podtour
El Greco's Life in Toledo
El Greco arrived in Toledo as an outsider and never explained himself.
Translators, Scholars and Magicians of Toledo: audio walk in Toledo
Why Europe saw magicians in Toledo: a cave of padlocks, the men who went down with lanterns, a wooden man nobody saw, a translator Dante put in Hell, a school that never existed, Don Illán's partridges and water clocks that followed the moon.
What this walk is about
In the Middle Ages, half of Europe believed that magic was taught in Toledo. This walk goes looking for where that reputation came from: the Cave of Hercules and its legend of padlocks, and the men who went down to explore it; Juanelo's wooden man, whom nobody ever saw; Gerard of Cremona, who came for a book; Michael Scot, who ended up in Dante's Inferno; the demon-summoning students of the moral tales; the school of translators that was never an institution; the tale of Don Illán, where the magic was literature; King Alfonso, who corrected Castilian; Azarquiel and his sky; and the water clocks by the Tagus. Fact, legend and literature, always kept apart.
- Start
- The house of padlocks
- Finish
- The clocks that followed the moon
- Who it is for
- For Anyone curious about science, books and legends. A choice for families with teenagers. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The house of padlocks
- 2
The people who went down with lanterns
- 3
The wooden man nobody saw
- 4
The man who came for a book
- 5
The translator Dante sent to Hell
- 6
Students of demons
- 7
The school that wasn't a school
- 8
Don Illán's partridges
- 9
The king who edited the Castilian
- 10
Azarquiel's sky
- 11
The clocks that followed the moon
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Toledo, before you go
Toledo fits into a walk, though rarely a straight line. Good soles and a plan by area do more for the trip than an endless list of monuments.
More walks nearby
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.