AVILA ( the province ) is located in central western Spain and has a population or around 160,000.

Two things distinguish AVILA : its eleventh-century walls , two perfectly preserved kilometres of which surround the old town, and the mystic writer Santa Teresa , who was born here and whose shrines are a major focus of religious pilgrimage. Set on a high plain, with the peaks of the Sierra de Gredos behind, the town is quite a sight, especially if you time it right and approach with the evening sun highlighting the golden tone of the walls and the details of the 88 towers.

The walls were ordered by Alfonso VI, after his capture of the city from the Moors in 1090; they took his Muslim prisoners nine years to construct. At closer quarters, they prove a bit of a facade, as the old city within is sparsely populated and a little dishevelled, most of modern life having moved into the new developments outside the fortifications. However, the fine Romanesque churches dotted in and about the old city, plus good walks around the walls, make the town an excellent night's stopover, either combined with El Escorial, or en route to Salamanca.

The Town

The focus of Ávila's sights is, inevitably, Santa Teresa , with whom most of the numerous convents and churches claim some connection. On the secular front, a circuit outside the walls makes a fine walk, and from the Puerta del Alcázar you can climb up and stroll around a section.

One of the most popular hotels in the city is the Hotel Rastro located within the city`s ancient walls, It is also close to the Rastro Arch and the birth house of Santa Teresa with its museum.

There is a good choice here of Hostels including the impressive Hotel Palacio de Valderrabanos located in the heart of the medieval and feudal city, right oposite the Cathedral.