Avila, an ancient medieval city in Castile and Leon, was declared a “site of historic and artistic interest” in 1884, and has been on UNESCO’s “World Heritage List” since 1985. The imposing Walls of Avila are the city’s major iconic landmark. Built in the 11th and 12th centuries, this remarkable structure is over 2,500 m long, has nine gates and 88 semi-circular towers.

In Avila, city of three cultures, art, history and heritage blend with gastronomy, festivals and culture. Some of Avila’s most important landmarks are the Romanesque churches of San Vicente, the Cathedral, the Monasterio de Santo Tomás, the Palacio de Valderrábanos, the Casa de los Deanes, the Torreón de los Guzmanes, the Palacio de los Verdugos and the Monasterio de la Encarnación, a convent where Saint Teresa of Avila lived for 30 years, and also Saint John of the Cross.

Visitors to Avila can also enjoy the popular festivals such as the procession of the Romería de San Segundo, Avila’s main festival, the festival of Nuestras Señoras de las Vacas and the festivals devoted to Saint Teresa.

Avila is located close to Gredos and the county of La Moraña with its Mudejar architecture, as well as Madrid, Segovia and Toledo.