Ávila is a small Spanish city that is famous for its medieval walls. Walking these walls is one of the most popular things to do in Ávila, but visitors can also visit a few museums, climb the bell tower for a view of the city, and tour a few important religious sites.
Ávila makes a great day trip from Madrid. It has a relatively short list of things to do, so a visit here takes about half of a day. With the rest of your time, you can add on El Escorial, Segovia, or return to Madrid and spend the afternoon here.
In this guide, not only do we cover the best things to do in Ávila, but we will also let you know exactly how to plan a day trip to Ávila from Madrid.
But first, here a few interesting facts about Ávila.
Interesting Facts about Ávila
Ávila is a small city that is surrounded by medieval walls. These walls completely surround the city center and they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ávila has the nickname Town of Stones and Saints, since it has one of the highest numbers of churches per capita in Spain.
Orson Welles spent some time in Ávila. He called it a “strange, tragic place,” and several scenes of his movie Chimes at Midnight were filmed here.
Where is Ávila?
Ávila is located in the autonomous community of Castile and León, about 100 km northwest of Madrid.
Ávila is one of the most popular day trips from Madrid and it is commonly combined with Segovia and/or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
Best Way to Get to Ávila
If you are traveling from Madrid, you can get to Ávila by car, train, bus, and by tour.
Taking the train is one of the best ways to get to Ávila. Trains take an hour and a half to two hours. The Ávila train station is located east of the city center. From the train station, it is an 18-minute walk to get to medieval walls and city center. Use the Renfe website to look up train timetables and fares and to purchase your train tickets.
If you have a rental car, it takes roughly an hour and a half to drive to Ávila (depending on your starting point in Madrid and traffic). The advantage of having a car is that it makes it easier to add on the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and Segovia. In Ávila, the most convenient place to park is El Grande Telpark by Empark, which is located next to Plaza del Mercado Grande, just outside of the medieval walls.
The bus is the cheapest option and faster than the train, but you will have to get to the Madrid South Station to get on the bus. The bus takes an hour and 15 minutes and is operated by Jimenez Dorado.
There are many tour options, from day trip tours that only visit Ávila to those that move faster and also include Segovia, Salamanca, and/or Toledo. This tour combines Ávila with Segovia.
Best Things to Do in Ávila
This list of things to do in Ávila starts with the must-see sights and ends with a few places that are worth it only for those with a lot of time (for example, for those spending a full day in Ávila).
1. Walk the Medieval Walls of Ávila
The Walls of Ávila (Las Murallas de Ávila) are the #1 thing to do in Ávila. These ancient, medieval walls are very well preserved, complete with magnificent gates, towers, and turrets.
Puerta del Alcázar
Construction on these walls began in 1090 and took several hundred years to complete. The walls are 2,500 meters in circumference and completely surround the city center.
80 towers and 9 gates are located within the walls, as well as a few buildings in Ávila.
Two of the most famous gates in the walls include Puerta del Alcázar (located on the east side of the walls, next to Plaza del Mercado Grande) and Puerta de San Vicente (on the northeast corner, near the Basilica of San Vicente).
The Walls of Ávila are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
How to Walk the Walls of Ávila
Even though the walls make a complete circle, some buildings and towers block the walkways so visitors can only walk two portions of the walls.
Puerta del Alcázar
Inside of Puerta del Alcázar there is a small ticket booth that sells tickets to walk the walls. Next to the booth is a staircase that leads up onto the walls.
From this short stretch of walls, you get views over Plaza Adolfo Suárez, looking south of Ávila, and a close-up view of the cathedral. From this section, you can also take a unique photo of the Church of St. Peter through the archway of Puerta del Alcázar.
A view of Ávila from the walls. In the photo are the steps leading onto the walls, and right next to this is a building that looks like a small shed. This is the ticket booth.
Puerta de la Catedral
This entrance sits outside of the walls, to the left of Puerta de la Catedral. It is inside of what was once the tourist office. Look for a doorway with the sign “Entrada a la Muralla’ over the door. Go inside, take the stairs up to the gift shop, and show your ticket (if you already visited the first section of walls) or purchase your ticket here.
