Located in the province of Zamora, around 220 km northwest of Madrid, the city of Toro is a key destination in Castile and León, known for two main pillars: its historical importance and its renowned wine production.
Historically, Toro played a strategic role during the period of Spanish unification, which left the city with an impressive architectural heritage. At the same time, it is the centre of the Toro Designation of Origin (D.O. Toro), a wine region famous for the Tinta de Toro grape. This local variety produces red wines that are intense and full-bodied. This article has been prepared to help you plan your visit, highlighting the main sights, the wineries (bodegas) and the essential information for your itinerary.
How to get to Toro from the main cities
Getting to Toro is straightforward, thanks to the good road connections across Castile and León. The city lies between important urban centres, which makes access easy. The most practical option is to travel by car for greater flexibility, although there are also convenient bus connections.
Madrid
- Direct bus: departs from Estación Sur or Moncloa, average journey time 2h45-3h05 with Monbus.
- By car:
- Fastest (toll road): via A-6 + A-11, around 2h15, tolls of about €15 each way.
- Free alternative: via N-601 or a combination of national roads (N-VI / CL-601 / CL-610). No tolls, but the journey takes around 3h and includes slower sections with local traffic.
Salamanca
- Direct bus: departs from Salamanca Bus Station with daily services (usually in the morning and afternoon), operated by Hermarbus. Ticket price around €-7, journey time about 1h15.
- By car: around 1h10 via A-62 + ZA-705. No tolls on this route. The drive is straightforward and well signposted, with the option to stop in small villages along the way.
Zamora
- Bus: operated by La Regional VSA (and Autocares Vivas at certain times). Departures almost hourly from Zamora Bus Station. Ticket price around €3-4, journey time 25-30 min.
- By car or taxi: about 25-35 min (30 km). No tolls. Taxi fare estimated between €70-90.
The must-see monuments of Toro
Toro is a city that does not require a rigid itinerary to be enjoyed. The best part of a visit is simply wandering its streets, stopping at a bar for a glass of local wine or choosing a restaurant to try Castilian food. The city has a calm atmosphere that invites you to slow down.
If you want to visit landmarks and learn more about Toro’s strategic importance during the Middle Ages, here is a list of the main sights:
Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor
A Romanesque icon of the city, famous for the Pórtico de la Majestad with its polychrome sculptures. The tower offers some of the best views over the River Duero and the surrounding vineyards.
Alcázar de Toro
A medieval fortress linked to the Catholic Monarchs, today with a viewing point open to the public. A great spot to watch the sunset.
Arco del Reloj (Clock Gate)
A monumental entrance to the old town, built in the 18th century. One of the most photographed places in Toro.
Romanesque Bridge over the Duero
An old strategic crossing that once connected Toro with its vineyards. It is very picturesque and, if you prefer not to walk down, there is a bar on top of the walls with a special view of the bridge.
Monastery of Sancti Spiritus el Real
Founded in the 14th century, it houses an important museum of sacred art and the tomb of Beatriz of Portugal. Entry is €6 per person.
Church of San Salvador de los Caballeros
An example of Romanesque-Mudejar style, today used as a cultural space for exhibitions.
Wine tourism in Toro: the best wineries to visit and taste the local wine
Toro is the heart of the Toro Designation of Origin, a wine region with a very strong identity. The secret lies in its grape, Tinta de Toro, a local variety of Tempranillo which, due to the region’s extreme climate and soil, produces red wines with deeper colour, higher alcohol content and a much more pronounced structure than in other parts of Spain. What you will taste here is an intense, full-bodied wine.
Visiting a winery is the best way to understand this tradition. Many of them offer tours and tastings, but it is important to know that visits must always be booked in advance, either through the website or by phone. Here are three excellent options, each offering a different experience:
Pagos del Rey (Wine Museum)
This is the ideal visit for anyone who wants to learn about the winemaking process and the history of Toro wines in an accessible way.
