I was on my free-drive adventure across Portugal and Spain. Salamanca City looked interesting on the map, so I decided to spend a few days there to explore the region. Wow.. I had no idea what architectural marvels were hidden in this Spanish city. Salamanca is distinctively called La Dorada – The Golden City. There are a number of magnificent things to do in Salamanca – the twin Cathedrals, the oldest university in Spain (and one of the oldest in Europe), a number of monasteries, and impressive plazas. You will surely be amazed by Salamanca’s timeless charm.
I was traveling across north Portugal when decided to cross the border with Spain, after discovering online a beautiful picture of a dam located on the border river with Spain. I love this type of spontaneous traveling, simply inspired by a photo or a local story. Eventually, I don’t think I found the right dam but it was still worth exploring this Spanish region. Every time I travel to Spain I discover another cultural treasure or some breathtaking scenery.
Top things to do in Salamanca.
Salamanca is located in the west-central part of Spain with 150,000 inhabitants. In Spain, it is known as “The Golden City” because of its honey-colored sandstone. Most visitors are attracted by Salamanca’s rich architectural heritage but don’t forget about the delicious cuisine of central Spain. You’ll find plenty of tapas bars in the Old Town and if you fancy observing local nightlife, Plaza Mayor should be your evening destination – it is breathtaking after dark.
If you are thinking of hiring a car – Rentalcars.com is the platform to find the best deals. I tried it tens of times and it always worked great for Spain. You can freely drive between Spain and Portugal without additional permits.
Plaza Mayor Salamanca.
The moment you walk under the arcades to discover Plaza Mayor and the Baroque architecture of the surrounding buildings you know it is a magical place. Plaza Mayor stands as a centerpiece of the city and is of the top things to do in Salamanca – and trust me it is not a 5-minute attraction.
Plaza Mayor is buzzing with energy and adorned with exquisite architecture. Take a walk through the cobblestone streets and be sure to visit at different times of the day to experience the changing atmosphere, from the warm glow of the morning sun to the bustling evening gatherings.
Any time and amount of coffee is good, so relax, sit back and have a delicious black one in a lovely Plaza Mayor. Also, if you are into ice-creams, they serve one of the best I’ve had. Evening is the right time to visit Plaza Mayor, definitely one of the most impressive squares in Spain.
The Old Town streets of Salamanca.
It barely happens to me to walk the same footsteps a number of times but you just can’t get enough of this magnificent city scenery. The University of Salamanca is the oldest University in Spain and also the third oldest in Europe! The Old Town along with two Cathedrals are among two top historical sites and things to do in Salamanca. There are two cathedrals dominating the city landscape, but there also are two artistic landmarks of the place – the Old Cathedral of Salamanca and the New Cathedral.
The Catedral Nueva de Salamanca.
The New Cathedral of Salamanca was built in the 16th century in the Gothic style and it went through a restoration in 1992. I had no idea that for cathedral restorers it is allowed to add some additional details to the facade as a sort of their signature. In this case Jeronimo Garcia, who was renovating the New Cathedral, also added some more modern images to the facade. He included figures such as an astronaut floating among the vines, a dragon eating ice cream, a rabbit, and a crayfish! 🙂
Cathedral Vieja (The Old Cathedral of Salamanca).
The Old Cathedral of Salamanca built at the end of the 12th century in a Romanesque style with the outstanding Gallo Tower. The Cathedral remains one of the most beautiful Romanesque monuments in Europe together with its incredible facade.
Cathedra Clerecia - stairway to heaven.
One of the most memorable things to do in Salamanca is walking through the towers of Cathedra Clerecia (Clerecia Church Towers). These are known as the Scala Coeli – “stairway to heaven”. Tiny steep stairs will take you to the top of the tower, so you can experience incredible views over the city. The entrance is about 4 euro but this is really a must to see.
Convento de San Esteban.
This is another top attraction of Salamanca. Convento de San Esteban church has an extraordinary facade and indoor architecture. Built in 12th century, formerly the building was dedicated to be a centre of study and technology. There is also a beautiful cortyard with columns and a garden.
Casa de las Conchas.
Casa de las Conchas – this is another amazing historic building with walls covered with a pattern of sea shells. The walls are decorated with over 300 shells. The sea-shells monuments are also present on the surrounding streets. It was built in the 15th century and is currently housed in a public library. It is believed that the shells are a symbol of the Order of Santiago and its related Camino de Santiago pilgrim route. There is also the other theory, which is more romantic. It states that the repetition of the shells on the facade of Don Rodrigo´s symbol of love for his wife Doña Maria, that’s why there are so many of them.
Convento de las Agustinas e Iglesia de la Purísima.
This church was built in the 17th century, following the initiative of Manuel de Fonseca y Zúñiga. The building has a Latin-cross plan and also is covered by barrel vaults.
Salamanca Roman Bridge.
It’s a 176-meter-long road bridge, which is located in the center of Salamanca crossing the Tormes River. The most fascinating thing about this bridge is that it dates back to the 1st century! What’s also interesting, it was renovated in the 18th century but its arches remain original. Taking a walk along the bridge and admiring the city landscape and unique charm is one of themost pleasurablet things to do in Salamanca.
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