two thick, generous slices of Foie Gras -- not Terrine de Foie Gras, but sizeable slabs of whole, velvety duck liver, deveined and expertly coated with a thin crust of delicious salt flakes. How this became buried among one of four appetizers in a 27.5 Euros set menu is still a complete mystery to me. An appetizer of Foie Gras of this size and quality currently costs about 15 euros in Madrid.



Appetizer #4 was a local style of Migas involving some humble bread crumbs, moistened, generously seasoned with paprika, sprinkled with hand-torn specks of Jamon Iberico and raisins, oven-baked and topped with a soft egg. I probably tasted only a few spoonfuls, not because it wasn't good but because we're starting to get full even before the main dishes.



But first, a glass of iced granita as a palate cleanser, and a much-appreciated interlude between the four appetizers and the main courses.



And then the mains arrived. Luckily I did have the foresight to order a Steak Tartar instead of a Paella or a large chop of Iberico pork shoulder, which would have been unmanageably heavy as a fifth dish. Somehow I did muster the appetite to finish the entire steak, though a little more kick ... some briny capers perhaps? ... would have helped digestion.



While I didn't order a substantial dish, my wife did.

It was an excellent dish of Arroz Meloso con Cola de Toro y Setas -- Creamy Rice with Oxtail and Wild Mushrooms -- with superb meaty flavors all infused into the softened rice. We definitely tried our best, but were ultimately foiled by the physical limit to the size of our stomachs.



How we managed to find room for dessert I have no idea. But this Milhoja de Hojaldre, analogous to the French Mille-feuille featuring an luscious cream filling between scrumptious sheets of pastry, was so light and airy that my wife, a diehard fan of Mille-feuille/Napoleon, had no problem finishing.



At last, a molten lava cake in a tin can to cap an outstanding meal with impossibly generous portions. In retrospect I found the appetizers -- especially the Chopitos and the Foie Gras -- to be most enjoyable of all, but everything else from entrees to desserts and wine were top quality, especially at this attractive price.

Bill for Two Persons

Menu Ejecutivo x 2	55 Euros
TOTAL	55 Euros (CAD$82.5)

That price-to-quality ratio was exactly why we always seek restaurant recommendations from the locals, who introduced us to another restaurant famous for regional cuisine, but at a cheaper price range.


SAN JUAN PLAZA MAYOR (Cuenca)
Location Map

With haphazard clusters of tables stretching down Plaza Mayor in the shadow of the gothic Cathedral, San Juan occupies by far the most desirable location anywhere in Cuenca. Based on our observation it's also the most popular restaurant in town, and not all because of its prime setting.



The appeal here is simple and effective -- regional recipes, ginormous portions of four appetizers plus entree, throw in some local wine and dessert for an unbeatable price of 15 Euros per person. Appetizers #1 and #2 were a tuna salad followed by Croquetas with a harder-than-usual crust and a filling that turned out denser than those at Recreo Peral.



Appetizer #3 was a classic Cuencan dish known Morteruelo, a rich, rough pate made from pork liver and mystery game meats such as wild hare, partridge, or whatever the hunters bring back.



Appetizer #4 was another local favorite known as Ajoarriero, a cold paté of salted bacalao, garlic and potatoes drizzled with herbed olive oil. We finished neither the Ajoarriero nor the Morteruelo as our colossal mains would soon arrive in the form of ...



... a whole leg of lamb from the casserole, slow-braised in its own juice and served bone-in for a simple yet richly flavored dish that I somehow found the appetite to strip down to the bones.



But the best dish of the evening was my wife's choice of Secreto Iberico, a highly sought-after cut between the shoulder blades of the black Iberian pig better known for lavish 150-euros-per-kg cured hams. It was an amazing pork steak, juicy and flavorsome to the degree of tasting closer to beef than to pork. In retrospect I don't understand why we didn't order Secretos more often while in Spain -- good luck finding this in Canada.



