Northwest of Madrid is a city recognized as having the best-preserved Medieval city walls in all of Europe. The city of Avila is also famous as the birthplace of St Teresa who is a well-known mystic in the Catholic Church and who founded a number of convents throughout Spain. The city center is extremely pleasant to stroll and a walk on the walls produces some spectacular views of the city within and the countryside beyond.

 

     Begin the walk in the Plaza and Parque de San Vicente, just outside the city walls in the northwest corner of the city center. Before entering the centro, check out the Basilica de San Vicente, one of the city’s most beautiful churches. Then cross the plaza and proceed through the walls at the Puerta de San Vicente, the most impressive of the city’s nine gates. Turn left immediately and walk along Del Tostado to Avila’s imposing Cathedral, built right into the walls and forming part of the fortifications.

     From the Cathedral, turn left and hug the walls of the Cathedral and walk along Calle Cruz Vieja to admire the Puerta del Alcazar, another entryway into the city. From here take Calle Generalisimo Franco then turn left and cross the square to the east to St Ignacius of Loyola Church. Pass the church and Episcopal Palace on the Plaza y Deniel to the Palacio de los Davila. Around the palace and a little further southward is the Plaza General Mola.

      From here take Madre Soledad into Saint Teresa Square and the Convent of St Teresa. Here in the plaza there are tributes to this "favorite daughter" everywhere. At the nearby Puerta de Santa Teresa, you can climb up and begin a walk of the walls. The entire circuit is just over a mile long and worth it if you have time. At least walk back to the Puerta de San Vicente, where you entered the city, by using the walls, to get some interesting glimpses of city life below.

       Before leaving be sure to drive around the city to see the incredible walls from the outside.