What to do in Ávila

Ávila crowns the eastern end of the Central System with the Sierra de Gredos, which holds the highest summits of the entire range. Almanzor reaches 2,592 m and is the roof of the Central System; the Laguna Grande de Gredos, at 1,960 m, is a glacial lake with green water set between polished granite walls sculpted by Quaternary snow and ice. The walk up from the Elola Refuge takes around 3 hours of steady ascent on a well-marked trail; from the lake, alpinists add another 2 hours to Almanzor along an exposed ridge. The snow slope in the final metres requires an ice axe from November to May. The southern piedmont of Gredos, between Arenas de San Pedro and El Barco de Ávila, is the most established horse-riding area of the Central System: wide forest tracks, holm-oak dehesas and the absence of traffic make this territory a horse-touring destination with one- to seven-day offerings. Local farms have practised transhumance grazing for decades and know the routes that flocks have followed for centuries. The Tormes river, which rises in Gredos and crosses the province from south to north, has whitewater stretches suitable for kayaking near Barco de Ávila and El Tejado during the spring snowmelt. The medieval walls of Ávila, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can be walked along the upper battlement walk on a 2.5 km circuit with views over the city and the sierra in the background.