Travel
Looking for information on how to get to our wedding or travel around Spain before or after? We've gathered some helpful information you can refer to when you are booking your travel.
Getting to Spain
Most major U.S. and international airlines offer daily flights to Spain. Check out Delta, American, United, and Iberia for direct flights. You can also find connecting flights to Spain's two largest cities through the major European airports. Below is information on how to get to Spain via the country's two main international airports.
Via Madrid
The closest international airport to Toledo is the Madrid Barajas Airport. Toledo is located about an hour’s drive from this airport. Upon arriving at the airport, you can choose to either head straight out to Toledo (see section below), or you can stay a few nights in Madrid to explore Spain’s capital city a bit before heading to the countryside. Below, we’ve listed some of the things we recommend doing while in Madrid!
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Note: Many airlines offer direct flights to Madrid from several major US cities, such as American, Iberia, and United. Sometimes, you can find cheaper flights to Madrid by buying a ticket with a stopover somewhere else in Europe, or with a stopover in NYC.
Via Barcelona
Getting to/from Madrid is very easy from many of Spain’s most popular destinations, including Barcelona. The main airport in Barcelona is called Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport. There are also two smaller airports, Girona and Reus, which are approximately 120km outside Barcelona that offer you access to Barcelona via transfer services.
If you choose to start your trip in Barcelona, there is a high-speed rail that travels daily between Barcelona and Madrid and takes about 2 ½ hours each way. Once in Madrid, follow the instructions below for getting to Toledo.
***Note: Prices for flights are HIGH when they are first released. We recommend setting a price tracker for your preferred route. You can use websites like Google Flights and Hopper to track flights you might want to take.***
Getting to Toledo
Traveling around Spain is easy and convenient thanks to the country's great public transportation and highway system. Getting to Toledo is no different. Below are three ways we suggest traveling to the historic city.
By Car Rental
It’s about a 1 – 1 ½ hour drive from Madrid to Toledo. If you choose to rent a car, you can pick one up in Madrid and head out – it’s an easy drive on major highways through Spain’s hilly countryside all the way to Toledo. Our venue and preferred hotel are both situated on a hill above Toledo, so you will not have to drive through the historic or downtown areas to get from Madrid to your end destination if you are staying in either of these places. Our venue and preferred hotel both have plenty of free parking available for your rental car.
Please be mindful that Toledo is a medieval and historically preserved city, and as such the roads within downtown Toledo are extremely narrow and mainly cobblestone, making maneuvering with a car very difficult in these areas, and parking is rare to find. If you choose to rent a car, we recommend you keep it parked at your hotel, and use a licensed cab to explore the city - there are tons available and you usually never have to wait more than five minutes for one to arrive. We will provide phone numbers for local taxi companies we recommend (and speak English) for service throughout the city. Please note that there are limited traditional taxis for groups larger than four people.
By Driver
Since Toledo is so close to Madrid, many hotels in Toledo offer services to arrange pick-up and drop off at the Madrid airport. If you’d prefer to head straight to Toledo upon arrival, your hotel can arrange for a driver to meet you at the airport.
Alternatively, many services are available to arrange a driver to take you out to Toledo, such as gettransfer.com. This is what we used during our last trip to Spain, and we can’t recommend it enough!
By Train
RENFE is Spain's train system. There is a high-speed rail that leaves multiple times a day between Madrid and Toledo and takes about 25 minutes in total travel time. The train leaves from the Madrid Atocha Train Station, and arrives at the Toledo AVE station (there is only one station in Toledo). Upon arrival in Toledo, you can arrange for your hotel to pick you up at the station or you can grab one of the many taxis nearby to take you the quick 15-minute drive up the hill to your hotel. If you can, ask your driver to stop at one of the lookout points over the city as you head up the hill – the views are incredible!