The city of Toledo is one giant hill. My Nike FuelBand tells me took 15,499 steps during the day trip. A 45 minute bus ride from Madrid, Toledo had much to offer.

Starting at the Tagus River, I saw the Infantry Academy.

King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I constructed the Monastery of Saint John of the Kings to commemorate the birth of their son Prince John and to celebrate victory at the Battle of Toro. The property is beautifully decorated with noticeable Gothic influences.

My favorite stop was the El Greco museum. Born in Greece and trained in Italy, El Greco later moved his studio to Toledo, where he worked the rest of his life to become an influential artist of the Spanish Renaissance.

I was not surprised to learn that UNESCO designated Toledo a World Heritage Site. The cobblestone streets, bakeries, museums, and shops kept my friends and I busy all day.

Also, since I walked uphill all day, I told myself I didn’t need to run. I thought that was good reasoning.