Exploring the Charming Towns Of El Arenal and El Hornillo
The main purpose of coming to Arenas of San Pedro is to stop at the charming El Hornillo village and the quaint El Arenal village, which are excellent locations for amazing mountain trekking. Although there is no public transport, such as buses to these areas, the walk itself is very enjoyable from Arenas with a clear trek along the river and road.
EL ARENAL
This quaint town is about 6 kilometers north of Arenas, and has only one main accommodation, which is the Hostel Isabel whose owner can guide you on the walking routes through the mountain range. The paths have been improved recently and provide a more enjoyable walk from here to Gredos’ top.
EL HORNILLO
This charming town is 9 kilometers to the north of Arenas with a more popular trekking path from Circo de Gredos to the Gredos watershed. Alternatively, one can walk south of El Arenal following a clearly marked trail to Candeleda. This alternative may be quite long, taking a day’s journey, but the walk is quite refreshing as it is downhill most of the way.
These charming towns are actually municipalities of the city of Avila, which has 52,000 residents, and is located about 100 kilometers away from Madrid, the capital of Spain. Avila overlooks the perfect picturesque medieval city with an impressive medieval wall surrounding it and a total of 88 watch towers. This city is renowned for its well maintained medieval perimeters, which were used as a defense mechanism in ancient days.
You can also find the splendid Basilica de San Vicente here, a 12th century cathedral.
Gastronomy
The Avila region is famous for its local recipe of T-bone steak or the Chuleton Avileno, as well as its famed dessert, ‘Yema de Avila’ that is made of sugar and egg yolk. These local delicacies are offered in many of the restaurants around Avila.
Accommodation
The best valued stays are found in Arenal, as compared to all of Majorca, with Don Pepe as the most popular hotel here. This hotel is located very close to S’Arenal Beach with air-conditioned rooms that are designed in modern style and equipped with flat-screen televisions. Another plus for this hotel is its close proximity to Majorca Airport, a mere 6 kilometers away, with Palma city centre 12 kilometers away.
There are plenty of bars and restaurants that come with swimming pools and gym facilities. There are many offerings of free Wi-Fi, as well as parking space. Another hotel, the Hotel Maioris, is equipped with a children’s club that has indoor as well as outdoor playgrounds with a large outdoor terrace and pretty gardens.