What I woke up to this morning 🥰
Leaving Gijón behind, we continued our journey south, weaving through the lush green hills of Asturias and the wide plains of León, before arriving in the storied, walled city of Ávila.
The Journey South
Our route today carried us past ancient churches, mountain towns, and sun-soaked plazas—each stop unfolding a different layer of Spain’s history and charm.
- Iglesia de Santa María del Naranco (near Oviedo): A 1.5-hour drive from Gijón brought us to this 9th-century pre-Romanesque gem perched on Mount Naranco. Originally built as a royal palace for King Ramiro I, the church’s arches and stone carvings still hint at its regal origins.
Church of San Miguel de Lillo: Just a 1-minute drive farther uphill from Naranco, this 9th-century church shares similar stonework and atmosphere—a quiet sibling to the more prominent Santa María.
- Oviedo: And only 15 minutes from Mount Naranco, we made a quick stop in Asturias’ capital. Wandering through the Old Town, we admired the Gothic Cathedral of San Salvador and its UNESCO-designated Holy Chamber (Cámara Santa). Entry was €8.
The narrow pedestrian streets were filled with cider bars and cafés, but one spot stood out: a small café next to the cathedral served a truffle potato tortilla so good we ordered the last slices before they sold out.
- León: After a 1 hour and 40 minute drive south, we arrived in León. Its imposing Cathedral of León is among the finest Gothic examples in the country, with towering spires and stained glass that flood the interior with light. Entry is €6, or €5 if you’re part of a group of five or more.
- Salamanca: At the suggestion of Sofía (who went to school here), we made a brief 2-hour detour to this university town. The University of Salamanca is the fourth-oldest in the world still in operation, and its presence gives the city a youthful, intellectual energy.
If you stop by the university façade or cathedral, try spotting the frog carved into the stone—a local tradition and symbol of Salamanca.
Found it!
We closed the day with dinner at Sofía’s old college haunt, Mesón de Cervantes, overlooking the crowds of Plaza Mayor—a perfect mix of nostalgia and food coma.
Arrival in Ávila
Another 1.5 hours on the road brought us to Ávila, our stop for the night. Known for its intact medieval walls, Ávila feels like a city suspended in time.
We checked into our stay within the old town walls — cobblestone streets underfoot, history in every corner.
That night, some of us wandered along the illuminated ramparts, marveling at the 82 semicircular towers and 9 gates glowing under golden floodlights. It’s hard not to be moved by how well-preserved this city is, and how quiet the streets feel after dark.
With Ávila as our new base, the day wasn’t quite over yet. We arrived ready to settle in, only to find ourselves locked out. Our Airbnb host hadn’t preemptively sent any check-in instructions, and there were no keys in sight. Thankfully, they responded quickly through Booking.com when I messaged and directed us to download the HoomVip app, which required us to register our passports before the door would unlock remotely.
We climbed three flights of stairs to find our apartments. One key box opened. The other? Still no response on what the code was. Luckily, the first apartment was large enough to squeeze in all ten of us with some strategic rearranging and a few extra mattresses we found tucked away in a closet.
Just when we thought we were in the clear even with one apartment down, the host suddenly provided us with the code for the other apartment’s key box. Completely empty. They then asked us remotely via chat to check the cabinets downstairs for a spare key. Nothing. Finally, they sent someone over with a backup key, who arrived about ten minutes late, but just in time for things to fall back into place.
As the group stayed up to drink and unwind, my body asked for something else entirely: sleep. I turned in early to rest and recover, knowing there’s more road ahead. Already wondering what tomorrow will bring.
- At time of posting in Ávila, it was 16 °C - Humidity: 67% | Wind Speed: 10km/hr | Cloud Cover: pleasant and chilly
