8/24/2025 Today I'm going to Avila by myself. Richard has decided he doesn't want to go. Unfortunately I had already booked our bus tickets to Avila. 9.25€ each but just one way as I didn't know how long I'd be in Avila. Taxi to Moncloa bus station. Cost 6.70€/$7.87 I'm a bit confused as I don't see any signage for a bus going to Avila. I strike up a conversation with another couple who are also heading to Avila to meet up with family. They have the same concern. Finding the right bus to Avila. I know the bus is supposed to leave at 9:00 am. We finally figure it out and get on the bus. Scenery was so-so. trip took around 90 minutes. Seats were comfortable. Once at the station in Avila I need to get a taxi or some way to the old historic city center. My goal is to walk the walls. I don't see any taxis but the couple I met at the bus station in Madrid says they could give me a ride. But then a taxi pulls up and they tell the taxi driver where I want to go. Cost 5.00€/$5.87 We say our goodbyes and I take a picture of the older couple and their family member who has arrived to pick them up. I'm on my way.
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| Bus ticket Madrid to Avila |
AVILA. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Birthplace of St. Theresa. Known for its medieval walls/Las Murallas de Avila-11th century, the Avila Cathedral, Basilica St. Vincent. I decided to walk the walls first. Cost 5.00€/$5.87 Parts are not accessible so there is some doubling back to walk all the parts that are open for visitors to walk. I have to exit and the enter through a different gate to access the walls again. Lovely views.
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| Access another part of the walls through a different gate |
From there I wander around and come across a monument to St. Theresa. I visited the church-St. Peter the Apostle.
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| Monument to St. Theresa of Avila |
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| Church of St. Peter the Apostle |
Wander around some more. Cathedral of Avila. UNESCO World heritage Site. Late Romanesque and Gothic. Planned as a cathedral-fortress. The belfry includes a residence for the bell-ringer's family. It was used until the 1950s. Central nave and 2 aisles with a wide transept. Large windows to the outside. Separated by columns and pointed arches. Feeling of lightness and clarity. Vaults-simple quadripartite ribbing.
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| Cathedral of Avila |
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| Choir |
I've decide to try to find the Basilica St. Vincent and I do but it's not open. I decided to return to Madrid. Taxi back to the bus station. Cost 5.00€/$5.87 Bus back to Madrid. Cost 9.35€/$10.98 Taxi back to hotel. Cost 7.05€/$8.28 It's almost 5:00 pm. It's been a long day.
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| Machine where I bought my ticket Avila to Madrid |
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| Bus back to Madrid |
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| Taxi back to hotel |
Oven. Dinner. I search on my computer for something Italian and close to our hotel. I find Oven. I make a reservation for 8:00 pm. It's practically next door to our hotel! Very lovely. Drinks. Lemonade for Richard and prosecco sangria for me. We both ordered the spaghetti de la nona. Garlic bread. Cost 52.40€/$61.54 Service was great and the food was amazing. That bread! The bowls of the spaghetti were deceiving. There was a lot of pasta in those bowls. And 4 yummy meatballs-almost as good as the ones my husband makes back home. Piping hot and delicious. Dish of parmesan cheese to add if you wanted. Wish I had had room for dessert!
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| Lemonade |
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| Prosecco sangria |
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| Cute interior |
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Garlic bread
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| Spaghetti de la nona |
Nice walk back to our hotel. The day ended on a great note with a fantastic dinner. Tomorrow is Prado. Can't wait to see what great art awaits us. Today's walking total was 3.62 miles.
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| Our hotel lobby |
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