Free Walking Tour Ávila: Santa Teresa, Walls and Cathedral

The Ávila Walking Tour, From Santa Teresa's Convent to the Cathedral

1. 1

   Plaza del Mercado Grande

   

   Plaza del Mercado Grande, which locals also call Plaza de Santa Teresa, is an open public square: no gate, no ticket, no closing time. It is the everyday Ávila before the route turns to stone, with a convent, a medieval wall circuit and two major churches still ahead.

   Use the square to get your bearings and settle your timing. If you want to see the convent from the inside, mornings are what count, so don't linger here too long.

   From here it is 720 m and 9 minutes to the Convent of Santa Teresa, and on the way you pass the Alcázar Gate.

   Local name

   Plaza de Santa Teresa

   Hours

   Open 24/7

   Price

   Free

   Location

   Plaza del Mercado Grande on Google Maps ↗

2. 2

   Convent of Santa Teresa

   

   The church and convent of the Discalced Carmelites went up in the early 17th century, reputedly over the house where Saint Teresa of Jesus was born. It was declared a National Monument on 4 January 1886.

   The building has never had an easy life. The ground here is very damp, and the stone deteriorated so quickly that repairs never really stopped after Alonso de San José, the order's own master architect, built it. In the 19th century the monks were expelled for a time and the building suffered, which led to two restorations, the first begun in 1888 and the second in 1982.

   Going in costs nothing, which makes it an easy yes, but the hours are short and vary through the week, so check them before you go. Twenty minutes inside is enough for most visitors.

   The Walls of Ávila are 500 m and 7 minutes away.

   Hours

   Mon–Tue: 09:30–13:00 | Wed: 09:30–12:00 | Thu: 12:00–13:00, 09:30–12:00 | Fri: 12:00–13:00 | Sat: 09:30–12:00 | Sun: 12:00–13:00

   Price

   Free

   Website

   teresadejesus.com ↗

   Location

   Convent of Santa Teresa on Google Maps ↗

3. 3

   Walls of Ávila

   

   The Walls of Ávila are a Romanesque military enclosure that still rings the whole old town. They count among the best preserved medieval walled circuits in Spain, and together with the old town and several churches outside them they became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

   The wall was never just defence. It marked the line between the 'wild' countryside and the 'civilised' city, and it decided who lived where inside. Out on the plain lived the peasants, the lowest estate, and it was they who carried the cost of keeping the city running. Keep that in mind as you look at the stone: the people it kept out were the ones paying for it.

   The walls charge entry, and this is the visit to prioritise if you only pay for one. Allow about an hour.

   The next leg is the longest of the walk: 1040 m and 17 minutes to the Basilica of San Vicente, one of the churches that shares the UNESCO listing with the walls.

   Local name

   Muralla de Ávila

   Hours

   Mon: Closed | Tue–Sun: 10:00–17:15

   Price

   5 EUR

   Website

   muralladeavila.com ↗

   Location

   Walls of Ávila on Google Maps ↗

4. 4

   Basilica of San Vicente

   

   Its full name is the Basilica of the Holy Martyr Siblings Vicente, Sabina and Cristeta. It is a Romanesque church, the largest and most important in Ávila after the cathedral, and one of the finest works of the style anywhere in Spain. It was declared a National Monument in 1882 and, since 1985, has been explicitly part of the World Heritage listing of the old town and its churches.

   The basilica charges entry. If Romanesque architecture interests you at all, it is well worth half an hour; if churches leave you cold and you are saving yourself for the cathedral, the exterior alone gives you a good sense of it.

   The cathedral is just 370 m and 6 minutes away. Along the way you pass the Palacio del Rey Niño, one of the noble houses that once shared in defending the cathedral's gate.

   Hours

   Summer (1 April – 31 October): Monday–Saturday 10:00–18:30, Sunday 14:00–18:00. Winter (1 November – 31 March): Monday–Wednesday 10:00–13:30 and 16:00–18:30, Thursday–Saturday 10:00–18:30, Sunday 16:00–18:00

   Price

   3 EUR adults (GENERAL), 2.20 EUR reduced (children over 12, students, retirees)

   Website

   basilicasanvicente.es ↗

   Location

   Basilica of San Vicente on Google Maps ↗

5. 5

   Ávila Cathedral

   

   The Cathedral of the Saviour, seat of the Diocese of Ávila, was planned as both church and fortress: its apse is one of the towers of the city wall. Begun in the 12th century in a mix of Romanesque and Gothic, it is considered the first Gothic cathedral in Spain.

   That double role shows in the contrast. From outside it looks sober and fortified; inside the Latin cross with three naves, a transept and a semicircular head with a double ambulatory opens into Gothic lightness, with Renaissance touches. Around it stand the palaces of the Velada, the Rey Niño and the Valderrábanos families, which were charged with defending the Puerta de los Leales, also called the Puerta del Peso de la Harina.

   The ticket is the priciest on the route, and worth it if you want to see how a fortress turns into a Gothic interior. Give it about an hour. This is where the walk ends.

   Hours

   Mon–Sat 10:00–20:00, Sun 12:30–20:00; last entry 30 min before closing

   Price

   10 EUR adults (18-64 years)

   Website

   catedralavila.es ↗

   Location

   Ávila Cathedral on Google Maps ↗

Shorter Ways Through Ávila

Not everyone has a full morning, and the convent's short opening hours shape the day. These three versions keep the recommended order and differ in time, budget and when you start.

The full walk

Stops: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

For a first visit with half a day to spare. All five stops, 38 minutes of walking, and three tickets if you go inside the walls, the basilica and the cathedral.

Morning short version: convent and walls

Stops: 1, 2, 3

For travellers with about an hour and a half, or a tight budget. Three stops and 16 minutes of walking; the only ticket is for the walls, while the square and the convent are free.

Afternoon version: walls and two churches

Stops: 3, 4, 5

For anyone arriving after the convent has closed. You start at the walls, walk 23 minutes in total and pay for the three visits. Begin early enough to reach the walls while they are still open.

How Long the Ávila Walk Takes, With and Without the Interiors

The 38 minutes of walking are the smaller part of the day. Add about twenty minutes in the convent, an hour for the walls, half an hour in the Basilica of San Vicente and an hour in the cathedral, and the full route takes roughly three and a half hours.

The longest leg is the 1040 m, 17 minute stretch from the walls to San Vicente; after that the cathedral is only six minutes away. The morning short version fits into about an hour and a half, the afternoon version into about three hours.

Before You Set Off in Ávila

• Start and finish: The recommended start is Plaza del Mercado Grande and the walk ends at Ávila Cathedral. You can join at any stop; if you want to return to the square afterwards, the GPS navigation in your browser takes you back on request.
• Best day and time: A morning works best. Leave the square around 9:30, give the convent twenty minutes, and you reach the walls around 10:00. The convent and the walls keep different hours through the week, so check that both are open on your day.
• Costs: The walls, the basilica and the cathedral charge entry; the convent and the square are free. The route and GPS navigation are free too. The AI Tour Guide starts with 100 free credits; after that you choose between €19.99 for this tour with no time limit or €5 per hour.

Common Questions About Walking Ávila