Catedral de Avila – Visit the First Gothic Cathedral in Spain [2024 update]
The Catedral de Avila is the First Gothic Cathedral in Spain, built in the late 11th century. It’s also a pretty impressive monument, both from the outside and the inside.
Want to visit for yourself?
This guide has everything you need to know to plan your visit.
Let’s jump right in!
The Avila Cathedral, or Catedral del Salvador de Ávila, is the main religious building in Avila. It’s also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a testimony to its glory.
In this travel guide about the Avila Cathedral in Avila, Spain, you’ll find in the table of contents below everything that we’ll see, from learning facts & visiting the cathedral to opening hours, entry fee and more.
Simply click on the table to expand it, then click on any part you’d like to jump to.
Where is the Catedral de Avila?
The Catedral de Avila is located in the city of Avila, Spain, north west of Madrid.
The cathedral is situated in the city center, inside the city walls. It’s on the east side of the fortified walls, a 5 minutes walk from the Puerta del Alcázar.
Avila Cathedral full address: 8 Plaza de La Catedral 05001 Avila
Avila Cathedral Facts
Are you fond of facts? I know I am! I love learning more about a place and its history with some quick & interesting facts, so I’ve gathered a few about the Avila Cathedral for you:
- built in the 12th century, the Avila cathedral is the first Gothic Cathedral in Spain
- the church was built on top of a previous building dedicated to El Salvador
- the construction was decided by King Alfonso VIII, who was staying in the Alcazar de Segovia
- the cathedral as you can see it today was finished in the beginning of the 17th century
- the building was both a church and a fortress (more on this below)
Visiting The Catedral de Avila
I had a 2 days business trip lined up in Madrid, and decided to stay over for the weekend. I had already explored Madrid on a previous trip, and thus decided to visit the nearby cities!
I left work on Friday evening, and drove straight to Segovia. I slept right after arriving to my hotel, and went on to explore the city the next day (here’s what to see in Segovia).
After exploring Segovia, I drove to Avila in the middle of the afternoon, and after parking directly entered the city center through the fortified gate Puerta del Alcázar.
I went through the gate, and walked around in the city.
Truth is, I had done no planning at all before coming to Avila, and I had no clue what to see or where to go, except for the fortified walls.
And then, as I was walking in a narrow street, I saw a massive tower in front of me.
It was the Avila Cathedral.
Even though I had just seen the magnificent Segovia Cathedral earlier in the day, I was still impressed by the Catedral de Avila. It’s a very imposing monument, massive by its size, and built in granite.
The giant wooden door was open, and people were going out of the Cathedral, so I decided to go in to visit. I was sure that such a stunning monument could only be equally as stunning from the inside. And boy was I right!
Inside the Avila Cathedral
As soon as you step in the Cathedral, you’ll be in the nave, with its very high ceiling, and high stained glass windows on each side, letting the light shine through and illuminate the room.
As you can see on the bottom of the picture above, there is a huge stone sculpture named The Trascoro, depicting different religious scenes.
The cathedral is pretty big, and there is plenty to see inside. I loved gazing at the magnificent stained glass windows that can be found all over the cathedral.
Look at how big these are!
If you go to the back of the cathedral, you’ll be in the old fortress part.
A Cathedral, yes, but a Fortress too!
A fortress, you say?
Yes, a fortress! The apse of the cathedral (apse: “a large semicircular or polygonal recess in a church, arched or with a domed roof, typically at the eastern end, and usually containing the altar“) is actually part of the Avila fortified walls, as you can see on the pictures below.
The back of the Catedral de Avila acted as a fortress, part of the fortified walls, and the perfect place for the soldiers of Avila to defend the city.
What does it look like inside the fortress part, you ask?
Well, it looks pretty damn impressive!
The first element is the High Altar of the Cathedral of Avila, with the Altarpiece, one of the masterpieces of Avila painting:
And the second part is La Girola, the most ancient part of the cathedral.
The Cloister
Just on the right after the main entrance, you can access the cloister, built in the 14th century. Around the cloisters, there are 3 chapels, that you can also visit.
The Museum
The last part of the Avila Cathedral that you can visit is the right wing. In the right wing, you’ll find the sacristy and the museum.
The Sacristy, or Chapel of San Bernabé, is stunningly decorated.
Right after the Sacristy, you’ll find the Museum.
Go up the Bell Tower – Torre del Campanario
Recently, the Avila Cathedral opened its Bell Tower for visits. For 2€ extra, you can now go on a guided visit to the top of the Bell Tower, where you’ll have a stunning view over the city of Avila.
