Each of the times of the year has its charm and each of the areas of Ávila increases its beauty if it is enjoyed at a certain time. Heritage and avant-garde come together in a land of contrasts, where art, history, archeology, tradition and culture with gastronomy, wine, golf and nature are combined with little distance. Ávila is an ideal destination for all those travelers who flee from the classic proposal of sun and beach and bet on destinations where they can exercise their senses: see, do, share, enjoy, relax …

And, if Castilla y León has seven World Heritage Sites, the Walls of Ávila and the wide range of rural tourism in Ávila can respond to the most demanding inland tourist.

Enero: (January 16) The lights of San Bartolomé de Pinares, a spectacular festival in which the riders, on the back of their horses, cross the bonfires that fill the streets of the town. It is an especially advisable visit. San Bartolomé de Pinares celebrates, on the occasion of the San Antón festival, a show that brings together hundreds of visitors attracted by the imposing beauty of a ritual in which horses and riders fly over the bonfires that adorn the streets of this beautiful town in the Valle del Alberche and Tierra de Pinares. This centuries-old tradition that repeats every year the night before the feast of San Antón Abad, patron saint of beasts, begins around eight in the afternoon with the lighting of the different bonfires. After that, comes the blessing of the priest to the animals, horses and donkeys, which are placed next to the parish house. The religious blessing is followed by the invitation to pasta and local wine, as well as the procession through all the lights of the municipality to the sound of the bagpipe and the drum.

After the parade, the most colorful part of the evening begins, when the fire takes all its prominence and the riders display their skill on the back of their horses, which have previously been prepared to prevent them from suffering through the fire, while the public enjoys the their jumps and breaks over the flames.

When the fires go out, groups of family, friends and neighbors gather around them to take advantage of the embers to grill meat, which are accompanied by good broths.

LAND OF PINARES:The Alberche Valley and Tierra de Pinares is a mountainous territory with beautiful natural landscapes and a pleasant climate that is worth enjoying at any time of the year. The historic center of Toros de Guisando, the natural enclave of the Hoyocasero pine forest, the architecture of Cebreros, the chestnut grove of El Tiemblo are a must.

In addition, on the easternmost limit of the Sierra de Gredos is the Iruelas Valley Natural Reserve, a place that offers multiple options when it comes to practicing outdoor sports. The meats -both beef, suckling pig, lamb or kid-, fruits such as cherries, figs or peaches from Alberche, and the increasingly valued wines from Cebreros make up the typical menu of this area.

(January 19-22, 2009) Second edition of the Spiritual Film Week that aims to train the person in human and spiritual values. Initiative promoted by the delegations of Youth Ministry, Vocations, Teaching and catechesis, Media, and University Ministry, with the collaboration of Caja de Ávila. The theme chosen for this II Week is ‘The other look’,one that allows us to recognize the depth of reality and go beyond it in the direction of the mystery, of the significant person who leaves a mark.

This year, a group of top-of-the-line films is presented, which may already be known to viewers, but stand out in them “a look beyond pure entertainment”.Thus, within this cycle,‘Spiderman 3’ Monday, January 19; ‘Juno’ on Tuesday 20; ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian’, on Wednesday the 21st, and ‘The Tiger and the snow’Thursday 22.

February: Carnival of Cebreros. The most popular and traditional in the entire province of Ávila, in which there is no shortage of comparsas, costumes, floats, dances, and good wine capable of cheering up locals and visitors and making the famous Rondón dance.

A whole year thinking about the Carnival, this is how Cebrereños live some festivities that have made the name of the municipality known throughout the national territory. And it is that neighbors and visitors fill the streets of the town, both in the local contest and in the provincial one, to enjoy the carnival atmosphere in its purest form. More than 2,000 people actively participate between the two days.

The ideas for the floats tend to emerge from the same carnival the previous year and from the summer on, what is going to be done is specified. When choosing it, many factors are valued, but mainly innovation and originality are sought. To build them many materials are used, wood, iron, polyurethane and mostly polystyrene or white cork.

Music is also an important element when designing the float, each group has its own animation, according to the theme they have chosen. The large number of hours that it takes to make a good float are not an impediment to carry out this work with the enthusiasm and desire that characterize the Carnaval de Cebreros, which continues to improve and grow year after year.

Cantaora Women’s Week (Ávila).

March: (or April) Holy Week in Avila, which has been celebrated since the 16th century and was declared of National Tourist Interest, offers, in all its solemnity and recollection, pictures of impressive beauty and emotion. From February 29 to March 23, the exhibition of the XVI Avila religious photography contest will be seen in the room of the Casa de las Carnicerías. The exhibition can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The wall of Ávila extends its opening hours to the public this Easter 2008 so that a greater number of tourists have daily access to the three sections of the walkway that can be traveled today, as reported today by the Ávila City Council.

