Alba Carrillo's mother's family is from a town in emptied Spain, which hides an authentic jewel of traditional architecture, authentic gastronomy and dreamlike natural spaces. Nava del Barco is the corner of Ávila to which the famous woman returns every summer, so much so that she has ended up buying her second home there.
Nava del Barco is not Ibiza or Formentera, nor does it pretend to be. This town of just 80 inhabitants in the heart of Ávila is a true refuge away from overcrowding, where the stone of the Sierra de Gredos is accompanied by the murmur of water, creating a rural town that invites you to soak up the relaxation, calm and tranquility of the interior of Castile.
What to see in Nava del Barco, Ávila
Nava del Barco is a mountain town located in the heart of the Nava Gorge, with water descending in a torrent from the glacial peaks of Gredos. For this reason, its greatest attraction is the incredible Laguna de la Nava, an intense turquoise blue pool in a glacial valley with imposing granite walls and refreshing waterfalls. You have to walk almost 20 kilometers to get there, but it is worth every step.
If you are not prepared for a tremendous route, the town itself is a jewel of traditional Avila architecture. Its facades mix mountain granite with beautiful wooden balconies, all adorned with irrigation ditches through which water runs and a skyline of smoking chimneys, because in the summer in Nava del Barco it gets cool at night.
Along the way between ashlar and masonry mansions, you will find the sturdy church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario from the 15th century, the famous rock in the center of the town known as 'La Pera' or a beautiful Roman bridge, still standing. In addition, there are dozens of natural pools around the town, which the neighbors nickname “the puddles.” They have very cold and refreshing water.
Where to eat cheap and delicious in Nava del Barco, Ávila
The cuisine is traditional and forceful, like a good mountain town that it is. Nava del Barco does not have restaurants, but on the outskirts there is a rural hotel-restaurant called La Galamperna, where they boast of El Barco beans, cooked in a homely way, which have their own Protected Geographical Indication.
What to do near Nava del Barco, Ávila
Less than 20 minutes by car from the town is El Barco de Ávila. This medieval town preserves its walls, its labyrinthine streets, its 14th century church, its 12th century castle on the Tormes River and even its old prison. Everything is in such good condition that it has earned the recognition of a Historical-Artistic Site and it is worth escaping for a day to discover it.
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