The Walled City & the Home of Saint Teresa
Just under 1h 30min from the capital by train or bus. UNESCO walled city, birthplace of Saint Teresa, easiest pairing with Segovia in one day.
If you can spare one day from Madrid, Ávila is one of the most atmospheric small cities you can visit in Castile. You can travel from the capital in about 1 hour 30 minutes by Renfe regional train or by Avanza bus, and you will find a UNESCO World Heritage walled city perched on a high meseta plateau at 1,130 metres — the highest provincial capital in Spain. The 11th-century walls run for 2.5 kilometres around the old town with 88 towers, and at the entrance you will see the Convent of Saint Teresa, built on the very house where Saint Teresa of Ávila was born in 1515.
For most travellers, the most rewarding way to visit is by pairing Ávila with Segovia in a single day. Our Ávila & Segovia day tour (from €50, around 10 hours 30 minutes door-to-door) leaves at 08:30 from San Bernardo 5 in the Gran Vía area, in an air-conditioned coach with a bilingual guide (English / Spanish). The itinerary is honest: a panoramic photo stop at Los Cuatro Postes viewpoint outside the walls and free time inside Ávila to walk the medieval streets at your own pace — there is no formal guided tour inside Ávila itself — followed by a guided walking tour of around 60 minutes in Segovia. If you only want to visit Ávila on your own, the Renfe regional train from Chamartín train station is the easiest alternative.
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Ávila is compact enough that you can cover the main sights on foot during the free time of our tour, or on a self-organised day. Here is what you will find inside and just outside the medieval walls.
Two access points let you walk on top of the 11th-century battlements: from the Casa de las Carnicerías next to the town hall, and from the Puerta del Alcázar. Entry around €5 (not included in our tour — you can add it during free time).
Built on the very house where Saint Teresa of Ávila was born in 1515. The church holds her birthplace chapel, a small museum and relics. Free entry, the city's main pilgrimage stop.
The first Gothic cathedral built in Spain (12th century), with its apse forming part of the city walls themselves — a unique fusion of religious art and military defence. Entry around €6.
A jewel of Castilian Romanesque architecture, raised over the spot where Saint Vincent and his sisters were martyred in the 4th century. Make sure to see the side reliefs on the western portico.
The main square (Ávila's Plaza Mayor) sits just behind the cathedral, ringed by porticoed houses and traditional restaurants. The local specialty is chuletón de Ávila — a giant T-bone steak — but tapas options are everywhere.
Four granite columns on a small hill just outside the walls give you the postcard view of Ávila — the entire walled perimeter laid out against the Gredos mountains. Our tour includes a panoramic photo stop here.
Honest disclaimer: this tour gives you free time inside Ávila but does not run a guided walk inside Ávila itself — the formal 60-minute guided walking tour happens in Segovia in the afternoon. You can self-guide the walls and the Santa Teresa convent during your Ávila time.
There are three main ways you can travel from the capital to Ávila. Note that there is no direct high-speed AVE service to Ávila — the train option is regional Media Distancia, not AVE.
from €50
10h 30min
Round-trip air-conditioned coach + bilingual guide (English / Spanish) + photo stop at Los Cuatro Postes + free time inside Ávila + 60-minute guided walking tour in Segovia. Departure from San Bernardo 5 at 08:30. Best value if you want both cities in one trip.
from €14
1h 30 min
Direct service from Chamartín train station to Ávila station. Note: this is regional Media Distancia, not high-speed AVE — there is no direct AVE to Ávila. From the train station, the medieval walls are a 15-minute walk uphill.
from €8
1h 30 min
Direct service from Estación Sur (Méndez Álvaro) bus station to Ávila. The bus drops you a 10-minute walk from the walls. Similar travel time to the train, slightly cheaper. A good fit if you are on a tight budget.
If you are short on time, the train and the bus take about the same; our tour wins on context, the Cuatro Postes photo stop and the pairing with Segovia — you will not have to plan a single ticket or a single transfer.
Were built in the 11th century and are the best-preserved medieval walls in Europe — 2.5 km perimeter, 88 towers and 9 gates. You can walk on top of two open sections with views over the meseta plateau.
Built on the birthplace of Saint Teresa of Ávila, patron saint of Spain. The city's main pilgrimage centre, with the saint's birthplace chapel and a small museum of relics.
The first Gothic cathedral built in Spain (12th century), with its apse forming part of the city walls themselves. A unique fusion of religious art and military defence.
Was raised over the spot where Saint Vincent and his sisters were martyred in the 4th century. One of the finest examples of Castilian Romanesque architecture.
Ávila's main square — the local Plaza Mayor — ringed by porticoed houses, traditional restaurants and the town hall. The heart of the historic centre and the place to try chuletón de Ávila.
Four granite columns on a small hill just outside the walls offer the classic postcard view of Ávila — the entire walled perimeter framed against the Gredos mountains in the distance.
We recommend these months. The light on the granite walls is perfect, and the meseta around the city turns green or gold. Make sure to bring layers — Ávila stays cool even in late spring.
Ávila is the coldest provincial capital in Spain (1,130 m altitude), so summer temperatures stay very pleasant — perfect for walking the walls without the heat of Toledo or the capital. Bring a light jacket for the evenings.
Winters are cold and snow falls regularly between December and February. The walls dusted with snow are one of the most unique sights in Castile. Most of what you will want to see — the cathedral, the basilica, the Saint Teresa convent — is indoors, so winter works well.
Our combined Ávila & Segovia tour is the only Trip Tours departure that includes Ávila in the itinerary. It leaves from the Visitor Centre at San Bernardo 5 (Gran Vía area, in the heart of the capital) and follows the official schedule direct from the operator.
Ávila & Segovia (10h 30min real · from €50)
Daily departure from San Bernardo 5 at 08:30. Itinerary: bus to Ávila (~1h 30min), photo stop at Los Cuatro Postes Viewpoint, free time inside the walls (~2 hours to self-guide the medieval streets and the Santa Teresa convent), transfer to Segovia, 60-minute guided walking tour in Segovia, free time for cochinillo, return. Back at base 19:00. Optional entry to the Alcázar of Segovia with a guide for €5 extra.
Bilingual commentary in English and Spanish. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Not wheelchair accessible. Only service animals allowed. Space is available for strollers and luggage on the coach.
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