The Beautiful City of Ávila, Spain

[@erikawallace3404]

When I was a kid, about 8 years old, my father took us to Ávila and we stayed at the Parador Nacional which was incredible. I still remember the breakfast which for a kid was paradise on earth. Also remember having dinner at the Parador which advertised Castillian meals starting wit Sopa de Ajo, Chuletón with patatas pobres and arroz con leche!!!! Am now 66 years old, but I still remember that visit to Ávila, includong its monuments !!!

[@andrewmeasures2312]

Hello Stuart, what can I say. This for me is one of your very best videos to date. It brought a tear to my eye as I was flooded with so many wonderful and unforgetable memories of when I took my dear old Dad there. We stayed in the Parador and we had the room over he main entrance with the balcony and the flags. A truly magnificent city and so beautifuly maintained and cared for. How refreshing not to see the place spoiled with graffiti. Many, many thanks for sharing this with us Stuart, it has made my day. Thank you.

[@jp13119]

I'm having a similar reaction and am in total love with my Tierra Patria Castilla y Leon. Thank you for sharing this memory of your father. 🇪🇸 And Stu, thanks for this video. It is a beautiful city even though I share your opinion of the ´Burger King´. Maybe we can talk them into removing it because Avila is a World Heritage Site. I was saddened by the number of American fast food in Spain, it´s a shame.

[@realcalgal1150]

Thank you Stuart. Your tour brought back many happy memories of such a beautiful city. I visited many years ago when my sister and I spent a month traveling by rail all over Spain. It was a short walk from the train station to the walled city gate. We were lucky to visit on the day of the Farmer’s Market. We went from booth to booth and bought fresh cheese, olives, jamón for an impromptu lunch just outside one of the gates. Just below us in a little valley there was a livestock fair happening. That was an interesting experience to see so many beautiful horses and sweet little donkeys up close. When we walked back into the city we just wandered the little byways and stumbled across the Carmelite convent founded by St. Teresa de Jesus or St. Teresa of Avila as she is known in the English speaking world. They were selling the famous confection of Avila, Yemas, through a little turnstile just inside a reception room. There was a little garden close by where the famous Rosa de Castilla was growing up the wall. That rose was cherished by my grandmother and mother in their gardens here in California. Being in Avila was a joy, as that is where one of my ancestral families originated. I am so happy to see it is still unspoiled! Thank you again!

[@calleiza12]

I cycled from Santander to Avila about 400mls the next hill/mountain steeper than the last. Cycled via Burgos, Palencia, Ampudia, Valladolid, Tordesillas, Peñaranda de Brocamente finally Ávila. Such a beautiful city to see and visit, beautiful! Thanks for taking me back there!! Without cycling this time!!

[@thedahkterizzin8831]

Love those medieval walls. Incredibly well preserved. When the sun is setting, the light is amazing

[@davidbrowne5804]

We stayed for three days in Avila while we toured Spain on our motorcycle and absolutely loved the city , so much to see and do and lots of lovely restaurants and bars and yes some with tapas , great video makes me want to go back again soon .

[@christinecleavest9099]

I absolutely love Avila, you are so right Stu...good eats and drink along with magnificent views and history.🍷

[@maste3423]

We brought students to Avila for Study Abroad. It was wonderful.

[@kenwarburton2578]

Excellent video Stuart, and a very interesting one too. Keep them coming please.

[@guayames]

Gracias for taking us back to such a nice place. Great memories come back of visits to Avila, Segovia and Salamanca!

[@eldavido8249]

What a beautiful place, can't wait to visit.

[@stevo728822]

I did a check on hotel prices in Avila for this weekend. Pretty good prices. From £55 for a 4 star hotel, £45 for a 3 star, £35 for a 2 star. The 2 hour train trip from Madrid will put off many tourists, though I suppose there are many tour coach options for a day trip. Places like this require getting really stuck into Spanish history to appreciate them.

