Spain has many beautiful destinations for the traveler, with a lot of history and culture. For example, in Castilla y León there is the beautiful Salamanca. It is an ancient city, with one of the most famous universities in the world and the oldest in the country.
Salamanca has a lot to offer so today we will focus on what to see in Salamanca and surroundings, to make a visit to this city unforgettable.
Salamanca
It is at about 800 meters of altitude and since 1988 it is World Heritage for the wealth of value of its architectural historical heritage. The city is just over 120 kilometers from Valaldolid and the same from Portugal.
Salamanca is a very fun university city, very lively, with a diversity of people between tourists, locals and students who come from all over the country. It has many historic buildings, tasty cuisine, and great weather.
From abroad you can get to Madrid by plane and from there by bus or train. Calculate a trip of only two hours. From France or Portugal you can, in turn, arrive by bus or train. If you opt for the bus within Spain you can use those of the Avanza Bus company that connects Barajas airport directly with Salamanca. You just have to go to Terminal 1 which is where the stop is and you can buy tickets in advance on the website.
By train it has several daily connections between many cities, but you will have to leave the airport and head towards Madrid to take it. The service departs from the Chamartín station and the journey takes an hour and a half, more or less.
To get around the city itself you can walk, it is a very pedestrian city, or take public transportation.
What to see in Salamanca
You have to start with the Plaza Mayor which is one of the largest squares in Spain and was designed in the eighteenth century. It is also one of the baroque monuments most exquisite in the country and home to two cathedrals. The square was built in two stages and was finished in 1755. It is a very lively square, with people all the time, day and night. It is the emblem of the city and has been declared National Monument.
La Casa de las Conchas It is a historic house built by Rodrigo Arias de Maldonado, a knight of the famous Order of Santiago de Compostela. It was completed in 1517 and has a curious and striking façade, decorated with over 300 seashells. Hence the name.
The architecture of this house is basically Gothic with some Renaissance and Mudejar style elements. You can enter and it is really worth it because you will see the charming patio, restored. Today it is a public library and information office.
The Clergy It is right in front of the Casa de las Conchas and it is a church. Originally it was called Iglesia del Colegio Real de la Compañía de Jesús but it is known as Clerecia. Its construction was ordered by the wife of Felipe III, back in 1617. The church has a charming Baroque and today it houses the central office of the Pontifical University. It is best to complete the visit with a climb to the Scala Coeli to enjoy a stupendous view of Salamanca from a certain height.
La University of Salamanca it is, perhaps, what has made the city known throughout the world. It is in its historic center and it is the oldest university in Spain. It was founded in the XNUMXth century and is a truly iconic site, with its façade adorned with mythical creatures and religious scenes. And as tradition well indicates, try to look for and find the figure of a frog.
Inside the university there are charming spaces, such as the classroom of Fray Luis de León, famous poet, which really looks like a window to the past, or the School YardIt is that it opens to the Library, another place that exudes the smell of old books and previous centuries.
We said at the beginning that there are two cathedrals in Salamanca: the old and the new. They are next to each other. The Old Cathedral It was built in 1120 and combines the Romanesque style with the Gothic. Inside its altar is something beautiful, with 53 scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary in super colorful panels. You will also see the organ built in Mudejar style in the no less beautiful Capilla de Anaya.
For its part, Cathedral Nueva it is the larger of the two and was built in the XNUMXth century. Although it has an originally Gothic structure, certain Renaissance and Baroque elements also stand out, especially in the dome and in the bell tower. Here you can climb the towers and walk, take a kind of walk on the heights, enjoying the best view of Salamanca. Obviously, the interior is also a treasure, with arches and decorated ceilings... and before you leave, locate the monster eating ice cream and the astronaut that were placed there in the 1992 restorations in the Puerta de Ramos.
El Monterey Palace It still preserves today, inside doors, a real house and in use. But the good thing is that the mansion can be visited, it is the only palace in use in the city. The visit allows you to discover its rooms and its rich furniture and art collection and is accompanied by music and images. It really is an interesting visit that ends with other good views of the city from one of its towers.
We can't stop naming the Roman bridge of the river Tormes, one of the many bridges that connects the margins of the city. It is a pedestrian bridge that stands out a lot since the structure dates from the 26st century BC It has XNUMX arches and some are the same as the original Roman times. Of course the bridge has been restored many times by constant flooding, especially the ferocious flooding of the XNUMXth century, but it remains a treasure of the city.
La House Lis It was built on the orders of the wealthy merchant Miguel de Lis in the 1995th century. It is a beautiful modernist style mansion and since XNUMX its glass facade marks the entrance to the Museum of Art Nouveau and Art Deco from the city. It has an impressive collection of objects from the XNUMXth and XNUMXth century and one of the largest collections of porcelain dolls in the world.
Once you have visited Casa Lis you can head towards the Calixto's orchard, near the cathedral. This is a lovely little garden which is great for relaxing a bit and taking a break from the sightseeing. The name derives from the novel Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea, by Fernando de Rojas. written in 1499.
El Convent of the Dueñas It was founded in 1419 and is a Dominican convent with a Mudejar style that has undergone some modifications over time. Thus, today Renaissance details are added, in the pentagonal-shaped cloister, for example. Look carefully at the stone decorations, with magical creatures, and if you can, don't miss out on trying the cookies made by the nuns.
Speaking of convents, you can add a visit to the Convent of San Esteban, in the Plaza del Concilio de Trento. It was built between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries and has a façade full of reliefs. The cloister is beautiful and the attached church has a gilded altar and a museum of religious artifacts.
La Clavero Tower takes off from the sky of Salamanca. It is a XNUMXth-century tower with an octagonal shape that was once part of the Palacio de Sotomayor. Today it stands alone on the edge of Plaza Colón and before leaving the city you can stop by and admire the coat of arms that it has as decoration.
Excursions from Salamanca
Although Salamanca is a dream city, ancient, with cobbled streets and an unforgettable golden glow, one can also stay longer and plan excursions, Day Trips. If this is your case here we recommend some excursions from Salamanca to do in a day or two.
La Alberca is a charming village in Spain, in a mountainous region south of the city. It is like traveling to the past, without cars, with wooden houses and windows full of geraniums. Its green surroundings are a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The vineyards of Castilla y León they are a paradise. They are in the surroundings of Valladolid and nearby the famous Ribero del Duero wines are made, red, but also white and rosé. You can take a walk through the vineyards and try them.
Zamora It is a great destination to go on Easter because it has very famous processions. Zamora's Plaza Mayor is filled with people in traditional costumes, the church is beautiful and everything is charming. You arrive in Salamanca in an hour by bus and the service is regular.
La Rodrigo City it is also an hour's drive from Salamanca. At the beginning of August, the Carnaval de Toros takes place here, at which time the Plaza Mayor turns into a ring and the local people drink from morning to night. All super alive. You can also approach Segovia and discover its Alcazar, or Ávila, World Heritage for its medieval beauty.
Finally, if you are lucky enough to be by car there are other great places to visit from Salamanca such as Cáceres, Sierra de Francia, Pozo de los Humos, Los Pilones or León.