In this way, from March 17 to 23, 2008, the wall will open its doors at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. -the last access will be at 7.30 p.m.-, while at present the opening hours are 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

In addition, on Monday, March 24, these sections of the walkway will remain open to the public from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., despite the fact that this is the day on which the monument is usually closed to the public.

Good Friday, at noon, the parish priest of San Pedro Apóstol, Diego Martín Peñas, will deliver the Sermon of the Seven Words in the church of San Ignacio de Loyola.

The feeling of the Passion is felt in the walled city with a special sensitivity and the cobbled streets, with the wall in the background, become a magnificent setting for the carvings of great artistic value that are processed. Living Holy Week fully is simple in a city whose unique historic center invites reflection and whose imposing Wall embraces the passing of the processions. The traditional aesthetics of the days of the passion contribute to enhance, if possible, the spectacular monumental setting of the capital of Avila. Heir to the oldest traditions, seasoned by the incorporations that renew the brotherhoods, Holy Week in Avila hosts several processions worthy of admiration.

Holy Week in Avila begins on Dolores Friday with the procession of the Via Matris, in which the brotherhood of the Holy Christ of the Afflicted takes to the streets carrying carvings of the Christ of the Afflicted and Santa María del Consuelo de los Afflicidos.

On Palm Sunday it is the turn of the procession of Las Palmas or the Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, better known as La Borriquilla, which is in charge of the brotherhood of the Franciscan Fathers. That morning, joy and jubilation fill the streets of Ávila, in which the people of Avila, especially the children, carry palms and laurel branches.

On Holy Monday there is one of the most beautiful and emotional acts of Holy Week in Avila with the confluence of the steps Our Lady of Hope and the Christ of Illusion, the staging of the mother’s pain in the face of the son’s suffering.

On Holy Tuesday you can see the processions of the Star, Medinaceli and the Magdalena, while on Holy Wednesday the seriousness and sobriety are evident in the procession of Silence.

Between Wednesday and Holy Thursday there are two processions in honor of the Christ of the Battles and that of the Steps, which unites the figure of the Crucified with those of the Passion.

At dawn on Good Friday, thousands of people from Avila surround the Christ of the Executed around the Wall in the Via Crucis, one of the most massive events of Holy Week. That same day, at nightfall, pain and sadness take over the streets of Ávila due to the death of Christ, a night in which all the brotherhoods take to the streets to accompany the Royal and Illustrious Patronage of Our Lady of Las Angustias and Santo Sepulcro.

On Holy Saturday, at sunset, the Ladies of Solitude accompany Our Lady of Solitude, respecting the grief over the loss of the son.

Holy Week in Avila comes to an end with the traditional pilgrimage around the hermitage of the Resurrected.

Compared by some with the city of Jerusalem- by similarities that speak of the elevation of Ávila over the Amblés valley, of the wall that surrounds it with its ninety towers, of the relevance of its churches and monasteries, of its ascending streets and ravines. , of the religious halo of its history and of its people- Ávila is especially reminiscent of the Holy City when it is contemplated at sunset. This makes it an unbeatable setting to celebrate the religious mysteries of Holy Week, with its demand for austerity and silence. Those who have faith will find in Ávila the perfect place to live the Passion and Death of Christ with devotion; those who do not, will know how to appreciate the pictures of impressive beauty, recollection and solemnity that Holy Week in Avila offers.

In short, among its many acts, the Miserere procession stands out on Holy Tuesday, when this song is sung throughout the night parade in the midst of a deep silence. On Holy Thursday the Procession of the Steps takes place, which since its origins in the 16th century has been held without interruption. It is also highly recommended to go to the Via Crucis de Penitencia, which, on Good Friday, runs through the walled enclosure of the old town of Ávila, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The final point to this Holy Week comes with a popular snack, which brings together many people around the hermitage of the Risen One.

Holy Week is one of the deepest and most deeply rooted festivals celebrated in Spain. This commemoration has centuries of history and tradition, and it remembers the passion and death of Jesus Christ. The streets of most cities and towns in Spain become scenes of religious fervor and devotion, in which mourning and recollection are intermingled when remembering the death of Christ, with music, art, color and magic. of the processions, solemn parades in which many people accompany the religious images.

April: Cross Alpino Cebrereño is disputed with a mountainous route of medium difficulty. It is a test organized by the Cebreros City Council Sports Board and which is open to athletes over 18 years of age. The 22-kilometer route is signposted and all participants must go through the established control points. And as for the prizes, there are three trophies for the senior and veteran categories, both male and female, a trophy for the absolute winner and another for the first classified of Cebreros. Registrations can be made at the local library.

For the most daring, in good weather, there is no experience as unforgettable as a paragliding flight over Cebreros.

