A single goal drives the artists and creators who make Puy du Fou possible: the pursuit of beauty. They face each new day with passion to ensure that each show is a work of art, taking care of the smallest detail and with a maximum level of demand to achieve excellence.
For more than four decades, Puy du Fou has been creating moving shows thanks to a brilliant idea, a new generation of parks that stage history through impressive and exciting performances. From its beginnings in France in 1977 until 2019, when they disembarked in Toledo to tell us the history of Spain, professional experts in all fields, scriptwriters, decorators, designers, tamers, acrobats, technicians, gardeners…, put all their mastery at the service of the creations looking for the originality and harmony of the work. Professionals trained in Puy du Fou’s own academies, where more than six hundred young people are trained in lighting, scenery and props, riding, horseback riding, photography, video, show techniques, animal care and “flamenco”.
Puy du Fou, twice recognised as the best park in the world, is also concerned with the evolution of the social, environmental and humanitarian structure through various actions.
From the outset, it has considered respect for the environment and the protection of its natural environment to be of paramount importance, and has achieved this by implementing a global strategy of sustainable development. It is Green Globe certified, an international label dedicated to the travel and tourism sector that covers the three pillars of Corporate Social Responsibility: environmental, economic and social.
Among the many humanitarian actions undertaken by Puy du Fou is that of supporting in a special way the Akamasoa association in Madagascar, financing the construction of homes for families with limited resources and regularly sending containers of food and other material.
Finally, the Grand Parc de Puy du Fou collaborates with the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums by making donations to various associations to protect endangered species. In addition, as part of this programme, birds born in Puy du Fou are released into their natural habitat.
El Sueño de Toledo, a unique show
This grandiose night-time spectacle, which this year celebrates its fifth anniversary, takes us on a journey through 1,500 years of Spanish history. And it does so by seeking to entertain rather than to educate; with no pretensions to teach the history of this country, but rather to entertain, while ensuring that what is told is faithful to historical events. To achieve this, they have a team of Spanish historians in charge of guaranteeing the historical rigour of the script.
But what is the plot of El Sueño de Toledo? No one better than the park itself to answer this question: “At sunset, on the banks of the Tajo river, Maria, the young washerwoman, meets the old Azacán of Toledo. The old man guides her on a journey through time in which she relives the great hours of Spanish history. In front of them, in a breathtaking and moving night-time fantasy, History is born again, rising from the city walls and the depths of the old sleepy river. From the Kingdom of Recaredo to the Navas de Tolosa, from the discovery of America to the arrival of the Railway, this giant fresco ends in apotheosis with the dance of the Spanish provinces immersing the spectators through 1,500 years of History, thanks to 200 actors and spectacular special effects. More than an hour of a great show never seen before, “The Toledo Dream”, a unique show in the world!“
This grandiose staging, which will soon have a larger seating capacity for up to seven thousand spectators and which extends the calendar of performances to one hundred and fifty-two days, presents a new scene inspired by the Silver Century, a key period in Spanish literature as well as in the world of inventions, aviation and the automobile. In addition, another show “A pluma y Espada” has recently received the Best Show in the World award from the IAAPA (International Association of Parks and Attractions).
On a stage of five hectares with almost four thousand square metres of scenery, two thousand characters represented by two hundred actors, as well as riders, acrobats and thirty Spanish-bred horses, and in which we can admire one thousand seven hundred period costumes, are some of the means that Puy du Fou has at its disposal to give us an exciting seventy-minute show.
The constant emotion of Puy du Fou
In addition to El Sueño de Toledo and the aforementioned show set in the Silver Century, Puy du Fou has six other daytime shows of shorter duration. “El Último Cantar”, which tells the story of the exploits of a legendary hero: El Cid Campeador; “A Pluma y Espada” which revives the adventures of the illustrious Lope de Vega; “Cetrería de Reyes”, una magnífica representación cetrera con más de doscientas aves y rapaces; “Allende la Mar Océana”, an immersive journey to relive the epic voyage that took Christopher Columbus and his crew to America; “El Misterio de Sorbaces” that revives the greatness of the Visigothic kingdom and “De Tal Palo”, which gives a well-deserved spotlight to those anonymous heroes who played a leading role in history and helped to shape today’s Spain.
Many other proposals for an unforgettable day
Between one performance and another, there are many options available at Puy du Fou. Lose yourself in the streets of the Pueblos de Época such as “Villanueva del Corral”, a humble inn with a great Corral de Comedias where the best plays of the kingdom are performed; “El Askar Andalusí”, the military camp of the great caliph Abderramán III, where the essence of Medina Azahara can be perceived among tents and tents without renouncing the luxuries of the palace; “La Puebla Real”, born after King Alfonso VI gave privileged lands to some of his best free men; “El Arrabal”, a place to rest and regain strength if your intentions are good, and if they are not, the rod awaits those who break the sheriff’s rules and finally, “La Venta de Isidro”, oil from Isidro and María’s olive-oil mill, wines that have been trodden as in the old days and the best cheese and meat in La Mancha.
Stroll through the Stalls and Workshops to discover “El Sibarita”, where the finest food can be found in the house of Yosef El Sefardi; “Yelmos y Alhajas”, in which shields, swords and jewels are the memory of a hundred ladies and a thousand exploits; “El Amanuense Iluminador”, Ildefonso’s workshop is full of parchments, vellum and leather manuscripts; “El Maravedí”, where you can discover ancient trade routes and admire maps of hidden corners, silks and jewels; “El Espadero de Vivar”, master Antonio masters the secret of alchemy and his hands transform steel into wonders; “La Dulcería de María”, the place where María “la Abuela” is in charge of sugaring and sweetening the life of the Puebla Real; “El Obrador de Tomé”, which uses the centuries-old marzipan recipe to make figurines, eels and statues; “La Sombrerería de Julia”, where the most colourful hats of La Puebla are made and “La Alcándara del Cetrero”, all the knowledge and objects about caliph birds in the possession of the great falconer.
This unforgettable experience cannot end without visiting the “Alijares”, grazing lands since ancient times and witnesses of the wandering of the centuries and where it is obligatory to “greet” the endearing animals that live there.
After so many emotions, it’s time to get your strength back, and here too Puy du Fou is generous. You can opt for restaurants such as “El Bodegón del Capitán”, where you can enjoy a meal in the company of a captain of the Tercios Viejos; The memory of the French king still lingers in the “Mesón de Carlomagno”; “El Mesón del Buen Yantar” offers local flavours cooked with saffron, rosemary and thyme in the most famous mesón in the Alfoz de Toledo; “Los Arroces de Lepanto”, is a reminder of the typical rice dishes from the Italian area of Messina that the troops of the Holy League, under the command of John of Austria, tasted while waiting for the beginning of the Great Battle of Lepanto and finally, “La Hospedería de Santiago” with Rodrigo Ordóñez at the helm of the hospedería de la Puebla Real, where you can rest and recover your strength with meat from the local herds and local wine.
Another tempting and delicious proposal are the barbecues and tascas in Puy du Fou, which offer specialities such as “pita” bread stuffed with meat, hot dogs, hamburgers, salads, a variety of toasts, grilled meats, cheeses from La Mancha and wine, craft beers and “tapas”, cokes and local dishes, jacket potatoes, hummus and poultry kebabs or cocktails.
And for dessert, the delicacies on offer at “El Mezzé de Ziryab”, tea and Damascus sweets from the Caliph’s kitchens; “Los Helados del Visir”, ice creams and sorbets made with mandarins, lemons and oranges from the gardens of Medina Azahara and “La Gofrería de Doña Elvira”, famous for its waffles and hot chocolate that will make the return journey easier.