[@pedrofmc0000]

The journey between Madrid and Ávila today takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes on the High Speed Train (AVE)

[@tonybrown6838]

Amazing video and place , couldn't keep my eyes away,wanting to know what was around the corner, Brilliant more places like this ❤

[@goldgeologist5320]

Amazing city! Thanks Stu. Another place to visit in Spain!

[@nvn__]

Phenomenal.

[@Tet-Offensive1968]

Hi Stu, awesome place (Avila). Thanks for this video.

[@astartes1213]

Thanks for coming to my city!!!

[@julieord8724]

You do a good job explaining the towns

[@Peter-x5k2j]

Hi there, today is the feast day of St Teresa of Avila. The best reason to visit her home town. Beautiful city. We only have 1 Saint in Australia.

[@AnthonyBrincat]

Hello Stuart, last year I found that meal sizes have gone smaller prices increased and most places don’t give tapas with alcohol compared to pre covid. Keep up the great work. Cheers

[@dodgeymike]

When I was there about 10 years ago you could walk along the top of the walls.

[@johnetie]

Yeah, I was there about 3 years ago and there was a portion of the wall you could walk on. Also, there was a medieval costume festival going on.

[@neiss2]

Stuart, good to see a video that’s not about the imminent sinking of the economy or the zombie apocalypse for a change 😁 By the way, your Spanish is excellent! Nice video, thanks for sharing.

[@outdoorchilled7032]

Better keep those walls in Ávila, never know what the future brings 😉

[@francischeung3877]

Another fantastic video. Thank you Stuart!

[@nspr8cio]

So many memories...walking the wall & yemas!

[@the_mad_leprechaun]

I am planning a trip next year and this is on my list of places to visit. I was in Segovia last year and didn’t know about Ávila. Well done take care. Murt

[@barbaralavender6997]

I was due to visit Ávila, Segovia and Madrid tomorrow for a few days but unfortunately it has been postponed. I hope it will be rearranged soon as it looks like a great place to visit.

[@janethaver3375]

You had success in the end!

[@bradyreed3457]

Great video, Stuart!!

[@kaycogan5165]

Quite shocked to hear no mention of Santa Teresa. Visited Avila in the 70s, a memorable place indeed. Kate

[@janetlombardi2314]

A marvellous looking city, Stuart. Thank you for sharing 😊

[@abderrazakelyagoubi2896]

Great job, Stuart. Your English is excellent.

[@yanassi]

Thank you stu, what a wonderful walk

[@melissasirois1508]

Love Avila! I saw it a few years ago. It was 36 degrees however so quite hot. Had my first tinto de verano there and it was very refreshing.

[@steven1515]

Looks like a lovely place, Stuart❤️👍 magnificent. Thanks for the tour👍

[@joseantoniodavila2752]

Avila is quite quiet. It reminds me of Soria. By the way, my surname means "from Avila". Vegetarians may try the traditional patatas revolconas (mashed potatos with paprika) or Barco de Avila beans or the garlic soup... Catholic countries have vegetarian cousine.

[@outdoorchilled7032]

05:10 60€ are they out of their mind! I can eat for that every week buying from supermercado🤪

[@pdmilletmd1]

Any chance I can visit Avila, I make it a necessary stop. Such a great city

[@shahnaz1376]

What a lovely video and beautiful city. You should drive sometimes to Alcalá de Henares (close to Madrid 🙂) and visit den University, the birthplace of Miguel Cervantes and so much more.

[@GNRulona-o8h]

Wow is very nice

[@iantobanter9546]

Thanks Stuart-nearly as many castles as Wales! First saw Avila when featured on a Vuelta stage, some years ago. Hope to visit one day, when heading south to Murcia from Santander. Have you visited Puerto de Santa Maria and experience d the overwhelming atmosphere of sherry fumes? It gets very busy during the build up to the Jerez MOTOGP round.

