WHERE: Toledo, Spain.

WHAT'S INTERESTING: This historic walled city on a hill above the River Tagus competes with Venice, Italy, as a place in which to get lost by day, and soak up its magical atmosphere by night. Packed tightly inside high walls, the city's narrow lanes and medieval buildings refuse to yield to the automobile, the tiny streets just about wide enough for a pedestrian and car to pass each other safely. Toledo dates from the 6th century A.D. But even earlier, the Romans built a fortress on the site. In 1986 the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its rich history, architecture and as a place where Christian, Jewish and Muslim cultures coexisted. The painter El Greco (1541-1614) lived and worked in the city from 1577. Toledo is best explored on foot.

THREE TO SEE: Catedral de Toledo, one of the largest cathedrals anywhere, took three centuries to build. It is remarkable for its incorporation of light and features the Baroque altar called El Transparente, several stories high, with fantastic figures of stucco. Inside the cathedral are works by Titian, Goya and Velasquez. Iglesia de Santa Tome, one of Toledo's best-known churches, is near El Greco's house and the old synagogues. The church dates from antiquity and was rebuilt in 1300.

Visitors come mainly to see El Greco's most important painting, the "Burial of Count Orgaz" (1586-88), in a side chapel. Museo de Santa Cruz, which houses collections of Medieval and Renaissance art, also has paintings by El Greco.

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT: Toledo is safe for walking at night, but tourist sites close around 7:30 p.m. Hostal del Cardinal, a 27-room hotel in a converted 18th-century palace, has nightly rates starting at $93 per room. www.hostaldelcardenal.com

Reach Chris Oliver at coliver@honoluluadvertiser.com.