Did You Know Toledo Is Famous for Its Marzipan?

Last Updated on August 11, 2023

Finding a spot that sells freshly made marzipan sweets needs to be a priority the next time you visit Toledo, Spain.

Rocky Trifari in Toledo, Spain with marzipan

When my uncle visited me in Spain, I decided to take him on a day trip from Madrid to the nearby city of Toledo.

From Madrid, it is very easy to travel there whether you choose to go by car, bus, or high-speed train. Toledo is located less than an hour away from the capital.

There is a lot to do there, but there was one specific reason I wanted to visit!

TOLEDO IS FAMOUS FOR MARZIPAN ❤️

Toledo, a city located just about 45 miles away from Spain’s capital of Madrid, is famous for the marzipan that it produces.

Rocky shopping for sweets in Toledo

Mazapán de Toledo is a traditional sweet eaten all over Spain around Christmas time.

Marzipan is made differently in various countries. Many countries regulate the percentage of almonds that a recipe must have for it to be legally called “marzipan.”

In Toledo, Spain, people enjoy a treat that is at least fifty percent almonds and that contains natural sugar.

WHAT IS MARZIPAN?

The Institute of Culinary Education explains Marzipan is aromatic putty made from almond paste, confectioners sugar, and corn syrup dyed into different colors.

Marzipan fruits are very colorful sweets.
Image Source: Seriouseats.com

Whether you know marzipan in its molded, fruit-shaped form or some other shape, you have surely seen a variation of these sweets in bakeries and candy shops.

Marzipan shapes
Image Source: Toledo Lockers

You can find it tucked inside chocolates, used as a glaze on cakes, molded into celebratory shapes, or made into sweets imitating the appearance of fruits.

Chocolate marzipan
Image Source: Toledospain.click

Marzipan is common all over Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. Its origin is a source of controversy but the earliest traces of written reference track back to Italy, Germany, Hungary, and Spain in the 16th century.

Some say it originated in Persia (present-day Iran) but another possible geographic origin for the confection is Toledo, Spain!

It happens to be one of my favorite confections!

WHERE TO BUY THE BEST MARZIPAN IN TOLEDO

In Toledo, there are a number of great options as to where you can purchase the best marzipan. The following options are some of the most famous and widely recognized options:

  • Santo Tomé (This was where I went!)
  • Casa Telesforo
  • Mazapanes Conde
Santo Tomé

You may also be able to purchase marzipan from convents like the Convent of San Clemente along with a number of others.

SPAIN’S MARZIPAN WORLD RECORD

In my last blog post, I talked about how Spain’s Restaurante Botín holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest documented restaurant in the world.

In today’s blog post, I have another Guinness World Record claimed by Spain to share!

The world record for the tallest marzipan sculpture in the world can be found in Toledo, Spain!

Guinness World Record for Marzipan Statue
This Marzipan Statue Holds a World Record

The sculpture represents the notable Don Quixote by Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes.

Awarded on April 23, 2016, the sculpture is the tallest marzipan sculpture on Earth standing at 3.59 meters tall (11 feet, 9 inches).

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THE ART OF MAKING MARZIPAN

In another one of my recent posts, I wrote about the reclusive nuns who sell secret cookies in Madrid. Did you know Nuns from the 11th century were also the creators of marzipan in Toledo?

When there was no wheat for bread, they decided to combine sugar with almonds.

Here is a video (narrated in Spanish) where you can watch behind-the-scenes footage showing some of the hard work, art, and skill that goes into crafting Santo Tomé marzipan!

THERE IS SO MUCH TO SEE IN TOLEDO

After securing my beloved box of marzipan goodness, we took a stroll around the city.

There are many things to explore there. The entire city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986!

Be prepared for a ton of uphill walking because Toledo is positioned at the top of a hill.

Looking for more Toledo tourism inspiration? Here’s a blog post from Travel Notes & Beyond that talks about some of the most popular things to do during a day trip to Toledo.

Taking my uncle on a day trip to Toledo.

Have you ever been to Toledo? What did you think of their marzipan? Let us know in the comments!

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The Rocky Safari