# Ávila: a day trip from Madrid > Ávila is a small historic town an hour and a half from Madrid, encircled by some of Europe's best-preserved medieval walls: nearly two and a half kilometres, 88 towers and nine gates. You can walk along the top, and inside are a cathedral whose apse is built into the wall, convents and the house where Saint Teresa was born. The old town is UNESCO-listed; allow a full day. Web page: https://yesgo.io/spain/madrid/avila - City: [Madrid](https://yesgo.io/spain/madrid), Spain - YesGo score: 27/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 6 h - Opening hours: The town is always open; walls and churches by day - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Town free; walls and cathedral ticketed - Getting there: Train or bus from Madrid ≈ 1.5 h - Highlights: The walls, the cathedral, Saint Teresa, Cuatro Postes - Time needed: A full day - Try: Yemas de Santa Teresa, chuletón steak - Location: ≈ 110 km north-west of Madrid - Coordinates: 40.65435, -4.69622 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1985** — the old town joined the UNESCO list (source: UNESCO, no. 348) - **≈ 2.5 km** — length of the walls (source: English Wikipedia) - **88 towers** — and 9 gates in the walls (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 1,130 m** — above sea level, Spain's highest provincial capital (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Ávila Ávila stands on a high plateau about **1,130 metres** above sea level, making it the highest provincial capital in Spain. It's famous for its **walls**, begun in the 11th century and almost completely intact: about **2.5 kilometres** long, with **88 towers** and **9 gates** around the old centre. From a distance Ávila looks like a storybook fortress. It's the birthplace of **Saint Teresa of Ávila**, one of Spain's most revered saints, a writer and founder of convents, so the town is full of churches and convents linked to her name. In **1985** the old town and its Romanesque churches outside the walls were added to the **UNESCO** list. ## The walls and cathedral You can walk along the top of the **walls** on several stretches, looking over the old town's tiled roofs, bell towers and the plain beyond. Access is ticketed, through the Alcázar or Carmen gates; the walkways are wide, with some steep stairs. It's especially lovely at sunset, when the stone turns golden. The **cathedral** is one of Spain's first Gothic cathedrals, and its massive apse is built right into the line of the walls, making the church part of the defences. Inside are a carved altarpiece, choir stalls and a museum. Nearby are the **Basilica of San Vicente** outside the gates, a 12th-century Romanesque church with a fine portal, and the **Convent of Saint Teresa**, built on the site of her family home. ## What to see in Ávila - **The town walls** — a walk along the top and 88 towers. - **The cathedral** — its apse built into the wall. - **Basilica of San Vicente** — a Romanesque church by the gates. - **Convent of Saint Teresa** — on the site of her home. - **Cuatro Postes** — a viewpoint over the whole town. - **Plaza Mayor** — cafés under the arcades. > **The best view** The classic panorama of Ávila is from the **Cuatro Postes** viewpoint on a hill across the Adaja river, showing the whole circuit of walls, towers and cathedral. It's 20 minutes on foot from the gates or a short taxi ride. Go towards sunset; the walls are floodlit in the evening. ## Food and sweets Ávila is famous for **yemas de Santa Teresa**, little sweets of egg yolk and sugar sold in every pastry shop. Try the celebrated **chuletón**, a thick steak of local Avileña beef grilled over coals, and the stewed beans from nearby villages. For lunch, try the restaurants around the Plaza Mayor or by the gates, many in old stone houses. Ávila is especially cosy in the cold months, when hearty Castilian food hits the spot. ## How to get there from Madrid 1. **Renfe** train from Príncipe Pío or Chamartín, about 1.5 hours to Ávila station. 2. From the station to the walls, about 15 minutes on foot. 3. Bus from **Estación Sur** bus station, about 1.5 hours. 4. By car, about 1 h 15 min on the AP-6 and AP-51. ## Tips for your trip Ávila sits high in the mountains, so it's noticeably cooler than Madrid: you'll want a jacket even on summer evenings, and winter can bring snow and strong winds. Wear comfortable shoes, as the walls and cobbled streets involve plenty of walking. In a day you can comfortably walk the walls, see the cathedral, San Vicente and the Convent of Saint Teresa, and climb to Cuatro Postes for sunset. With a car, Ávila combines with Segovia, about an hour apart, though each is best given its own day. With children Ávila is a fairy tale: walking the walls like knights, spotting towers and gates and tasting the sweets. The town is small and safe, with everything within walking distance. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a train or bus - [ ] Walk along the walls - [ ] Visit the cathedral - [ ] Climb to Cuatro Postes for sunset - [ ] Buy some yemas de Santa Teresa ## Places in Madrid: compare and choose Places in Madrid rated by YesGo. - [Royal Palace of Madrid](https://yesgo.io/spain/madrid/royal-palace-madrid) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 45 min · Paid - [Plaza Mayor](https://yesgo.io/spain/madrid/plaza-mayor-madrid) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free - [Toledo](https://yesgo.io/spain/madrid/toledo) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 6 h · Town free - [Segovia](https://yesgo.io/spain/madrid/segovia) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 6 h · Town free - [El Escorial](https://yesgo.io/spain/madrid/el-escorial) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 5 h · Paid - [Ávila](https://yesgo.io/spain/madrid/avila) — YesGo score 27/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 6 h · Town free ## Don't mix it up Ávila is the Castilian town of Saint Teresa. Don't confuse it with towns of the same name in Latin America. ## Tips - Walking the walls is the highlight. - Bring a jacket: it's cool up here. - Sunset from Cuatro Postes. - Try the yemas de Santa Teresa. ## Questions ### How do I get from Madrid to Ávila? By Renfe train from Príncipe Pío or Chamartín, or bus from Estación Sur, about 1.5 hours. ### What is there to see in Ávila? The walls, the cathedral, San Vicente, the Convent of Saint Teresa and the Cuatro Postes view. ### Can you walk on Ávila's walls? Yes, along several stretches, with a ticket. ### How long do you need in Ávila? A full day. ### What should I eat in Ávila? Yemas de Santa Teresa and chuletón steak from local beef. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia and UNESCO. Prices, hours and timetables weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - UNESCO: Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches (no. 348) - English Wikipedia: Ávila, Spain - Ávila tourism portal, avilaturismo.com --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.