The Robbi Route

Monday, June 1, 2026 

The hotel’s buffet breakfast included in our lodging fare was Amazing!  And then we loaded all gear into the hold of our most comfortable bus, met Louise our driver, the group organizers – Yoli and Rui – said their farewells and left us for another group (?!!?!) and we were turned over to  the able care of our kind, knowledgeable, charismatic and energetic leader Vitor!

We had a bit of a drive to Ávila and the bus was big enough for us each to have our own seats.  There was some fun chatting all around and enjoyment of the beautiful scenery, mostly I utilized the time for getting caught up on my action packed travel journal.  

We had an incredible guide in Ávila who knew her stuff and shared a wonderful sense of humor, too!  There was SO MUCH material covered that it was mind boggling and a lot to retain!  So in this age of internet access I am going to rely on the Unesco World Heritage site and Wikipedia to cover the main details!

“The city of Ávila is located in the centre of Spain, in the Autonomous Community of Castile and León. Founded in the 11th century to protect the Spanish territories from the Moors, this ‘City of Saints and Stones’ has maintained its medieval austerity, and is the birthplace of St Teresa and burial place of the Grand Inquisitor, Torquemada. This purity of form can still be seen in the Gothic cathedral and fortifications that, with their 87 semi-circular towers and nine gates, is the most complete found in Spain.”  (whc.unesco.org)

“Ávila, Spain, is celebrated for its remarkably intact 11th-century medieval walls. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, famously known as the “Town of Stones and Saints” due to its rich religious history and striking stone architecture. 

Key highlights of this World Heritage site include: 

• The City Walls (Muralla de Ávila): Stretching over 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) with 87 defensive towers and 9 monumental gates, it is widely considered the best-preserved medieval fortification in all of Europe. 
• Ávila Cathedral: Often noted as Spain’s first Gothic cathedral. It is uniquely built right into the city’s defensive walls, blending religious architecture with military fortification. 
• Extra-Muros Churches: The UNESCO designation specifically protects the Old Town and ten historic churches located just outside the city walls, such as the Romanesque Basilica of San Vicente. 
• Spiritual Heritage: Ávila is the birthplace of the famous mystic St. Teresa of Jesus. Visitors can explore historic convents and sites tied to her life, as well as the Convent of Santo Tomás, which houses the ornate tombs of the Catholic Monarchs’ only son and the Grand Inquisitor, Tomás de Torquemada.” (Wikipedia)

Back to the bus and more scenic driving to Salamanca!  We barely had time to drop our bags and meet up for Another personalized tour, this time of some religious buildings in town and the university. Again, I will share the scoop of experts:

“This ancient university town north-west of Madrid was first conquered by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century B.C. It then became a Roman settlement before being ruled by the Moors until the 11th century. The university, one of the oldest in Europe, reached its high point during Salamanca’s golden age. The city’s historic centre has important Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance and Baroque monuments. The Plaza Mayor, with its galleries and arcades, is particularly impressive. 

Beginning with the Roman Bridge that spans the River Tormes southwest of the city, numerous structures still testify to the two thousand year-old history of antique Salmantica. The remarkable examples include the Old Cathedral and San Marcos (12th century), the Salina and the Monterrey Palaces (16th century), and above all the Plaza Mayor (1729-1755). But the city owes its most essential features to the University. The remarkable group of buildings in Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles, which, from the 15th to 18th centuries, rose to the institution that proclaimed itself “Mother of Virtues, Sciences, and the Arts” makes Salamanca an exceptional example of an old university town in the Christian world, such as Oxford and Cambridge.

The Cathedral School of Salamanca existed as far back as the late 12th century. The oldest university building in Salamanca, now the Rectorate, is the old Hospital del Estudio, built in 1413, with the final element of the building programme begun in 1533. The Cathedral School of Salamanca existed as far back as the late 12th century. The oldest university building in Salamanca, now the Rectorate, is the old Hospital del Estudio, built in 1413, with the final element of the building programme begun in 1533.

Salamanca provides one of the oldest examples of university facilities conceived as such rather than as colleges. However, the city also boasted many colleges, which were generally charitable institutions with close ties to the University.

Most of these buildings are located in the Old Quarter of the city. However, other monuments, located in the surroundings of the protected core area, are also part of the property. All are magnificent examples of religious architecture belonging to different styles: the Romanesque churches of San Marcos, San Juan de Barbalos, and San Cristóbal, the convents of Las Claras and Santa Teresa, the Gothic-Renaissance church of Sancti Spiritus, and the Colegio de los Irlandeses.” (whc.unesco.org)

The tour concluded in Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor.  I fondly remembered past visits and wished for a reacquaintance of free time exploration but it was not to be.  Our group had some great fellowship over drinks in the square and it was a lovely winding down of our busy, first full day.  

We had dinner at 8:30, late for this pilgrim, yet truly yummy!  We were served a loaded salad with tuna, olives, corn and onions, roast chicken that was tender and juicy, roasted carrots and a soft dinner roll.  Dessert was Goxua (Basque cream).  Might need to scale back on my food intake!!  (6.2 miles)