Puy du Fou is a special historical theme park that originated in France and has recently opened an exciting Spanish version near Madrid.
Located on a 30-hectare site just outside of Toledo, this park features live shows that reenact historical events with incredible special effects, music, and stunt riding. As well as the breathtaking performances, Puy du Fou Madrid offers guests an immersive experience in traditional villages with authentic food and crafts to enjoy.
If you’re visiting Madrid, why not take a trip to Puy du Fou – one of Spain’s most unique attractions under an hour away from the city? Here are the top five reasons why you should visit, as well as all the information you’d need to do so.
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1. Puy du Fou’s unique shows
Puy du Fou Madrid is all about experiencing Spain’s history and the live shows are an exciting way to do this. During the day there are six main shows to enjoy, three indoor and three outdoor, all of which are inspired by real Spanish events or legends.
For example, Allende La Mar Oceána takes audience members on board the Santa María with Christopher Columbus in 1492 while Cetrería de Reyes features mesmerizing aerial displays from hundreds of gorgeous birds of prey.
Many of these unique performances also include exhilarating sword fights and trick riding on beautiful horses. One or two actors can often be spotted throughout the park performing smaller shows as well, which are often very funny.
Don’t worry about your Spanish skills here either! While all the shows are presented in Spanish, visitors can use the Puy du Fou app on their phones to listen to real-time translations in English or French. Just remember to bring your earphones so that you can enjoy the details.
At sunset, the main event takes place, El Sueño de Toledo (The Toledo Dream), an incredible experience featuring 200 actors on a five-hectare stage! This show covers 1,500 years of Spanish history and uses some amazing special effects, along with horse-riding, dancing, music, and fireworks. It’s the biggest show in Spain and no trip to Puy do Fou Madrid would be complete without seeing it.
2. Step back in time at a period village
As well as exciting live performances, Puy du Fou Madrid contains several villages where visitors can feel as though they have stepped back in time to a specific era in Spanish history.
The first of these you will encounter is El Arrabel, a 13th-century suburb located outside the town walls where travelers came to rest and recover their strength with good food.
Closer to the castle walls is La Puebla Real, a typical Castilian village where traditional crafts such as embroidery, pottery, and blacksmithing can be seen. This is also a great spot to get some authentic souvenirs to take home.
El Askar Andalusí is the military camp of Caliph Abderraman III, where you can wander amongst beautiful Moorish tents from the 10th century. Visitors can also enjoy traditional Arabian food and handicrafts in this section before heading to the 18th-century rural village of La Venta de Isidro. This area is centered around a farm with live animals and offers up delicious produce from the area to sample.
3. Puy du Fou is a hit with families
Puy du Fou Madrid is an excellent choice if you’re looking for places to visit near Madrid with children and even picky teenagers are sure to be amazed by the immersive elements of this theme park.
If you are visiting Puy du Fou with a child or teen who loves animals then they will be in their element here, particularly during the falconry show which features magnificent eagles and falcons.
In the village of La Venta de Isidro, there are numerous chickens, pigs, horses, cows, and goats. There’s also a section of centuries-old traditional grazing pastures, where visitors can see the donkeys, mules, and oxen relaxing or feeding.
Of course, the stunt riders on horseback and swashbuckling sword fights in the live shows are sure to impress everyone, while the fascinating items for sale at the stalls will delight visitors no matter their interests. Along with shields, swords, jewels, maps, hats, and silks, those with a sweet tooth can enjoy traditional marzipan figures from El Obrador de Tomé.
There are also fun seasonal events to experience here if you manage to time your visit to coincide with Christmas, for example. Expect to see traditional decorations as well as events like the arrival of the Three Kings, making Puy du Fou a great place to visit with family during the festive season.
4. Indulge in an array of cuisines on offer
While you can bring your own food and drink to save money, half the fun of visiting Puy du Fou is the opportunity to experience a wide variety of traditional restaurants serving classic Spanish cuisine!
There are several taverns and pubs serving historical dishes from Toledo within the park, along with grills, bars, a bakery, and even a sorbet stall to sample during your visit. At the Moorish camp visitors can try hummus, shawarma, and tabbouleh, or partake in a traditional tea ceremony with Damasco sweets.
Along with the delicious food and drinks, all of the restaurants at Puy du Fou recreate a particular point in time, with authentic decor and staff in traditional costumes.
Many of them also feature live music to enjoy alongside your meal as well. And while there are lots of treats for children (such as churros with chocolate), there are also beer, wine, and even cocktail bars for adults.
5. It’s so close to Madrid!
A visit to Puy du Fou is one of the best day trips from Madrid that you can do, partly because it’s so close and partly because it’s just so much fun – as well as being very informative for those interested in Spanish history.
The capital city of Madrid is a very popular destination in Spain owing to the many attractions within the city, including the Royal Palace of Madrid and the Prado Museum. Purchasing a Madrid travel pass is an excellent way to save money on seeing the main sights in Madrid but if you have time for a day trip, make sure it’s to Puy du Fou.
Since it’s located just a little outside of Toledo, it only takes around 55 minutes to get to Puy du Fou meaning you could leave the city early and spend the entire day enjoying the park before returning to Madrid after the spectacular evening show.
How to Get to Puy du Fou Spain
If you will have access to a car then you can drive directly from Madrid to Puy du Fou in around 55 minutes. The park offers plenty of free parking for guests. You can either buy your Puy du Fou tickets online or at the gate when you arrive.
It’s also easy to get to Puy du Fou from Madrid if you are using public transport. It takes about 33 minutes to reach Toledo from Madrid by train, and from the Toledo train station, you can get a taxi to the park in around 10 minutes.
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