But if what you want is a quiet excursion by car, just 33 kilometers away is La Adrada, a beautiful town in the Tiétar Valley that is characterized by hosting one of the best examples of military architecture in Ávila. It is an architectural jewel that was built on the remains of an older castle, of Romanesque origin and which was the temporary residence of the Catholic Monarchs.

After the restoration carried out by the Provincial Council of Ávila, the Tiétar Historical Interpretation Center and a museum that presents the varied tourist offer of the municipalities of this valley in the south of Ávila was located in this fortress. We can even run into a very special guest, a setting of a prisoner who lives in the Castle.

During your visit, you should not miss a walk through El Torreón, a typical neighborhood in which low, humble and climbing houses predominate. In addition, the visitor has a wide gastronomic offer: Castilian soup, tumbled potatoes, trout, ribeye, San Blas buns …

In addition, the Tiétar Valley has numerous options for rural tourism in a paradisiacal natural environment: hiking, fishing, mountaineering, cultural tourism …

(April 23 to May 25) The Fiestas de San Segundo, in honor of our patron must not be forgotten. The Ávila City Council has organized a wide program of festivals combining religious and cultural events with sports and music. To see the program click here.

In addition, in the month of April, the contest to obtain the Villa de Cebreros – El Quexigal International Engraving Prize begins. For more information, clickhere.

May(First Sunday in May) The Pilgrimage, which is celebrated on Mother’s Day, takes place in Valsordo, a place where families come to spend a peaceful and happy day in the field.

(April 23 to May 25) The Fiestas de San Segundo, in honor of our patron must not be forgotten. The Ávila City Council has organized a wide program of festivals combining religious and cultural events with sports and music. To see the program clickhere.

(May) Open day: The main monuments of Ávila open their doors for two days for free visits.

Grape Harvest Festival: Although the date is yet to be determined, it is worth seeing how the grape treading is performed in a contest like no other.

June: (first weekend of June) Round of legends. The magic and mystery of the Avila legends surround the city thanks to the nocturnal performances, by a theatrical group, of the events that for centuries have been part of the history of the city.

Between June and September: Theater on the Wall. On the walkable section of the Wall walkway, in the Carnicerías area, this monument welcomes, at dusk, the stories of the city and its inhabitants. Memorable events with the Cathedral and the Wall as the background of the picture.

(June) Polyphonic Week organized by the Ávila City Council.

(June 28 and 29) Ávila in tapas. Another way to get to know the city is by enjoying the pinchos that many of Ávila’s establishments make on the last weekend of June in a contest based on presenting the best and tastiest aperitif. The tapas tradition in Ávila offers visitors and residents of Avila a miniature sample of its rich gastronomy. During these days some of the most traditional tapas bars decorate themselves to offer us their most exquisite pinchos.

July: Musical evenings Nights and battlements. Music takes center stage in July, with a cultural event where alternative music and artistic spaces merge. Folk, tangos, soul, funky or lyrical come together with historical corners of Avila’s heritage.

The third edition of the festival “Musicians in nature” will bring Hoyos del Espino, on July 12, the North American singer-songwriter, and recent Prince of Asturias of the Arts, Bob Dylan, a luxury performance in the middle of a unique landscape, the incredible natural setting of the Sierra de Gredos. To open your mouth will probably be in charge of the Zaragoza duo Amaral.

Musicians in Nature emerged with the aim of promoting natural spaces in the region. The Junta de Castilla y León has carried out two projects that include cleaning the park, signaling the trails, creating a hikers’ refuge and a transport stop that is located at the foot of the Gredos platform for arrival. from the future public transport to there through regular buses and rural taxis.

The first edition of“Musicians in nature” He managed to gather around 11,000 people at the El Mesegosillo farm in Hoyos del Espino to see Sting. The appointment supposed such acceptance that the rural lodgings had exhausted their places a few days after the celebration of the show was made public.

In the summer of 2007, the Fundación Patrimonio Natural de la Junta de Castilla y León decided to extend the festival to two days with a large line-up whose main course was The Pet Shop Boys.

(July) Avialfar clay fair in Ávila.

First fortnight of July: Summer festivities. As in all localities, in Ávila there is a proliferation of parties in summer. During the first two weeks of July, the city is filled with music, clubs, concerts, fireworks and cultural activities for all tastes.

The 2009 Summer Festivities in Ávila, which begin on July 16, will include concerts by Nena Daconte, Amaia Montero and Melendi, as well as the Abba musical and the Fondo Flamenco show.

The festival program also includes children’s activities, a folklore show, the III Festival of Performing Arts, which will take place from July 24 to 26, as well as the First Multicultural Festival Concert on July 19. Tickets can be purchased from this Monday, June 22, at the Alberto Pindado Youth Space in the morning and afternoon, as well as at the Mercado Chico box office from July 11

August: (From August 13 to 17) Cebreros festivities in honor of Our Lady of Valsordo. Running of the bulls, bullfights, band, peñas, concerts and dances will set Cebreros throughout the week.

