Sometimes you need a weekend getaway to unwind. Your mind and body will thank you. We are so busy that we fail to listen to what our bodies and minds tell us. I have a full schedule during the week and I spend most weekends doing house work or working on the blog. I barely have a moment to think "I deserve time to relax" because obligations haunt me. Earlier this month my husband and I decided to put everything aside and spent a weekend in Avila. It's a short way from Madrid, a 90 minute drive. If you are visiting Madrid, it can be a very interesting day trip. Avila is a "City of Saints and Stones", a World Heritage city famous for being the birthplace of St Teresa.
Patisserie in the main square. Taking home sweet treats from Avila is a must.
Avila's Old City is surrounded by magnificent city walls. It is one of the best-preserved medieval bastions in Spain. It is a deeply religious city with many churches and convents. It has attracted pilgrims to the cult of Santa Teresa de Avila for centuries.
TOP SIGHTS IN AVILA
- The city walls: 12th-century walls stretch for 2.5km, two sections can be climbed to get spectacular views of Avila.
- The convent of Santa Teresa: built in 1636 around the room where the saint was born in 1515, this is the epicentre of the cult surrounding Teresa.
- The Four Posts: this place provides the best views of the city walls (especially at night). It marks the place where Santa Teresa was caught by their uncle as she tried to run away from home.
- Basilica of San Vicente: a masterpiece of Romanesque built in the 11th century.
- The cathedral: it was the first Gothic church in Spain.
- Plaza del Mercado Chico: main square of the city where you'll find the City Hall.
FOOD
Large beans and veal steak are typical from Avila. The city's gastronomy is based on agricultural and cattle-farming products.
The most popular treat are the delicious yemas de Santa Teresa (egg yolk sweets). You can find them all around Avila but there's this amazing store in the main square that will make your mouth water just by looking at their window.
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed at El Parador. If you follow the blog, you know we are big fans of this hotel chain where you get the chance to spend the night in palaces, monasteries or other Spanish historical landmarks. We even got married in one of them! The one in Avila is called Piedras Albas Palace. Our favorite spot was the garden (pictured below) where you can have your meals surrounded by little birdies while admiring the city walls... This is the life!
Convent of Santa Teresa
I'm currently reading a book about Travel Photography that I bought in Australia. The book tells you that you should visit to the main spots of your destination at different times of day to see the how the light changes. It's something tricky if you are visiting a big city but this is not the case of Avila so I gave this tip a try. It was totally worth it. It's a beautiful experience to see how different everything looks. From the bright blue sky to the dreamy sunset colors...
Basilica de San Vicente
Our favorite spot at El Parador.
...ending at night time, when the city is illuminated to magical effect. This also allowed me to practice my night photography skills. Carrying a tripod around can be a nuisance, but you forget all about it when you get home and see the beautiful pictures.
The Cathedral
Basilica de San Vicente
The city walls seen from the Four Posts
After this weekend getaway we felt our batteries were fully charged to start a new work week. Our minds were definitely thankful for the break.
xo Cristina
FALL FAVORITES
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