Stay at the parador in Avila.
In my opinion, the restaurant in the parador is overpriced and undistinguished.
The best restaurant (2001) is El Almacén, located just outside the city walls.
See the cathedral and the sites associated with Saint Teresa of Avila, the first woman to be named a
"Doctor" of the Catholic Church and a master of spirituality. Don't miss the new museum dedicated to her life.
Other churches to see are: San Vicente basilica (with its glorious west doorway and tomb of the
saints , San Andres (with its pure Romanesque design) and San Pedro (another simple Romanesque church).
Outside the walls are sites associated with Saint Teresa: Monasterio de la Encarnacion and Real
Monasterio de Santo Tomas.
The Plaza de Santa Teresa, with its arcades, is one of the most pleasant in the city.
Avila has the highest altitude of any provincial capital in Spain. The air is pure, but it can
be cold in the winter.