Mid-August: By candlelight. In mid-August, light and sound become the protagonists of the city of Ávila. In a historical setting, the Plaza de Concepción Arenal, hundreds of candles illuminate a monumental stage in which to hear the best jazz of the moment.

The sound of the waters of the Alberche river, the beauty of its landscapes, the tranquility of the area make the Alberche valley a place located east of the capital of Avila where we can enjoy a unique natural enclave. It owes its name to the Alberche river, a tributary of the Tagus, which is sustained by the thaw that originated in the gorges of the Sierra de Gredos. And it is this river that calls anyone to maintain a special contact with nature during the summer season. Thus, when passing through towns such as San Martín de la Vega del Alberche, Garganta de Villar, Cepeda de la Mora, El Barraco, El Tiemblo, Burgohondo, Navaluenga, San Juan de la Nava, Navatalgordo, Navarrevisca, Serranillos, Hoyocasero, Navalsauz, Navalosa, Cebreros, Hoyo de Pinares, Navalperal de Pinares, San Bartolomé de Pinares, La Cañada, Las Navas del Marqués or Peguerinos, we will see that they offer a privileged space for the visitor. There are places where you can go fishing or, especially in August, enjoy the natural pools, pools and swamps that each of these municipalities are home to. The most prominent reservoir in the area is El Burguillo, where you can navigate in boats and boats, water skiing, sailing, canoeing, even canoeing.

In the same way, one cannot fail to mention the Iruelas Valley Natural Reserve, located on the banks of the El Burguillo reservoir, in which different animal and plant species are grouped. Thus, in this natural space there are holm oaks, pines, junipers, oaks, ash trees, willows, poplars, among others, which become owners of the landscape. As for the fauna, the presence of the black vulture stands out, but also the wild cat and the badger.

In short, a region of the province that keeps a great attraction that it gives to anyone who wants to enter an impressive natural world of color and beauty.

Second fortnight of August: Arteávila National Handicraft Fair.

Septiembre: On the first weekend of September, time goes back to place us in the Middle Ages in Medieval Days that, in addition to the medieval market, allow you to enjoy musical, gastronomic activities and street shows.

Stalls of artisans, music, shows and other activities will fill the streets of the historic center of the city so that citizens and visitors can enjoy the medieval flavor of Ávila.

(From September to November 16) Show“Sculptures with soul”by Julio López at the Palacio de los Serrano de Ávila from Monday to Friday from 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. and on weekends and holidays from 12 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.

(September 15, 16, 29 and 30 at 10:30 p.m.) Astronomical observation sessions at the Environmental Center of San Nicolás of the Ávila City Council on the occasion of the days of the new and full moon to publicize the world of astronomy to the people of Avila, to offer a meeting point for astronomy fans and to create an alternative for nightlife.

It is recommended to go with observation equipment, such as a telescope or binoculars, although there will be permanent material in the center that will be offered to participants who wish to do so.

(September 17 to October 26). Exhibition “World Heritage Cities. Thirteen jewels of Spain”, in the Palacio de los Verdugo de Ávila.

October(October 15) Festivities of the Holy. On October 15, the city explodes in joy and fervor with the feast of Santa Teresa de Jesús, it is the great day of the Fiestas de la Santa. Around that date, and for two weeks, the musical, cultural and sports activities do not stop, in the most anticipated celebration of the year.

November: The change of season indicates to the visitor that they must change their course towards the Castañar de El Tiemblo, but this time to get closer to El Castañar. And it is that autumn is one of the best times to visit the Castañar. This is when the El Tiemblo Mycological Days are organized, which include conferences, mycological trails, guided visits to exhibitions … (Registration before October 30 at the El Tiemblo Town Hall).

An idyllic walk that will have to be done on foot and in which we will observe species such as nightingales, finches, jays and chickadees. It is highly advisable to visit the Yedra gorge, for the impressive panoramic view.

(November 25, 2008 to November 30, 2008) X Caja de Ávila Jazz Weekin the Auditorium of Caja de Ávila. Ávila is another city that surrenders to African-American rhythms in the fall. As is customary in the Castilian capital, jazz becomes the soundtrack of the people of Avila for a week. The X Caja de Ávila Jazz Week, this year brings us some of the best artists on the international jazz scene. Pedro Ruy Blas with Horacio Icasto will be in charge of opening this cycle. He will be followed by Jesse Davis, Yasek Manzano, The Funk On Me! and Alfons Carrascosa Big Acustic Band feat Dick Oatts. Ton Risco with Jacobo de Miguel will be in charge of putting an end to the festival.

December: To end the year, nothing better than spending a cozy stay in Cebreros, enjoying all the comforts of Casa Rural Abuela Benita.