We thought the views from this section of walls are slightly better. The walls a bit higher and since they curve here, you can take some cool photos from the turrets and capture views of the walls. You also get a spectacular view of the Basilica of San Vicente.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased at the Puerta del Alcázar entrance or the Puerta de la Catedral entrance. It is a combination ticket, so it is valid for both entrances.
2. Paseo del Rastro
Paseo del Rastro is a walkway that runs along the outside of the medieval walls, wrapping around the southeast corner of the walls. This is a very good place to take a photo of the outside of the walls.
3. Visit the Ávila Cathedral
The Ávila Cathedral, also called the Cathedral of the Savior, is one of the oldest Gothic cathedrals in Spain. Construction began in the 12th century and continued for 500 years.
The immense, Gothic nave is awe inspiring. There are beautiful side chapels, an immense, richly decorated altarpiece, and a small museum that contains works of art, including a portrait painted by El Greco.
San Bernabe Chapel
Tickets can be purchased online in advance. Get hours and pricing on the official website.
You also have the option to climb the bell tower for panoramic views over the city. This is a new addition since our visit, so unfortunately we don’t have photos to share, but we love tower climbs and the views. The tower climb is done with a guide at specific times of the day, so refer to the official website for the schedule and to make your ticket reservations in advance.
4. Plaza Mayor
Plaza Mayor, also called Plaza Mercado Chico, is the main plaza that is located in the center of Ávila. This plaza is surrounded by archways and in the warmer months, the tables of cafes and restaurants spill out into the square.
5. The Convent of Santa Teresa
Teresa of Ávila was a Carmelite nun who was born in 1515. She was a religious reformer who was canonized by the Pope 40 years after her death.
The Basilica of Santa Teresa was built on top of the house where Santa Teresa was born. On a visit to the church, you can still see the room where she was born, as this was preserved during construction of the basilica.
To the right of the church is a small museum which contains a piece of cloth worn by Saint Teresa, one of her sandals, one of her fingers, and two bones of St. John of the Cross.
6. The Basilica of San Vicente
This church is one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in Spain.
It sits outside of the Ávila Walls, across the street from Puerta de San Vicente. Construction began in the 12th century and the basilica has a Latin cross plan with three naves. On a visit here, you can descend below the basilica to see the crypt.
Basilica of San Vicente (photo taken from the Ávila walls)
7. The Church of St. Peter
This small church was also built in Romanesque style. Its construction began in 1100, making it slightly older than the Basilica of Saint Vincent. The Church of St. Peter sits on Plaza del Mercado Grande, outside of the medieval walls.
Church of St. Peter
8. The Royal Monastery of Saint Thomas
This monastery (also called Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás) was founded in 1482 to honor Saint Thomas Aquinas. It was commissioned by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
Royal Monastery of Saint Thomas
On a visit here, you will see the three cloisters (Cloisters of the Novices, Cloisters of Silence, and the Cloisters of the Kings) as well as the interior of the church. There are two small museums and we thought the Museum of Natural Sciences was the more interesting of the two.
The monastery is located outside of the Walls of Ávila, about a 10-minute walk from Plaza del Mercado Grande. A visit here lasts about one hour.
9. Verraco de Muñogalindo
Verraco de Muñogalindo is a stone statue of a bull from 200 BC. It sits on Calle de Lopez Nunez, next to Palacio de los Verdugo.
Verraco de Muñogalindo
10. Indulge on Yemas de Santa Teresa
Yemas de Santa Teresa are candied egg yolks. They can be found all over Spain but the best place to get them is here in Ávila, the birthplace of Santa Teresa.
Santa Teresa Shop & Café is a small pastry shop located next to Plaza del Mercado Grande, across the street from Puerta del Alcázar. They sell Yemas de Santa Teresa, plus many other sweet treats, coffee, and juices.
11. Los Cuatros Postes & Letronas Avila
For one of the best views, drive, walk (about 1.6 km/20 minutes walking time from the Ávila Cathedral), or take a tuk tuk tour to Los Cuatros Postes. From this viewpoint, which sits west of town, you get a panoramic view of Ávila and its medieval walls. At this same spot is an Ávila sign, a great spot to take a family or group photo.
