Holiday homes and villas in Avila

If you are looking at houses in Ávila, the first thing you should know is that the offer is divided between the historic centre, the area outside the walls and the surrounding villages. Inside the walls, staying on streets such as Vallespín or next to the plaza del Mercado Chico lets you walk to the cathedral, the Alcázar or the walls, but parking is difficult and noise, especially in summer, can be noticeable. Outside the walls, in neighbourhoods such as San Antonio or the station area, you find larger houses, with a garden or terrace, and it is easier to arrive by car; in exchange, you will have to walk ten or fifteen minutes to enter the walled enclosure. If you prefer total peace and quiet, the villages of the Sierra de Gredos or the Valle del Tiétar, such as Arenas de San Pedro or Candeleda, offer stone houses with a fireplace and plenty of outdoor space, although then you definitely need a car for everything.

The differences between one house and another go beyond the location. Some are rustic in style, with exposed beams and wooden furniture, designed for winter; others are modern renovations with an open kitchen and home automation, more oriented towards weekend getaways. The arrangement also varies: some only rent the whole house, others have individual rooms within a guest house, and a few include breakfast or cleaning services. In the city, it is usual to find apartments and holiday homes with a private entrance; in the villages, complete village houses predominate, often with two or three bedrooms and a patio.

As for the price, the 97 € per night that you find as a minimum rate usually corresponds to small apartments in low season, from Sunday to Thursday. The average of 265 € per night shoots up on long weekends and Holy Weeks, so if your dates are flexible, look between November and February, or from Monday to Wednesday, and you will see differences of up to 40 %. To get there, the best option is the AVE train from Madrid (about 90 minutes) or the bus from the Moncloa station; if you go by car, the AP-51 gets you there in half an hour from the capital. Within the city, get around on foot; for the villages, you need your own vehicle. Before booking, check whether the house has central heating or a wood-burning stove (in Ávila the cold is serious), whether the hot water is enough for all the guests and whether the listing clearly specifies the cancellation conditions, because many private houses do not offer a refund if you cancel less than seven days in advance. Also check whether the final price includes cleaning fees or supplements per person, which sometimes do not appear at first glance.