As we approach the lively student town, the new Prince Filip bridge spans across the Tormes river in front of us, inviting us seductively into the city. But we suggest continuing the route to the Roman bridge. Next to it, the old Romanesque and the new Gothic cathedral rise towards the sky.
do not miss
Crossing the bridge above the stone bull, the symbol of the city, we are first surprised by the art nouveau Casa Lis, where a museum delights visitors behind wrought iron and glass walls Art Nouveau and Art Deco. The path uphill now reveals beautiful views of the valley from a slightly higher position before we stop in front of the tall and luxuriously decorated facade of the Gothic cathedral. A look into the old Romanesque cathedral reveals a rich altar and the monastery courtyard next to the massive bell tower, in which General Franco "sailed" during air raids during the civil war. The nearby university reminds us of even more remote times. Many came there to study law and theology as early as the 13th century, and later also linguistics and humanities. Nebrio's first Spanish grammar was born there, Columbus justified his plan there before the commission, Miguel de Unamuno worked in Salamanca, and the monk Luís de León returned to the chair after a few years of inquisition imprisonment and addressed the students with the famous: "As we said yesterday, ..." Nowadays, despite all the academics we meet around the university, visitors are much more interested in a simple frog. A stone frog, which everyone is searching for on the huge, luxuriously ornamented facade. From time to time there is an excited shriek from the crowd. The facades of the Shell House, today it houses the city library, its builder, a knight of the Order of St. Jacob, decorated with about 350 shells, symbols of the saint, the protector of the whole of Spain. You could say that the so-called Casa de las Conchas is actually one of the trademarks of Salamanca. The importance of Salamanca throughout its history can be felt in the baroque main square. Spain's most beautiful Plaza Mayor was built in the 18th century. It was one of the last, which is why it is also the most richly decorated of all.
For under the teeth
If we are in a hurry in Salamanca right on Whit Monday, that is a week after Easter, we will be able to try the local specialty el hornazo - a hearty cake filled with bacon, sausages and hard-boiled egg, which was once baked by Salamanca students for the homecoming holiday frivolous women who had to leave the city during the pre-Easter Lent so as not to seduce men's minds. Nowadays, hornazo is usually cut and eaten in a family circle on a picnic outside the city on Mondays, with long lines of townspeople waiting for it in front of bakeries. Dishes such as bull's tail, Spanish risotto with meat and vegetables - paella, but especially Spanish tortilla and excellent prosciutto and other cured meats, with a glass of one of the best Spanish wines from the nearby Duero River Valley, we will be able to try in many restaurants around the main square and along Streets. La Rúa, the main area closed to traffic, between the main square and the cathedral, in Portuguese (it was from Portugal that many students came to Salamanca) simply means ... street. We can single out El Bardo, in the basement next to the House of Shells, as a typical restaurant in Salman. At first glance, it seems dubious, but after the first plate, which is brought hourly by the well-trained staff, all fears subside and only the gourmet pleasures of the regional cuisine follow.
For spendthrifts
The main street of La Rúa is likely to satisfy visitors looking for general souvenirs, while for items related to the university and the Spanish language, we will most likely have to head to Libreros street, which runs along the old university, and even more literature can be found in the bookshops on Calle Azafranal, north of the main square. There are also Calle Toro and Calle Zamora, where you will find some boutiques, and for larger purchases we recommend visiting the shopping centers that have grown north of the city center and south of the Tormes river in the last decade.
Nightlife
Spain is known for its lively nightlife. In a city that welcomes 6,000 foreigners every year in addition to permanent students, expectations must be high. And the city does not fail us. There is no shortage of entertainment either on Saturdays or on Mondays. It is not necessary to set a place for the meeting, only a time. Everything starts "on the hour" - on the Plaza Mayor. And don't be surprised if you made an appointment with someone at nine o'clock, but he comes with the company he met fifteen minutes ago, an hour late. While you will be waiting for him or her sitting on the city pavement, you will certainly learn a lot of interesting new knowledge. And then you will all go together to the first bar in the square and listen to tunes. This is the name of the charming university music ensembles, whose tradition dates back to troubadour times. Women's hearts will break at the melancholy strumming of the guitar, the humorous lyrics of the songs, the aloof glances of the musicians... or at the direct obscene invitation. Around ten in the evening is the perfect time to think about dinner, and around midnight the "sniffing" of small bars begins, where the digestif comes in handy. About an hour later, many bars around the Plaza Mayor and on the nearby Gran Via finally begin to appear in the most beautiful light. Salamanca has the advantage of being small and practically everything can be reached on foot. Probably, all our plans with visits to certain bars will fall into the water the moment we enter the company of someone who has spent at least one night in the city. In Salamanca, however, this will probably happen a few minutes after you appear in the main square. From Latin music to heavy metal and the latest pop. If you don't like the music in the bar, go next door. Everywhere you will be pampered with discounts, every other drink for free, ... until five, six, ... seven in the morning. Cvm Lavde will probably be one of the first bars you meet, as it is right next to the main square. Lovers of original Latin music will head down to Gran Vía and find themselves in El Savor. On the other side of the street, Submarino will serve house, rock and metal music. La Chupitería, as the name itself suggests, is known for its "ta short", which ignite even more with the Spanish dosage. The bullfighting atmosphere prevails in Café Torero, furnished in the style of a bullring. La Morada, commonly known as the "Litro bar", needs no further advertising. Maybe it's just that it's one of those bars where you can hear your interlocutor well. Well, yes, at least until the liters don't accumulate too much.
