When searching for a place that possesses everything ancient near your Madrid rental apartments, take into consideration the city of Toledo. This city is the capital of the province of Toledo while at the same time it is capital of the Autonomous Community of Castilla La Mancha. Toledo is situated in the Castillian meseta at an elevation of 529 metres above sea level only seventy kilometres south of Madrid which places it squarely in the middle of the Iberian Peninsula.
As Toledo is located in the Castillian meseta it stands to reason that the historic city centre would be sitting on craggy rock. This rocky area is almost completely encapsulated by the Tagus River as it winds its merry way through the countryside. Tito Livio, a Roman historian, referred to Toledo as the city of Toletum whose origin when translated is Tollitum meaning Raised Aloft. With more than one hundred monuments you can see why Toledo's city centre is one of the largest in Spain.
Due to Toledo's location its weather pattern is akin to the typical continental climate which is cold in the winter and hot in the summer. It does have its own micro climate created by the Tajo River flowing around the city. It's best not to visit Toledo in the months of November and February due to the amount of rain fall which is not considered as heavy but there is sometimes snow interspersed with the rain.
The city of Toledo may be small in size but when it comes to non physical items it stands head and shoulders above all the rest such as in its political side, economic interest, social indulgence and its prowess in the production of its characteristic crafts. The physical assets it is overly proud of and goes to great lengths to secure their future is its historical monuments while at the same time maintaining its historical, artistic and cultural heritage to ensure it is not lost among all the modern Madrid rental apartments entrapments.
The Castillian meseta is a plateau, this looks like a mountain with the top chopped off leaving a wide flat area which Toledo sits on. This is the largest flat land area in Spain hence Toledo's economy is based on agriculture, livestock and light industry. Irrigation for this area is readily available from the Tagus River which meanders through the area.
Before you book your apartment you might want to do a little research on the city of Toledo which will allow you to enjoy it even more. One of the important things you will soon find is that in December 1987 UNESCO declared Toledo a World Heritage city because of its uniqueness. At you travel through this ancient city you can easily trace its history through the Architecture left behind by the Christian, Islamic and Hebrew cultures. As you walk along the streets of this ancient city centre all this will become evident when you see an ancient mosque, Gothic and Mudejar churches, a synagogue or a Renaissance palace along with a Romanesque or Visigoth building. It's all here just waiting for you to come and discover all it has to offer.
Martin Wynn