Sadly, you can only visit at fixed times during the day (see hours below), and since I had not planned anything, I wasn’t able to go up the Bell Tower. If you manage to go up and take some photos, tag them on Instagram with #kevmrc so I can see them!
Avila Cathedral Tickets
You have to buy a ticket to visit the Avila Cathedral. With the entrance, you’ll receive an audioguide that will provide information during your tour.
There are 2 different tickets, depending on if you want to visit the Cathedral only, or the Cathedral + the bell tower.
Here are the prices for the Catedral de Avila tickets:
Kids between 12 and 25 years old: 4.50€ for castle tickets
Children under 12 years old: Free entry
Mondays to Thursdays from 8:30am to 9:30am: Free entry (Cathedral only)
Book tickets here: Avila Cathedral tickets
The Avila Cathedral is included in the VISITAVILA card, a tourist card that adds to 40% discount if you visit multiple monuments in the city.
Catedral de Avila Opening Hours
The opening hours for the Avila Cathedral vary depending on the time of year, so make sure to check below. There’s also a very limited number of visits to the tower each day, so you’ll need to plan in advance.
Please note that last entry/last tickets sales are 30 minutes before closing time.
Cathedral Hours
From November 1st to March 31st
Monday/Friday: 10am to 6pm
Saturday: 10am to 7pm
Sunday: 10am to 5:30pm
From April 1st to June 30th & from September 1st to October 31st
Monday/Friday: 10am to 8pm
Saturday: 10am to 9pm
Sunday: 11:45am to 7:30pm
From July 1st to August 31st
Monday/Saturday: 10am to 9pm
Sunday: 11:45am to 9pm
Bell Tower Hours
Monday/Friday: 12:30pm and 5:30pm
Saturday: 12 noon, 1pm, 5pm and 6pm
Sunday: 1pm and 5pm
How to Get to La Catedral de Avila
You can either get to the cathedral by car, or by train.
By car
Avila is a perfect day trip from Madrid, and from other Spanish cities. You’ll find below the driving time from nearby cities:
From Madrid: 1h20 via highway, 1h40 without tolls
From Segovia: 1h
From Salamanca: 1h10
It’s difficult to drive and park in the city; the best option is to find a parking outside of the city walls, then walk to the center.
When you’ll reach Avila, head to the north west of the city, right outside of the city walls. This is where you’ll find the cheapest parking options, and the most parking spaces available.
By train
If you don’t have a car, you can get to Avila by train from Madrid. There is a direct train that goes straight from Madrid to Avila.
From: Madrid-Chamartin
To: Avila
Duration: 1h32 minutes
Cost: 13€ (average price)
Book here: Train to Avila
You can also take the trains from other cities in Spain (Barcelona, Toledo, …), just click on the link above to see all options.
From the Avila train station, you can walk to the city center, which will take you around 15 minutes.
Where to Stay near the Cathedral in Avila
If you’re visiting the Avila Cathedral and Avila, you have several options for where to stay. You’ll find below hotels depending on your travel style:
Budget: Hostel El Rincón
Cheapest accommodation in Avila, for around 30€ per night. It comes with private bathroom and free wifi.
This hostel has the best location, it’s within the fortified walls of Avila, and everything is within walking distance. There’s also a free toiletries in the bathroom for your comfort.
If you’re travelling with 2 other people, check out the option below which is way better, and costs the same.
Comfy: Vallespin Suite
The Vallespin Suite is my favorite accommodation for a comfy stay in Avila, for around 60€ per night for the full suite, which can host 3 people (that’s 20€ per person if you’re 3)
It’s ideally located inside the fortified walls of Avila, and it’s a 8 minutes walk from the Cathedral. The beds are pretty comfy, and the included breakfast makes it a perfect choice for your stay in Avila.
Luxury: La Casa del Presidente
The best hotel in Avila, hands down.
La Casa del Presidente has everything you’ll need, and even more: free parking, breakfast included, incredible rooms, a swimming pool, and the location… The hotel is right next to the Avila fortified walls, you can’t be closer!
Visit Spain
Planning a trip to Avila and Spain? You can find below several other articles about this wonderful part of the world to help you plan your trip:
Avila Guides:
Spain Guides:
How to get from Madrid to Segovia
I hope you enjoy your trip to the Catedral de Avila and to Spain!
If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below, I always reply.
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