The beautiful walled city of Avila, Spain is located in the region of Castile and Leon.  Just an hour and 1/2 drive from the Madrid airport, driving along rolling green fields, pastures and beautiful landscapes.  Arrival in Avila, the capital of the Province of Avila, you are met with extraordinary beauty and fascinating history. The wall city dates back to the 11th century.  The city was built on a rocky area near the Adaja river, a tributary of the Duero river, a very important waterway for this region.

It is sometimes called the Town of Stones and Saints because of the magnificent walls built in Romanesque style to protect the city. Filled with Gothic churches it is the birthplace of Saint Teresa.  The church and convent of St. Teresa is the house where she was born.  Today there is the museum of St. Teresa below the church.  In 1886, the church and convent were designated a Historical Monument and later designated a National Monument in 1968. Avila is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Points of interest:

Church of San Juan Bautista The Baptism
The Shrine of San Sebastian  – Los Cuatro Postes (The Four Posts) The escape To Moorish Lands
Monastery of La Encarnacion
Convent of Nuestra Senora De Gracia
Monastery of San Jose
Royal Monastery of Santo Tomas
Cathedral of Avila
Basilica of San Vicente

More information:
turismocastillayleon.com
muralladeavilla.es
catedralavila.com
basilicasanvicente.com

The walls of the city are very well maintained, dating back to the 11th century where these same walls protected the city from invasions. This photo captures an area of the wall where offices of city hall are located.

Monuments, churches and cathedrals dot this city! This is also the birth city of St. Teresa.

The beauty of the well maintained walled city and its churches and cathedrals is evident around every corner. And, with a beautiful blue sky, the almost rose colored stone creates the perfect photo.

With no shortage in wonderful food and wine, La Bruja restaurant and bar served our group an outstanding lunch.

Iberico ham! Spain is known for exporting this delicious ham and we had an opportunity to see how it is carved and served – and we enjoyed it for lunch too.

A refreshing non-alcholoic welcome drink!

A favorite dish of this region. Sweet potatoes with chunks of pork. Wonderful.