This list of places to visit in Ávila It will help you prepare a trip to an incredible walled city that we are sure, will make you go back to the Middle Ages.
In addition to climbing the famous wall that completely surrounds the city, it is worth getting lost because of its old World Heritage Site, visiting churches and palaces, to end up eating a good Ribeye steak, something that can not be missed in any visit to the city. city.
Keep in mind that although visiting all the points of interest in Avila is enough with one day, we recommend you sleep in the city to enjoy relaxing walks at sunset when most tourists have already left.
Based on the experience of our last visit, considered one of the best excursions in Madrid, we have made this selection of what we believe are the 10 essential places to see in Ávila. We start!
1. The Wall
The Romanesque Wall, with a height of 12 meters and 3 meters thick, is the most famous monument to visit in Ávila.
Surrounding the entire city with its more than 2500 meters in length, the wall where 87 towers and 9 access doors are located, has made Ávila the best preserved medieval walled enclosure in Europe.
Built at the end of the 11th century to defend the city, the wall has undergone several restorations and variations over the centuries and it was even planned to tear it down in the 19th century to expand the city.
Among the most outstanding accesses to the medieval city are the Puerta del Alcázar and the Puerta de San Vicente, both impressive for their two large towers linked by a bridge.
In addition to these two accesses, we must also have the apse of the Cathedral, known as Cimorro and which is embedded in the same wall, as another tower.
To know the history of the wall and the city it is advisable to book this guided tour in Spanish that goes through all the important points of the old town.
Avila Wall
2. Walk through the Wall
Walking the 1,700 meters of wall open to the public, crossing towers and centuries-old doors, is one of the Top things to do in Ávila.
You can start this route by sections, going up the Puerta del Alcázar and walking along the wall in a 300-meter stretch, with views of the city and the Cathedral, from a privileged position.
Another longer section, of just over 1 kilometer, is the one that goes from the Puerta de San Vicente (access through San Segundo street) to Puerta del Carmen, where you can go down and leave the walled enclosure to take one of the photos more typical of the wall.
The price of the ticket that includes all the sections is 5 euros and it is also possible to take a guided tour.
Visiting hours: from April to October from 10am to 8pm, from July to August from 10am to 9pm and the other months from 10am to 6pm
Walk through the Walls
3. The Cathedral
The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was the first gothic cathedral in Spain and is another of the most beautiful places to see in Ávila.
This cathedral that was built around the 12th century had two functions: that of a religious temple and that of defensive fortress as part of the wall and although it has a quite sober exterior, in the great interior space you will find a cloister, the Choir, the Trascoro and a spectacular Altarpiece in the High Altar.
A good option to know the history of the cathedral is to book this guided tour that also includes the Basilica of San Vicente, the other most important religious temple in Ávila.
Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11: 45 a.m. to 8 p.m., from April to October. The rest of the months it closes at 6pm and on Sundays it opens from 10am to 5:30 pm.
Avila Cathedral
4. Market Square Chico
The Plaza del Mercado Chico, located in the heart of the historic center, is our favorite place to visit in Ávila.
Considered as the main square and ancient Roman forum, it is surrounded by medieval-style buildings with hospitality businesses on its ground floor and arcades on three sides.
On one side of this rectangular square is the Town Hall and in front the Church of San Juan Bautista.
Chico Market Square
5. Viewpoint of the Four Posts
The Mirador de Los Cuatro Postes, located on the left side of the Adaja River, is another of the essential places to see in Ávila, by offering the best views of this walled city.
To reach this religious monument formed by 4 Doric columns joined by an architrave, you will have to cross the wall through the Puerta del Carmen or the Puerta de la Adaja and walk about 500 meters across the river.
The first vision you will have when climbing to the top of this humiliadero with a cross in the center, will take you to the Middle Ages when populations were fortified to defend themselves against their enemies with great walls.
The best time to enjoy these views is at sunset when there is no backlight and the sun illuminates the wall.
