Ávila's medieval walls are the best-preserved in Europe — 2.5 km of unbroken fortification, 88 towers, and 9 gates encircling the old town. The first sight of them from the meseta is unforgettable, and walking along the top gives you a soldier's-eye view of the Castilian plain stretching in every direction.
Inside the walls, the Cathedral doubles as a fortress — its apse is built directly into the city wall, forming one of the defensive towers. The interior is a fine example of transitional Romanesque-Gothic architecture. The Basílica de San Vicente, outside the walls, is one of the most important Romanesque churches in Spain.
Ávila is the city of Santa Teresa, the 16th-century mystic and reformer who was born here. The Convento de Santa Teresa marks her birthplace, and sites related to her life and the Carmelite reform are scattered across the city.
The city has all services — good restaurants, accommodation at every level (the Parador is inside the walls), supermarkets, and transport connections. The local specialty is chuletón de Ávila — a massive grilled T-bone steak from the local breed of cattle. The yemas de Santa Teresa, egg-yolk sweets, are the traditional dessert.
At 1,131 m above sea level, Ávila is one of the highest provincial capitals in Spain. Pack warm clothes — even in summer, evenings can be cool.
The Fiesta de Santa Teresa (October 15) celebrates the city's patron saint with religious ceremonies, processions, and cultural events. Summer festivals in June-July feature medieval markets and theatrical performances in the streets around the walls.
Ávila's walls were built in the late 11th century as the Christian frontier advanced south during the Reconquista. The city was repopulated by settlers from northern Castile, and its position on the meseta made it both strategically important and brutally cold. Santa Teresa de Jesús (1515-1582), born here, reformed the Carmelite order and produced some of the finest mystical literature in any language. She was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970.
