Ávila

The ramparts, the cathedral and Los Cuatro Postes by train from Madrid

Ávila works as a day trip from Madrid, but a night lets you see the walls lit up and the streets empty. Spend an hour on the ramparts, then visit the cathedral built into the wall, lunch on chuletón along Calle San Segundo, and finish at the Convento de Santa Teresa and the Los Cuatro Postes viewpoint.

Take an early train from Madrid Príncipe Pío. From the station walk about a kilometre west to the walls, pausing at the basilica of San Vicente just outside them, then enter at the Casa de las Carnicerías on Calle San Segundo for the long eastern section of the wall walk. Allow an hour on the ramparts.

Come down for the cathedral, built into the wall itself, and look for the red-and-white mottled stone inside. Lunch on chuletón along San Segundo or around the Plaza del Mercado Chico, and buy a box of yemas for the train.

In the afternoon, walk through the lanes to the Convento de Santa Teresa, built over the saint's birthplace, then leave by the western gate and cross the Adaja to Los Cuatro Postes for the view of the whole circuit. Trains back run every hour or two.

Chuletón, judías del Barco and yemas de Santa Teresa

Order chuletón de Ávila, a thick rib steak from the black Avileña breed grilled over coals and served rare, often for two. Ávila eats like a city with cold winters at 1,130 m, so add judías del Barco or patatas revolconas, and take home a box of yemas de Santa Teresa.

The chuletón is a thick bone-in rib steak from the black Avileña breed of cattle, grilled over coals and served rare, often for two. Judías del Barco, white beans from El Barco de Ávila in the south of the province, come stewed with chorizo, and patatas revolconas, mashed potatoes beaten with paprika and topped with crisp pork belly, are the warming tapa of choice.

Dessert is yemas de Santa Teresa, little balls of candied egg yolk sold by the box in the pastry shops, sweet enough that two will do. Castile and León's wine regions surround the province, so expect Ribera del Duero and Rueda on most lists.

Most restaurants run along Calle San Segundo beside the eastern walls and through the lanes to the Plaza del Mercado Chico, where El Portalón is a long-standing address. Bars are scarce inside the walls; the livelier ones lie east towards the railway station. Early in the evening, expect tapas.

Wall walk hours and the cold or hot months at 1,130 m

Late spring and early autumn are the best times for Ávila. At this altitude January hovers near freezing at night, while July reaches about 29°C with cool 14°C nights. The wall walk opens daily until 20:00 in summer and closes at 18:00, and on most Mondays, from late October to late March.

The ramparts form a 2.5 km loop, and two parts are open on a single ticket. The longer, about 1,440 m along the north and east, has entrances at the Casa de las Carnicerías, by the Puente Adaja and at the Arco del Carmen beside the Parador; the short 260 m southeast stretch starts at the Puerta del Alcázar. In winter, from late October to late March, the wall walk closes at 18:00 and is shut on most Mondays; in summer it opens daily until 20:00, with later hours at some gates in July and August.

Plan around the altitude. January averages 8°C by day and just below freezing at night, and December and February are no kinder. July is the warm month at about 29°C, yet nights fall to 14°C. May and October are the wettest, at around 50 to 56 mm, though still pleasant for walking between showers.

The big festival honours Saint Teresa around her feast day on 15 October, with several days of processions, concerts and fireworks. Holy Week here is solemn, with processions passing under the gates at night. Book rooms early for both.