Stay
If we decide to stay in Salamanca for a long time, we will probably rent an apartment or arrange hospitality with a family before leaving, which is especially useful if we are going to Salamanca to learn Spanish. For a short stay in the city, one of the two youth centers can be considered. The Albergue Juvenil Salamanca is located next to the Calatrava Seminary and is therefore closer to the center, while the Albergue Juvenil Lazarillo de Tormes is, as the name suggests, beyond the Tormes River, on the old road to Portugal. Among the higher-quality hotels, we recommend the proven ABBA Fonseca and Byblos (Artheus), both with four stars. The less star is the centrally located Salamanca Plaza, which rises above the market just behind the main square.
What's happening
In 2002, Salamanca enjoyed the honor of European Capital of Culture. This year, the range of autumn events is more modest. Until September 30, the exhibition Gravura in Salamanca is on view at the Santo Domingo Exhibition Center, showing the tradition from the first engravings of Salamanca in 1777 to the last ones produced by the British Muirhead Bone just before the Spanish Civil War. On October 15, the nearby village of Alba de Tormes organizes the feast of St. Teresa of Ávila, who died in the village in 1582 and is also buried there. A treat for theater lovers is the play Call the Inspector, which can be seen on October 14 and 15 at the Teatro Liceo in Plaza Liceo.
How to get there
The easiest connection between Madrid and Salamanca is with buses of the Auto-Res carrier, which has a station in Conde de Casal square, where we arrive on Madrid metro line no. 6. An alternative is a train connection from Madrid's Chamartín station. Metro lines 1 and 10 take us to it.
Information:
UNIVERSIDAD DE SALAMANCA Patio de Escuelas 1, www.usal.es
CATEDRAL DE SALAMANCA C/Cardenal Pla y Deniel s/n, www.catedralsalamanca.org
CASA DE LAS CONCHAS, C/Compañía 2, www.bibliotecaspublicas.es/salamanca
CASA LIS, C/Gibraltar 14, www.museocasalis.org
TOURIST OFFICE, Rúa Mayor, www.salamanca.es
SALMINTER LANGUAGE SCHOOL, C/Toro, www.salminter.com
For under the teeth:
EL BARDO, C/Compañía 8
Nightlife:
CVM LAVDE, C/Prior 5-7, one of the most emblematic nightclubs www.cvmlavde.com
CAFE TORERO, Pza. Del Corrillo 19, www.cafetorero.com
LA CHUPITERIA, Pza. Monterrey
EL SAVOR, C/S. Justo 28, nice salsa atmosphere, just above Gran Via, also salsa classes
SUBMARINO, C/S. Just the 27th
LA MORADA, C/Arriba 13
Stay:
ALBERGUE JUVENIL YOUTH HOME
SALAMANCA, C/Escoto 13-15, www.alberguesalamanca.com
YOUTH HOME ALBERGUE MUNICIPAL LAZARILLO DE TORMES, C/Lagar s/n, www.alberguemunicipalsalamanca.com
HOTEL BYBLOS, Ronda del Corpus 2, +34 923 21 25 00
HOTEL ABBA FONSECA, Pza. San Blas 2, +34 923 01 10 10, www.abbafonsecahotel.com
HOTEL SALAMANCA PLAZA Pza. Del Mercado 16, +34 923 27 22 50
What's happening:
Tourist portal www.salamanca.es is the main source of information about events in Salamanca that are not directly related to nightlife and student life.