[@pedrofmc0000]

In Spain there are 10,000 castles, counted by the Spanish Association of Friends of Castles. Most of the Spanish castles are concentrated in the autonomous communities of Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, Aragón and Jaén. Note that the names "Castilla-León" and "Castilla-La Mancha" derive from the name of the ancient kingdom of Castile, which literally means "country of castles."

[@coffermartin77]

If i go back to Spain, i will definitely go to Avila. Those majestic medieval castle walls are a highlight. Just wondering, Avila is at 1,132 m elevation. That's pretty high up. The air would be a bit thinner. It snows over there in the winter and it can get quite cold. Were you a bit out of breath walking around the town? I love my chuletons! I've had some good ones in Galicia.

[@georgependarbes5898]

Thanks 🙏

[@jacqueline970]

Thoroughly enjoyed your visit to Avila Did you know the film Pride and the Passion was filmed in Avila starring Cary Grant Frank Sinatra and Sophie Loren Frank sinatra was killed in the town plaza

[@josmith2315]

When in the sticks in Spain don't expect food beyond a bollo or Mollette before 1pm. Things run a little slowly in this historical and cultural paradise. (En los pueblos de España, no esperes comer más que un bollo o una mollete antes de la una de la tarde. Las cosas van un poco despacio en este paraíso histórico y cultural.)

[@TheRealJoseramirez]

Hi Stu, lovely city and excellent video. I think you said that you were there on Monday. Isn't it the case that a lot of restaurants in Spain are closed on Mondays or don't provide the usual full service? Would that account for your disappointment at the apparent unavailabilty of refreshments and sustenance?

[@outdoorchilled7032]

04:50 Those prices in the restaurant are crazy high! They should lower their prices, or they will be out of business soon!

[@dianahahnacuna1227]

If you see how those cows are raised you won’t think the chuletón is expensive.

[@christinecleavest9099]

Not for what you are getting, the chuleton alone can cost a mint. You get a complete meal and the one for two...I recently did here in Madrid and it cost us 98 and it only had 2 glasses of wine not the bottle. Also those places have been in business for years, people come all over to experience. I can say I've never have been disappointed

[@janethaver3375]

Maybe people who control expenditure are/were called quartermasters, but not sure. Fabulous looking town shame about the lack of tapas. You were maybe a bit early?

[@vladdrako785]

I love my country Spain is beautiful but why no trees it would make everything better

[@harriettt9857]

Yes it’s a pity . Trees don’t seem to be an important or necessary feature in many Spanish cities

[@neptunemike]

now that you mentioned it, you’re right. I’ve never noticed before

[@xispaster]

Intendencia :1. (= dirección) management ⧫ administration 2. (= oficina) manager’s office 3. (Military) (also: cuerpo de intendencia) ≈ service corps(Brit) ⧫ ≈ quartermaster corps (US)

[@guayames]

Intendencia sounds like logistics!

[@EdMcF1]

'Intendencia' 'Quartermasters'.

[@anacasanova7350]

Es la Ciudad Natal de Santa Teresa de Jesús. La primera Doctora de la Iglesia Católica.

[@Pelorchoplus]

Where are you from, Stuart? I love your accent

[@Pelorchoplus]

terminé de ver el video y me contesté solo

[@gabrielm8150]

Australia

[@chrissierichards6802]

I thought you only get free Tapas in Granada province. Do other places charge ? Xx

[@joseantoniodavila2752]

Tapas are religion rather than culture in Almería and Granada, but they are not exclusive to there. Roughly, if you draw a line from Asturias to Granada, to the north the tapas (or pintxos) are paid and to the south are free.

[@teleopinions1367]

Posiblemente haya sido mejor ir a buscar que comer y beber en los extramuros de la ciudad.

[@billlynn8256]

Any whining about too many "tourists" in Avila??

[@christinecleavest9099]

Most come as day trippers and aren't exactly the drink and get rowdy crowd.🤣