For desserts we shared a berry tart and a Spanish version of crème caramel known locally as flan. This was a tremendous amount of food -- not spectacular food but certainly enjoyable especially for travelers curious about rustic regional recipes -- for just 15 euros per person.

Bill for Two Persons

Menu del Dia x 2	30 Euros
TOTAL	30 Euros (CAD$45)

All these heavy meals called for a comfy bed for those long siesta naps. As tempting as the majestic Parador, housed in a medieval monastery built at the edge of a sheer cliff, appeared despite the 180-euros-a-night price tag, we came across a better deal for a self-service apartment without giving up that canyon view, for about a quarter of the price.


How much of a good deal? How about a bachelor suite with a gorgeous view down Cuenca's famous canyon, cozy decor, excellent new appliances including satellite TV, stove, fridge, coffee machine and even a washing machine for those weeks-long trips, including K-cup coffee and simple pastries for breakfast, a two-minute stroll from the medieval square and cathedral, for less than 50 Euros at the time of writing? That's cheaper than half-price compared with our dirty spartan apartment in Barcelona.



For two mornings we woke up to this panorama of fellow cliff-side houses overhanging the Huecar Canyon, stretching beyond the town onto the arid plateaus of La Mancha. Did I mention that Felix the owner was so gracious that he woke up at 06:30 just to get us a taxi to the train station? Look up Apartamentos San Martin in Cuenca -- you'll thank me for it.

Living on the Edge in Cuenca

Between Valencia and Toledo we spent two nights at a historic hill town that most non-Spaniards have never heard of.



Like most foreigners, we knew embarrassingly little about Cuenca prior to arriving on a high speed train, halfway between Valencia and Madrid on the AVE route. We knew nothing of the town's attractions, its lip-smacking cuisine, or that we're about to crash an end-of-summer fiesta at its medieval town square.



Most first time visitors to Spain would probably visit the Iberian heavyweights of Madrid and Barcelona, and for train travelers there are two obvious AVE routes: a shorter route via Zaragosa, and a scenic route through Valencia and Cuenca. We chose the latter based on the merit of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites -- Valencia's Silk Exchange and Cuenca's Historic Walled Town -- and booked two nights in Cuenca.



Not to be confused with the metropolis in Ecuador that assumed its name, Cuenca, Spain is a small ancient town perched upon a rocky outcrop, surrounded by precipitous canyons carved out by the confluence of two rivers. Google the name and you'll likely see its cluster of Casas Colgadas, or Hanging Houses, featuring balconies cantilevered into the sidewalls and bravely overlooking the precarious drop below.



Our first sight of the medieval townscape came as the bus driver expertly squeaked our bus through the narrow arch of the baroque town hall, terminating at the aptly named Plaza Mayor with cobblestone paths randomly stretching in all directions. Felix, the owner of our rental apartment, was already waiting for us.



Built on top of an ancient Moorish citadel, Cuenca is your classic Castillian hill town centered on a cozy town square crowned with a 13th century cathedral, still shielded by defensive walls dating back at least a thousand years when the Arabs named it Kunka.



Our apartment was located right at the cliff edge overlooking the deep, vertical gorges, merely 40m from the famous Casas Colgadas and a two-minute walk from Plaza Mayor and the cathedral. The old town is long and narrow with just one main street that stretches 700m from the 16th century watchtower of Mangana in the south to the ruins of the Moorish castle in the north.



Impressive for a town of its size is the imposing cathedral, in fact the first ever gothic cathedral in Spain dating back to late 12th century, about the same age as the similarly styled (and infinitely more famous) Notre Dame of Paris. Curiously born with a notably Anglo-Norman facade, it would almost seem more fitting in Belgium or Northern France than here in Central Spain.



The interior decor was decidedly less gothic in comparison owing to various facelifts through the centuries, from renaissance arches to baroque altarpieces. And if you're wondering what might be meeting Jesus's upward gaze ...



