Y tú, ciudad famosa,
Gloria del timbre del blazon de España,
Ávila, por tus méritos dichosa?

- from Elogio de Ávila by Lope de Vega

Ávila was one of the first cities in the world recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage City. A member of the European Route of Jewish Heritage, Ávila was once home to the Jewish philosopher Moíses de León, author of the Zohar, widely considered the most important work of Kabbalah. Saint Teresa and Saint John of the Cross, two of the great Catholic mystics, were products of this city. Ávila was also a summer home to the Catholic Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, whose ardent faith spurred the defeat of the last Spanish Muslim stronghold and the eventual expulsion of all non-Catholics in Spain. Christians and Muslims fought over Ávila for centuries, and both cultures held domain over the region for various periods of time during the middle ages. All three cultures joined efforts to complete the structure that would ultimately divide them: its walls.

Click here for an interactive map of Ávila.

The program is based at The University of Salamanca's Ávila campus. The University of Salamanca is one of Spain's oldest and most revered institutions of higher education. It is widely recognized for its fine teaching of Spanish as a second language and was instrumental in the development of the prestigious Instituto Cervantes proficiency tests. CET has selected the Ávila campus so that students may take full advantage of the University of Salamanca's academic resources, yet escape from the large community of American students studying in Salamanca. An hour and a half from Salamanca to the southeast, the Ávila campus is located outside the town's medieval city wall, a short bus ride or a pleasant 20-minute walk from the center of town. The campus is easily walkable and features a new building, equipped with up-to-date, modern facilities. This is where CET's classrooms, library, seminar rooms and computer center are located. Students feel at home in this welcoming environment and are among the very few Americans on campus. CET is also privileged to have access to Spain's only Police Academy, consistently ranked one of the best in the world. There, students may hear special guests lectures by experts in counter-terrorism.

For more information about the University of Salamanca, and its Avila campus, click here.

The dormitory includes a private dining room for its residents, and full board plans are included in CET's program fees. Students join their Spanish classmates for meals in these dining rooms.