My daughter and I will be leaving Salamanca on a Saturday morning in August, and leaving Madrid for Granada, by train the following Monday am. We want to spend some time in Avila on the way to Madrid. Should we spend the whole day Saturday in Avila, spending the night there, and getting the train to Madrid on Sunday am., or should we go straight to Madrid from Salamanca with our bags, check in to our Madrid hotel, and then backtrack to Avila? Without a car, what would we do with our luggage in Avila if we just spend the day there on our way from Salamanca to Madrid? If we should spend 1 night in Avila, can anyone recommend medium-priced lodging. Thanks, Fodorites.

I would spend 2 to 3 hours in Avila enroute and then move on to Madrid. It will be hot in August.

I answered your other post , if you haven't read it, just click on your nickname and you will see all your posts.

We stayed at the Parador, which is IMO reasonable and lovely, but it was May, not August, and yes, August will be hot (but it will be hot in Madrid too, and I'd pick Avila--I really thought it was charming).

Before you decide, make sure that there is a left-luggage facility in Avila. (I tried to find out on the RENFE Web site, but without success.)

I looked up at the RENFE website (in Spanish) and found it, yes, there's a left luggage from 5 AM to 00.30 in Avila station.

thanks everyone. Kenderina, your last post has resolved the issue for us. The left luggage problem was the key.