Things to Do Near Ávila
The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
El Escorial is the largest Renaissance building in the world. It is a Spanish royal site and is a historical residence of the King of Spain. This building also functions as a basilica, monastery, museum, university, and library. It is the burial site for many of the Spanish kings in the past five centuries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
El Escorial is located in the town of Escorial, which is located between Ávila and Madrid. Tickets can be purchased online in advance on the official website or onsite.
Since it is the largest Renaissance building in the world, this place is massive, and even if you move quickly, it takes at least an hour to tour the various rooms. If you take your time, budget 2 to 3 hours for the entire visit. It is well worth the visit, to see the pantheon and the intricately painted rooms.
The library
Teniers Tapestry Room
We had a car, so we visited Ávila in the morning and El Escorial in the afternoon. In Escorial, we parked at Public Parking BENCAR EGS, a small parking garage with a handy location across the street from El Escorial. You can also get from Ávila to Escorial by train (about 1 hour travel time)
Segovia
Segovia is a small city famous for its Roman aqueduct, medieval castle and fortress, and its Gothic cathedral. It is a gorgeous city and yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located 65 km northeast of Ávila and commonly paired together (as on this tour), on a day trip from Madrid. Plan your visit with our Guide to Segovia.
Toledo
Toledo was the capital of Spain until 1561. The city center of Toledo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and things to do here include visiting its spectacular cathedral, walking the extremely picturesque city streets, visiting a few important religious sites, and getting a view of the city from its towers and miradors.
Toledo sits south of Madrid. Visiting Toledo was our favorite day trip from Madrid. Because of its long list of things to do and its location, we think it is best to dedicate a full day to Toledo, rather than pairing it with Ávila or Segovia. However, if you have very limited time, you can visit both Ávila and Toledo on the same day, as in this tour, but be aware that you will get to see very little of Toledo.
Best Things to Do in Ávila: On a Map
How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.
How Much Time Do You Need in Ávila?
A half of a day is all you need to walk the walls, visit the Ávila Cathedral, and visit the Basilica of San Vicente, three of the main places to visit, plus go through a stroll through town. With more time, you can add on the Convent of Santa Teresa, do a little shopping, and sit down to lunch or dinner.
How to Plan an Ávila Day Trip from Madrid
When planning your Ávila day trip from Madrid, there are two main things to consider: whether you also plan to add on a second city/site and your mode of transportation (car, train, bus, tour, etc.).
Since it takes roughly half of a day to visit Ávila, on a day trip from Madrid you can either solely visit Ávila or combine it with another site or city. Segovia or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial are the best options, due to their proximity to Ávila.
Ávila is very easy to get to by train and bus from Madrid. However, from our research, it is difficult to travel from Ávila to Segovia or El Escorial using public transportation. If you want to visit Ávila and Segovia in one day, it is best to travel by rental car or take a tour.
If you want to include El Escorial or Segovia to an Ávila day trip, it is best to leave Madrid by 8:00 or 8:30 am, to reach Ávila by 10 am. It takes about 2 hours to visit the cathedral, walk the two sections of walls, visit the Basilica of San Vicente, and go for a stroll through town. If you want to add on the other churches or the Royal Monastery of Saint Thomas, or sit down to lunch, add on another one to two hours.
WHAT WE DID: We traveled by rental car. We started in Ávila at 10 am and spent about three and a half hours visiting the main sites. This wasn’t the healthiest option, but we ate snacks and pastries from Santa Teresa Shop & Café on the drive to El Escorial. Tim and I visited El Escorial in the afternoon and then we were back in Madrid in time for dinner.
Best Tours of Ávila
This tuk tuk tour of Ávila is very quick (less than one hour) and is a great way to get to Mirador de los Cuatro Postes for a panoramic view of Ávila. This is a good option for those traveling by train or bus, since this viewpoint sits outside of town and a very long walk from the other sights in Ávila.
Visit both Ávila and Segovia on a day trip from Madrid on this very highly rated tour.
This full day tour from Madrid includes both Ávila and Salamanca.
In one day, visit Segovia, Ávila, and Toledo on a guided tour from Madrid. It moves very fast through each city but for those with limited time, it is the best way to visit all three cities in a single day.
If you have any questions about how to plan a trip to Ávila or the best things to do in Ávila, let us know in the comment section below.
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