Like a chest guards its treasure, the city walls of Ávila conceal beautiful jewels of cultural heritage, made up of churches, convents, monasteries and Renaissance palaces. And there can be no doubt that these gems include Piedras Albas Palace, the Parador de Ávila. Abutting the best preserved city walls in the world, the hotel puts you close to the city's most beautiful spots. The interior is cozy and charming. The guest rooms are spacious and perfect for relaxing. The dining room offers a view of the garden and the city walls through a glass-enclosed courtyard. Together, they make the Parador a majestic place, the perfect match for many of the buildings you will find in this World Heritage City. You will love strolling along the wall walk and wandering through the streets of the old quarter, where every square, every street and every corner are filled with charm.

The city walls, incredible Gothic cathedral, Theresian convents and palaces abutting the walls like a second line of defense, once bore witness to long-ago exploits. They will inspire you to discover the legends and stories told with gusto by the guides and actors charged with introducing visitors to this magical city.

The Castilian province conceals other treasures which the walls could not encircle, such as the pre-Roman settlement of Las Cogotas and the Bulls of Guisando, stone sculptures of Celtic origin. Sierra de Gredos Nature Reserve, an hour away by car, is another option for lovers of nature and green tourism.

The famous egg yolk sweets named for St. Teresa, the delicious shortbread and pastries of the Cistercian nuns, caramel-coated almonds from Diego Álvaro, and the almond honey of the region's local microclimates and floral areas will make your stay at the Parador de Ávila as sweet as you could ever imagine.