... it's the dazzling painted cupola above. The cathedral grounds is also endowed with a bishop's palace now serving as a display for its collection of relics and priceless art, including a couple of El Grecos.



Behind the cathedral is the unmistakable symbol of Cuenca, its 600-year-old timber-framed houses overhanging the vertical face of the canyon. While only three such specimens remain today, in centuries past they would have been part of an entire row of hanging houses on the cliff edge, probably rivaling the Hanging Monastery of China in terms of visual impact.



Beneath the Hanging Houses spans the Puente de San Pablo, a former medieval stone bridge rebuilt as a turn-of-20th-century iron structure soaring over River Huecar, linking the town with the old Convent of St. Paul that has since reincarnated as a classy state-owned hotel.



The 500-year-old Dominican convent was just a dilapidated shell until about 25 years ago when the government transformed it into one of its most stunning Paradors. No need to pay 150 Euros for a room just to take pictures -- just walk in for a coffee for a reasonable 4 Euros.



The convent's baroque church has also been reborn into an exhibition space featuring modern art installations from Madrid's Reina Sofia Museum, one of the top art museums in the world best known for its collection of Picasso and Dali.



The gorges formed the old boundaries of Cuenca until the second half of 20th century when the urban sprawl stretched to the flatland. Over two days we never had the incentive to venture outside the town as an old-fashioned fiesta, evident from the white linen draped all over town, was about to kick off.



Today's festivities turned out to be a medieval-themed, end-of-summer fiesta put together by the local government, bridging the void between the full week of Feria de San Julian in late August and the upcoming Fiesta de San Mateo in late September. While the action was thrilling enough for this foreigner, it must have been quite minor among Cuenca's countless annual ferias and fiestas.



It's a medieval-themed party after all, and the fiesta promptly kicked off with a procession of royalties accompanied by banner carriers and a small but energetic medieval band that kept on pumping out festival music until midnight.



To stir up more drama a couple of Warcraft-like minotaurs and wizards showed up on tall stilts to rough up the adults and high-five the small children.



While the fictional characters paraded through town, an open-air market sprouted up on Plaza Mayor and its side alleys peddling everything from handmade accessories to cheap clothing to some excellent deals on leather goods. We loaded up on all sorts of souvenir items and a leather handbag right here.



As for snacks, artisan pastries and sweets, local Machego cheese and Jamon Iberico. We even came across a makeshift stand pouring some delicious honey mead. Mead! Now that's a medieval fiesta!



As the sun began to set, a Segovian pig roast was getting seriously underway alongside some Andalusian paella and roasted salchichas. It was a little worrying to see all corners of Spain being incorporated into one eatery, but my wife already had her eyes set on the Cochinillo.



Our plate of Cochinillo arrived in the form of bony pig jaws and cheeks ... and none of the meaty legs or bellies. I hope it was just our luck of the draw and not because we're non locals, but it felt like a rip-off at 25 euros ... and that's before we learned the price of our Sangria: 9 Euros for a large cup! Now that's the biggest rip-off we encountered over 16 days in Spain.

Bill for Two Persons

Cochinillo	25 Euros
Sangria	9 Euros
Bread Charge	2 Euros
TOTAL	36 Euros (CAD$54)

After dinner we walked down to Puente de San Pablo again for a view of the illuminated bridge with the Parador in the background. The prospect of stumbling over the iron girder bridge in dark seemed a little too hazardous though, and we turned back after the Casas Colgadas.



One of the best night views actually came from our apartment's window which offered an unobstructed panorama, past the town walls down the Huecar canyon. Spectacular views such as this only makes Cuenca's obscurity even more baffling, especially now that it's less than an hour from Madrid via AVE trains and has become perfectly doable as a day-trip. But on second thought, why not stay for a romantic night and enjoy the serenity ... or perhaps the raucous party if you happen to come across a fiesta?