Avila: Holiday apartments and holiday homes

File:05200 Arévalo, Ávila, Spain - panoramio.jpg Photo: Frank Baulo via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Valle de Iruelas Nature Reserve is a protected natural area and has been included as a nature reserve in the network of protected natural areas of Castile and León. It protects habitats of the cinereous vulture and the Spanish imperial eagle. The Valle de Iruelas is classified both as a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) and as a Site of Community Importance within the Natura 2000 network. The mountainous landscape ranges from 730 metres at the Embalse del Burguillo to 1,950 metres at Cerro de La Escusa.

Nature

The province of Ávila offers hiking trails ranging from easy routes suitable for children and accessible to people with reduced mobility to challenging mountain paths. Hiking is considered one of the province of Ávila’s most important natural and tourist attractions. The range of hiking opportunities also includes the ascent to Laguna Grande de Gredos.

Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Ávila may want to combine their trip with nature, culture, culinary experiences or historic trails.

Geographical setting

The province of Ávila comprises a more mountainous area in the centre and north, as well as a milder south where the Valle del Tiétar is located. The traditional cuisine of the province of Ávila includes Judías del Barco, Carne de Ávila and Yemas de Ávila. Many wineries in the Vino de Cebreros area organise tours as well as wine tourism and gastronomy experiences.

Culture

The city of Ávila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and is considered a medieval city where Jews, Mudéjars and Christians lived together. Access to the walkway along the Murallas de Ávila is possible via the Casa de las Carnicerías, the Puerta del Alcázar or the Puente Adaja. A fully accessible section of the Murallas de Ávila can be reached via the Puerta del Puente. The Centro de Recepción de Visitantes lends wheelchairs for visits to the city for a maximum of one day.

The Catedral de San Salvador features medieval architecture and may have been the first Gothic cathedral in Castile. It is considered a fortress cathedral because its apse forms the strongest tower in the city walls.

The Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás is a Gothic monastery complex whose foundation dates back to 1480. It mainly consists of a single-nave church with a Latin cross plan and three cloisters: the Cloister of Silence, the Novitiate Cloister and the Royal Cloister. The Museo Oriental in the Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás has eleven rooms containing works from Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and China.

The Castillo de La Adrada is now home to the historical interpretation centre of the Valle del Tiétar; the castle was rebuilt after falling into disrepair in the 19th century. The Castillo de los Duques de Alburquerque consists of two square structures with semicircular towers at the corners and preserves the remains of columns, walls and staircases inside. The Museo López Berrón de Arte y Etnografía includes a visit to a restored old farmhouse with a ground floor, courtyard and agricultural equipment, where everyday objects and tools used by earlier generations can be seen.

Trails and routes

The Ruta de los Castillos from La Adrada to Mombeltrán can be completed in one day. The Camino de Santiago in La Moraña begins in Ávila. It can be travelled by car in one day; a weekend break is recommended for completing it on foot.

The Ruta Teresiana de los Caminos y Posadas passes through municipalities in the Alto Tiétar and the Alberche-Pinares comarca and connects them with the Camino de Santiago de Levante. The GR180 through the Valle del Tiétar follows traditional paths with preserved bridges, walls and paved sections.