- Highlight: It houses the Wine Museum, considered one of the most complete in Spain.
- Visit options:
- Guided tour: Tour + tasting with a tapa (€8)
- Self-guided: Museum entry + tasting with a tapa (€5)
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10:30-18:30, Sundays and public holidays 10:30-15:00. Closed on Mondays.
- Location: Av. de los Comuneros, 90, Morales de Toro (village about 10 minutes by car from Toro).
Bodega Fariña
Offers one of the most complete experiences in Toro, with a tour of the facilities, a visit to the winery’s museum, explanations about production and a generous tasting of different wines.
- Highlight: A family-run winery with its own museum that tells the story of the modernisation of the D.O. Toro.
- Visit options: Offers tours with tasting of 2 wines (€15) or 5 wines (€23). Seasonal harvest experiences and group visits are also available.
- Opening hours: Regular tours run from Wednesday to Saturday at set times. It is essential to check the exact schedule for each type of visit and book in advance.
- Location: Camino del Palo s/n, 49800 Toro, Zamora.
Bodega Valdigal
This is the only winery in Toro that still produces its wines in the traditional way, inside an underground cellar.
- Highlight: Wine production takes place in an underground cellar, preserving the historic and artisanal method of the region.
- Visit options: The underground cellar tour includes a tasting of one of the house wines accompanied by a small appetiser. The price is €15 per person.
- Opening hours: Tours run at set times only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, at 13:00 and 18:00. Advance booking is required.
- Location: Calle Valdigal, 4, 49800 Toro, Zamora (dentro do centro da cidade).
Where to eat in Toro
Food in Toro is simple, hearty and full of flavour, typical of Castile and León. The dishes make the most of quality local ingredients, prepared without excessive spices or complicated techniques. Roast lamb, game recipes, mature sheep’s cheeses and traditional stews are a regular feature on local menus, always served in generous portions that pair perfectly with the intensity of Toro wines.
Below are some of the city’s best-rated restaurants where you can try these flavours.
Carpe Diem Restaurant
The experience is a fixed tasting menu with very generous portions of local classics, and wine from the winery itself already included.
- Concept: The restaurant serves a single five-course menu that showcases the cuisine of the province of Zamora. The idea is to sit down and enjoy a complete, hearty meal without having to choose.
- Recommendations: The dishes on the menu may vary, but highlights usually include patatas a la importancia, arroz zamorano and rabo de toro (oxtail stew).
- What’s included: The full menu comes with dessert and two wines from Bodega Divina Proporción, owned by the same family.
- Price range: €25 per person on weekdays and €30 per person at weekends and on public holidays.
- Important: This place is very popular, so booking is essential. As the portions are large, the main advice from customers is: come hungry.
Bodega Divina Proporcion
This restaurant, located at the Divina Proporción winery itself, is well known for its generous home-style food menu with excellent value for money.
- Concept: A fixed menu with six courses plus wine. The restaurant is a large dining hall overlooking the vineyards. It is the kind of place for a long lunch, to eat plenty and take your time.
- Recommendations: The menu is very filling. Highlights include carrilleras (slow-roasted pork cheeks) and rabo de toro (oxtail stew).
- Experience: The main highlight is the restaurant. The winery visit is optional and, for some visitors, can feel short or crowded. The real strength of the experience is the meal itself
- Prices per person: The menu costs €25 on weekdays and €30 at weekends and public holidays, with the option of including a winery visit for €35 on weekdays or €40 at weekends and public holidays. The children’s menu costs €15.
- Important: The restaurant is located outside the city, within the winery itself, so a car is necessary. The winery visit is only allowed for over-18s. Booking for lunch is practically essential.
La Esquina de Colas Restaurant
This restaurant on Plaza Mayor is perfect for those looking for an excellent selection of wines by the glass, paired with creative local cuisine.
- Concept: It works as a wine bar with a creative à la carte kitchen. The idea is to order dishes to share, so you can try different flavours and match them with a variety of wines.
