Avila

Ávila is an impressive, fortified medieval town and the birthplace of St. Theresa of Avila who was born and lived here in the 16th century.

Two kilometers of medieval walls and nearly ninety stout towers completely encircle the old part of town. Seen from within or without, they are an impressive fortification built in Romanesque times. Alfonso VI ordered the construction of the Avila walls after his conquest of the town in 1090, using Moorish prisoners for the task.

Nearly 400 years later Ávila got its second claim to fame in the person of St. Theresa of Ävila. A devout mystic whose autobiography has inspired generations in their spiritual searches, she nonetheless played a practical and significant role in reforming convents across Spain.

Ávila also has a cathedral and numerous churches, monasteries, and convents.

Winters can be cold here, due in part to the town´s elevation above 1000 meters, but summers in turn are cool and pleasant.

Near Ávila, the Sierra de Gredos offers some of the best hiking in Spain. With much of it now preserved as a natural park, it harbors a wide range of widelife no longer found in the rest of Euope.

See our list of hotels in and near Avila.