Viewpoint of the Four Posts
Our recommended hotel in Ávila
Our recommended accommodation in the city is Hostal Doña Juana, located right next to the Puerta del Alcázar and 10 minutes from the train and bus station.
In addition to its excellent location, the hostel has a private bathroom in all rooms, a full breakfast, parking and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city.
6. Basilica of San Vicente
Crossing the Puerta de San Vicente you will reach the Basilica of San Vicente, another of the most important places to visit in Ávila.
This church built between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries following always the same model and architecture, is one of the best examples of Romanesque style in Spain in which its exterior stands out for having a porticoed part, for its reddish tones product of its construction with "limestone" and for its magnificent western cover.
Inside is the Cenotaph of the Holy Brothers Martyrs (Vicente, Sabina and Cristeta), one of the masterpieces of the Romanesque sculpture of the country.
Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm and Sundays from 4pm to 6pm from May to October. The rest of the months from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sundays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Basilica of San Vicente
7. Palaces, one of the places to visit in Ávila
Ávila's palaces stand out for interior courtyards and sober facades because many of them acted as a second line of fortification behind the walls.
Among the most recommended to see in Ávila are:
- Palace of the Velada: converted into a hotel with a beautiful glazed patio.
- Executioner's Palace: raised in the 16th century, it stands out for a sober facade and a stone boar on the left side.
- Palace of the Superunda: Renaissance style is the best preserved in the city.
- Palace of the Dávila: one of the best examples of fortified medieval palace.
- Núñez Vela Palace: 16th-century Renaissance style stands out for its porticoed inner courtyard.
- Torreón de los Guzmanes: Renaissance quadrangular tower with a double gallery arcaded patio.
Superunda, one of the palaces to see in Ávila
8. Convent of Santa Teresa
The Convent of Santa Teresa, built at the beginning of the 17th century and declared a National Monument, is one of the most beautiful churches to visit in Ávila.
Tradition says that this convent-church of Baroque style and subject to the order of the Carmelites, was built on the birthplace of Santa Teresa de Jesus and highlights its sober facade with an image of the Holy and several shields while inside there is the Santa Teresa Museum located in the crypt, the Relic Room, the Main Altar and the Birth Chapel.
A good way to follow the steps of Santa Teresa de Jesús in Ávila is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish.
Visiting hours: every day from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Santa Teresa convent
9. Gastronomy of Ávila
Another of the Top things to do in Ávila It is to try the local cuisine, which has several star dishes such as the Ávila t-bone steak, the stir-fried potatoes, the Castellana soup, the Barco and sweet beans, the delicious yolks of Santa Teresa.
To try all these copious dishes there are several restaurants among which the Bococo stands out, where we ate a magnificent steak and the scrambled potatoes.
Other recommended restaurants in the city are Los Candiles, Siglodoce and El Viejo Marqués.
T-bone steak from Ávila
10. Church of San Pedro
The Church of San Pedro, located in the Plaza del Mercado Grande just in front of the Puerta del Alcázar, is another of the buildings to visit in Ávila.
This Romanesque temple built in the first half of the twelfth century and declared a National Monument stands out for the cover of the north facade and its interior where you can see several works of art such as the altarpiece of the main chapel and the Renaissance altars in wood bleached
If you are going to spend the night in the city you can book this tour of legends in which you will see the main attractions of Ávila illuminated and you will know several curiosities.
St. Peter's Church
How to get to Ávila from Madrid
To get to Ávila from Madrid you can take a train at the Príncipe Pío station that will take you to the walled city in an hour and a half for less than 13 euros. You can book tickets in advance here.
Another cheaper alternative is to take a bus from the Jimenez Dorado company at the Méndez Alvaro South Station that will leave you in Ávila in an hour and twenty minutes for 8 euros, which you can also book on this page.
Ávila bus and train stations are a 10-minute walk from the Puerta del Alcázar.
If you prefer to know the history and go more comfortable, you can book any of these guided tours in Spanish from Madrid:
For more information on the transfer you can consult this post on how to get to Ávila from Madrid.
If you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 places to visit in Ávila, add yours in the comments.
