How many American kids are passionate about the Spanish Renaissance artist El Greco? I think we can agree that the answer is probably “Not many . . . if any.” How can we change that? We could start by taking our kids to Toledo.

Toledo, Ohio? No. There is a much older Toledo.

Early one morning, we are looking for it on the departure board at Madrid’s Atocha Station. We head down an escalator to the assigned platform and board a futuristic high-speed train. Thirty-five minutes later, we disembark in one of the most picturesque cities in all of Spain. No wonder the Greek-born El Greco (real name, Domenikos Theotokopoulos) chose to settle here in the 16th century.

One of his most famous paintings, View of Toledo, now resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. If you’re not able to see it in person ahead of coming to Toledo, it is at least worth bringing with you a postcard of the 410-year-old masterpiece.

From the station, we take a cab to the southern bank of the River Tagus and stop at one of the viewing areas next to the road. Now take out the postcard. Look at the view. Look at the painting. If the kids say “Wow!” their conversion into El Greco fans has begun.

We are standing high above the river, which flows through a deep valley that enfolds the city on three sides. More than four centuries after El Greco set up his easel, the view remains instantly recognizable.

Tightly packed tiled roofs cling to a steep hillside, threaded through with a maze of narrow roads and alleys. Rising out of the jostle is the tall bell tower of the cathedral, and there, presiding over the city from the top of the hill, stands the Alcázar, the formidable fortress that has defended Toledo since Roman times.

It doesn’t take much imagination to turn Toledo into the setting for a swashbuckling adventure. Little has changed here since knights in gleaming armor thundered across the stone bridges and through the city gates on their mighty horses. With barely contained anticipation, it is time for us to follow in their hoof steps. We leave behind the breathtaking panorama and cross the river into the city.

We abandon the taxi outside the city walls. As we will soon discover, the streets of Toledo are not designed for modern traffic. There are several fortified entrances; the most exotic is Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun), which was built in the 14th century in the Moorish style. Its horseshoe arch could be straight out of the Arabian Nights and is a solid reminder that for centuries Spain was under Arab rule.

That legacy is plain to see nearby when we visit the Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz (the Mosque of Christ the Light), one of the oldest surviving Moorish monuments in Spain. The building’s convoluted history is typical of this city. Originally, a Visigoth church stood on this spot. In the 10th century, a mosque was constructed by Musa Ibn Ali, whose name is inscribed in Arabic on an exterior wall. The interior of his building, with its forest of horseshoe arches, has remained largely intact since then.

According to legend, when the Christian king Alfonso VI entered the mosque after conquering the city in 1085, he found behind the stonework a crucifix illuminated by a candle that had burned continuously during the 350 years of Muslim rule. Hence the building’s current name.

We continue into the city, negotiating ever steeper, ever narrower streets. When occasional vehicles try to squeeze through, we are forced to stand with our backs to the wall to make room. Soon we reach the heart of the city, the Cathedral of Toledo.

It is no surprise to discover that the present building was preceded on this site by a great mosque and before that by a Visigoth church. Every inch of the city conceals layers of history.

The interior of the cathedral is full of visual wonders. Behind the altar is the Baroque masterpiece, El Transparente; carved figures shimmer in the sunlight beaming down through a purpose-made hole in the ceiling. The huge altarpiece in the Capilla Mayor presents stunning scenes from the life of Christ, framed in intricate gilt work. Anyone with a mischievous sense of humor will enjoy the wooden carvings decorating the choir stalls, which range from the gory to the downright rude.

Back outside, we are plunged once more into the labyrinth of medieval streets, passing shops selling Toledo’s two most famous products: marzipan and steel.

This is one of the few places in the world where you can buy a made-to-measure suit of armor or a traditional sword. A short walk from the cathedral, swords are still made the old-fashioned way in Fabrica Zamorano. Here you can watch as the blades are created in the white heat of the forge before being expertly shaped and sharpened.

As for marzipan, the best shop in town is Confitería Santo Tomé, which has been run by the same family since 1856. When you start to tire during your exploration of the city, it’s the perfect place to pick up an energy boost.

On we go, into the Jewish Quarter. If anything, the streets become even more confusing. That confusion is heightened when we reach El Transito Synagogue. This 14th-century building is simple enough from the outside, but the interior is another story.

It’s like stepping into an Arabian fairy-tale palace. Muslim craftsmen were employed to carve into the walls an incredible sequence of symmetrical designs. The Jewish and Muslim influences were retained when the synagogue became a church, entwining three religions under one roof.

Religion was the main reason El Greco came to Toledo. Soon the city itself was as much an inspiration to him as his faith. He lived here for the last 37 years of his life, and it is here that his greatest masterpiece is proudly displayed.

We follow a group of schoolchildren into the Church of Santo Tomé. Initially, they are chattering loudly. But when they assemble beneath the imposing painting, they fall to mesmerized silence.

We are looking at The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, which El Greco painted between 1586 and 1588. It is one of the most powerful depictions of death in the history of art. And yet it is full of color and life.

Around the corner, we visit the Museo del Greco, dedicated to the great artist’s work. By now, we are able to pick out the characteristics that make El Greco’s work so distinctive: the vibrant colors, the slightly elongated figures.

The museum’s centerpiece is his other great cityscape, View and Plan of Toledo. Again, we marvel at how little has changed here — and we realize that, as a consequence, we have changed. Under the spell of architecture and art, we will depart with an enduring love of Toledo and a passion for the work of El Greco.

Info To Go

The nearest international airport is Madrid Barajas (MADMADMAD). A visit to Toledo can easily be combined with a stay in Madrid; the cities are linked by high-speed rail, with 10 daily departures in each direction. A single ticket from Madrid’s Atocha Station costs $11; a return is $21. Children over 3 and under 14 qualify for a 40 percent discount. For more information, visit www.spain.info.

Lodging

Hotel Cigarral de Caravantes

This charming, 22-room hillside hotel offers panoramas worthy of El Greco. Carretera de Circunvalación 2, tel 34 925 283680 $$

Hotel Fontecruz Toledo

This luxurious hotel occupies the Renaissance residence of Empress Eugenia de Montijo. Check out the Roman and Arab ruins in the basement spa. Plaza del Juego de Pelota 7, tel 34 902 444099 $$$$

Parador de Toledo

Legend says the site of this hotel, on the ridge of a hill overlooking the city, was El Greco’s vantage point for View of Toledo. Spacious guestrooms, a sunny terrace and a seasonal pool are highlights. Cerro del Emperador, tel 34 925 221850 $$$

Dining

Com.Es Cafetería & Restaurante

With a funky décor and a menu offering international standards (burgers, pizzas) and local specialties, this place will please the whole family. Calle Sierpe 4, tel 34 925 257560 $$

Madre Tierra

Here’s a healthy option. The friendly eatery on a narrow street behind the cathedral ranks as the best vegetarian restaurant in town. Bajada de la Tripería 2, tel 34 925 223571 $$

Restaurant e Locum

Atmospherically occupying a 17th-century house close to the cathedral, this popular restaurant is especially famous for its confectionary, including Toledo marzipan. Calle Locum 6, tel 34 925 223235 $$$$