Tourism
Parador de Gredos (Ávila)
Among crystal-clear water, rugged rocks and the green pine forests of the Sierra de Gredos, the stone walls of the state-run hotel Parador de Gredos entrench themselves since 1928.
The great promoter of hiking, climber and wild inhabitant of this place was King Alfonso XIII. The roughness of the road and the beauties of the saws were the reasons that prompted the decision of building a real refuge for hunting in the surroundings of Navarredonda. His Majesty could not suspect that he was inaugurating the first hotel of a network of Paradores in Spain.
After many ups and downs and adventures, this establishment is the indisputable favorite: due to its unusual nature, its climate, sometimes hard and sometimes rewarding and healthy and its famous and unusual places for walks and excursions. Living evidence of steps and grounds, fertile valleys and breathtaking peaks are a mysterious mixture of histories, geographies and capricious climates.
In a spring-like environment the thermometer might read a few degrees below zero. Spring here is usually full of joyful sunrises and sunsets. The winters are dry, icy but frequently sunny. Autumns tend to be drafty, rich in fading lights but warmed at the penumbra of fireplaces…
Inside, the rustic decor makes it a cozy and elegant place at the same time. Rooms with fireplaces, classic and antique furniture that smells of recent wax. And the terrace with its balcony overlooking the pine trees: cosy, spacious and silent, one of those sites where time passes by slowly on tiptoes…
The majestic building gives fine views of the Tormes Valley, the Gredos rocky wall and the Sierra de Piedrahita and Béjar. The hotel is the perfect starting point for excursions to unique places such as the Gredos lagoon; in Navarredonda: the Church of San Benito, from the 13th century, and the Assumption Church, from the 15th century, with a very valuable silver monstrance; at Hoyos del Espino: the tourism Holy See from east Gredos; in Cerberos: a lustrous medieval village with the old church from the 15th century and the Santiago church, which keeps interesting altarpieces; in El Barraco: a Gothic-Renaissance church with a great terrace and a renamed altarpiece; in Burgohondo: the convent of Augustinian and powerful Abbey from the 12th century, with the church Santa Maria, a Romanesque treasure certified as Historical Monument.
If the traveler is a sport enthusiast, the Parador will provide detailed information of a range of activities available at Gredos: hiking, climbing, horse riding, hang-glider, etc.
Here you will find the ideal place to enjoy the cuisine of the area, famous for its tasty beans “del Barco” and the t-bone steak. Eating here at these northern Gredos can be a nutritious rite, although scarcely suitable for faint-hearted stomachs. This firstborn and real property presumes, with ample reasons, of an exquisite menu beyond comparison.
