Toledo travel guide

Surrounded on three sides by the moat-like River Tagus (Rio Tajo), with parts of its city wall and powerful gateways still intact, Toledo is one of Spain's most photographed and visited cities, a UNESCO World Heritage site little changed in appearance since El Greco painted its higgledy piggledy skyline nearly four centuries ago.

Explore the narrow alleyways and the trinket-stuffed shops to find the famous Toledan steel. Once the deadliest weaponry in the world, wielded by Spanish heroes from El Cid to the Conquistadores, today it is more likely to be manufactured under Hollywood licence as the 'official' arms of The Lord of the Rings or Conan the Barbarian.

Despite the crowds, there are more than enough sights to accommodate allcomers and the labyrinthine streets mean that you can get off the beaten track in no time at all. If you can, stay overnight, when the city empties of day trippers and reverts to its quiet medieval atmosphere.