A half-hour train ride from Madrid is the magical city of Toledo.
We arrived just in time to watch the sun rise. Perching ourselves on the mountaintop wall of the old city, we stood speechless as the city below was saturated in warm hues of golden pinks which glistened off the surrounding rivers.
I will never forget the peacefulness I felt that morning. We were some of the first few people to navigate Toledo’s narrow cobblestone streets. Birds sang softly, and church bells gonged to wake the sleepy town.
If you ever take a day trip to Toledo, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that you catch the earliest bus. It is the best way to experience the pure magic of the city – before the huge rush of tourists.
After a little over an hour of (attempting to) find our way around the city – up, over, around, and down hilly, rocky mazes – we made it back to the main plaza. (Do not kid yourself by wearing anything other than your most comfortable walking shoes in this city, people!)
Shops and cafés finally opening, we sat down for some breakfast and strong coffee.
This was when I stumbled upon Tostada con Tomate y Aceite, grilled bread with fresh tomato purée and drizzled olive oil. And our love affair began. From this day on, this was my go-to breakfast and snack. If you’re a vegan in Spain, this will be your saviour.
Toledo is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its extensive monumental heritage, as well as a (for the most part) peaceful co-existence of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish cultures.
Exploring the city, you stumble upon mosques, synagogues, and cathedrals alike. There is a unique mingling and exchange of cultural/religious elements – a colourful diversity which makes this city so special.
We bought tickets to tour Toledo Cathedral
This ‘high gothic’ cathedral was probably my favourite that we visited on our trip. Its airy construction with numerous chapels, mandela-like circular glass windows, and encorporation of natural light was stunning and peaceful.
We then stopped into a small café which served a gazillion different fresh pastries baked by the local nuns. Unable to eat the buttery-rich delicacies, I opted for (you guessed it) more tostada con tomate (Even though it wasn’t on the menu, they were more than happy to whip it up for me – same goes for every other restaurant I tried in Spain).
Lunch was a saucy stirfry of tomatoes and peppers + side of fries (You’ll never find a restaurant in Spain that is not stocked and ready to throw you together a tomato mashup like this. With a side of carbs, it’s totally satisfying and delish).
My suggestion for a day trip like Toledo would be to come prepared with snacks. Not that I was on the lookout for produce (I won’t be the first person to snack on fruit… I know, tisk tisk), but I can’t say fresh fruit was easily accessible in Toledo?
In desperate times, I did opt for the (always controversial in the veg community) side of McDonald’s fries. *I noticed that in Spain and Portugal, they claim to use 100% sunflower/plan oils for their fries (whereas in Canada, McD’s is known to use animal fats).
We spent the rest of the day on foot, goggling at all the sights. (I mean, how can this be real?!)
Did I mention I was carting around my 26lbs backpack the whole time? It was 35°c. We were headed straight to the train, transferring to the airport to catch our flight to Barcelona!
No vegan food to be found at the Madrid airport, other than a €6 cup of fruit with literally 3 grapes and half a strawberry.
I apologize to anyone who crossed paths with me between Madrid and Barcelona. HANGRY took over.
Went to bed dreaming of waking up to a market filled with fresh fruit and bread and tostada con tomate ZzZZzZzzzzz
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