- Recommendations: Specialities include sardinas en pan de cristal (sardines on ultra-crispy toast), pulpo con panceta (octopus with pork belly) and guiso de presa ibérica (Iberian pork stew with a touch of chocolate).
- Experience: The wine list is particularly impressive. It is one of the few places in the region where you can taste a wide variety of wines by the glass, not only from Toro. The general advice is to follow the owners’ suggestions.
- Prices per person: Expect to pay between €30-60 per person for a full meal, depending on the dishes and wines chosen.
- Important: The restaurant is small and very popular, so booking is essential. On hot days they even provide fans (abanicos) for customers seated on the terrace.
Castilla Restaurant
It is a traditional restaurant with a creative touch, ideal for those who want to try the classic dishes of Toro with a more modern presentation.
- Concept: A more formal and elegant restaurant with à la carte service. The cuisine combines the traditional base of Castilian food with more contemporary techniques and flavours.
- Recommendations: The menu is varied. Highlights range from classics such as arroz a la zamorana to creations like rabo de toro gyozas and desserts such as lime tart with lemon balm ice cream.
- Experience: A balance between the traditional and the innovative, allowing you to enjoy a classic dish and, in the same meal, try something more surprising.
- Prices per person: Approximately €30-45 per person.
- Important: The atmosphere is calm and the service attentive and formal. It is a great choice for a quieter lunch or dinner. Booking is recommended.
Bar LATINTA
For a more informal meal on Plaza Mayor, Latinta is a tapas and small plates bar serving home-style food with excellent value for money.
- Concept: A lively tapas and raciones bar, ideal for a casual meal, to pick at different dishes (tapear) or for a good-value set lunch menu.
- Recommendations: The house speciality is El Champy (sautéed mushrooms). The croquettes (especially the rabo de toro version) and the creamy cheesecake are also highly recommended.
- Experience: Great value for money, both in the portions and in the set lunch menu. The terrace on the square is very popular and often busy.
- Prices per person: Set lunch menu around €12. Raciones from €10-20.
- Important: It gets very crowded, which can make the service a little slow at peak times. In summer the indoor dining room is very hot, so the terrace is the best option if you can find a table.
Tips for your trip
TORO WeatherHow long to stay in Toro
For a day trip: It is perfectly possible. Toro is compact and in one day you can walk through the historic centre, visit the Colegiata and enjoy a relaxed lunch at one of the restaurants. The drawback is that it will be tight to include a winery visit, as these usually take up a whole morning or afternoon.
Our suggestion (two days with an overnight stay): We recommend spending one night in Toro. This allows you to dedicate half a day to a guided winery visit without rushing, and to enjoy the city at different times, such as the late afternoon in Plaza Mayor when the tourist flow slows down and local life takes over.
Best time to visit
The ideal seasons: Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to early November) are without doubt the best times. The climate in Castile is extreme, so in these months you will find pleasant temperatures for walking and exploring.
The golden tip for wine lovers: If possible, plan your trip during the Grape Harvest Festival, normally held on the second weekend of October. The city is decorated, with parades of ox carts loaded with grapes and a festive street atmosphere.
Other practical tips for your itinerary
Travel by car if you can: Although it is possible to get there by bus, having a car gives you much more freedom. Many of the most interesting wineries are located outside the centre and are not accessible by public transport.
Be aware of Spanish schedules: Daily life runs at a different pace in Spain. Shops usually close for siesta (between 14:00 and 17:00). Lunch is served late (from 14:00 onwards) and dinner later still (from 21:00). Plan your day accordingly to avoid finding everything closed.
Photos
Photo 1: Zarateman, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo 2: Borjaanimal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo 3: MiraEspanha.com
Photo 4: MiraEspanha.com
Photo 5: Portal de Turismo de Castilla y León
Photo 6: By Zarateman – Own work, CC0