Salamanca is a city inCastile and León in western central Spain, with a population of 143,500 in 2021. It has a magnificent old town centre, with multiple Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance and Baroque buildings inscribed on theUNESCO world heritage list.
The city stands on a plateau, north bank of the River Tormes. Once the Romans had subdued this region of Spain, they built a north-south highway, a long bridge to carry it over the river, and city walls. Their successors the Visigoths kept the walls in good repair, but the city fell to the Moors in 712 AD. The Moors were ousted in the 11th century and there followed a busy era of re-population and church-building. The university was founded in 1218, one of the first in the world, so Salamanca became a great cosmopolitan centre of learning and culture - and still is.
It was in Salamanca that Columbus won support for his transatlantic voyage, and the city shared in Spain's 16th century golden age powered by New World riches. Renaissance-style buildings were erected with the local Villamayor sandstone, which glows gold, orange and pink at sunrise and sunset. The new cathedral was built over the old, and the splendid Plaza Mayor was laid out. The city inevitably also shared the national slump, and was rocked by the 1755 earthquake.
Industry was slow to arrive and has been kept further out. It's mostly agricultural, such as fertilisers and veterinary medical products. But most city employment is in the service / tourist sectors and in education around the university.
Tourist information is posted on theSalamanca Tourism website. Their main office is within City Hall at Plaza Mayor 32, open M-Sa 09:00-19:00, Su 10:00-14:00.
Madrid Barajas (MAD IATA) is the nearest practical airport, 200 km east. It's well connected domestically, within Europe and to the Gulf States and Americas.
Salamanca Matacan Airport (SLM IATA) 15 km east of town only has occasional summer flights, e.g. to Mallorca by Air Nostrum, an Iberia subsidiary.
From Madrid Chamartín, Alvia trains run every couple of hours, taking 1 hr 40 min viaSegovia Guiomar. Slower trains take up to 3 hours from Madrid Principe Pio viaEl Escorial andÁvila.
40.9721-5.64861Estación de Salamanca is the main railway station, 1 km northeast of city centre. It's small but modern, with a couple of cafes and a car-rental office. There are no left luggage facilities. From the street outside, Bus 1 runs to the old centre, Bus 11 skirts it west along Paseo de San Vicente to the hospital and university medical campus.
Salamanca La Alamedilla is just a drop-off for the slow trains. These continue 500 m southwest from the main station to terminate and reverse here, and you can ride through to shorten the walk into town, but they won't let you board the eastbound return. The place is dismal and it would be a mercy if it closed.
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Monbus runs hourly from Madrid Estación Sur, taking 3 hours via Madrid Moncloa andÁvila. Five per day start from Madrid Airport T4 and T1.
Avanza buses run from Valladolid every two hours, taking 90 min.
OneAlsa bus traverses the country north-south, fromA Coruña viaSantiago de Compostela,Pontevedra,Vigo,Ourense and Zamora to Salamanca, continuing overnight to Bejar, Plasencia,Caceres, Merida,Zafra,Seville,Jerez,Cadiz,Tarifa andAlgeciras, for ferries to Morocco.
One Alsa bus runs from Paris, taking 20 hours viaOrleans,Tours,Niort,Bordeaux, Bayonne,San Sebastian,Bilbao, Burgos and Valladolid, and continuing to Lisbon.
Alsa buses run fromGijon three times a day, taking five hours via Oviedo, León and Zamora, continuing to Seville.
40.9702-5.67492Estación de Autobuses is the bus terminal, 1 km northwest of city centre at the corner of Ave de Filiberto Villalobos and C Pena de Francia. It has left luggage facilities, cafes, toilets, ticket counters and ATMs.
Good fast Autovias (with toll) link Salamanca east to Avila (100 km) and Madrid (205 km) via A50; south to Caceres (235 km) and Seville via A66; northeast to Valladolid (115 km) via A62; north to Zamora and Leon via A66; and west into Portugal via A62.
The city is not too big to see on foot, especially the main attractions, which are all quite close to one another. For slightly longer journeys there are taxis, and numerous bus routes - tickets are cheap, and you can buy them directly from the driver on board. Salamancacity bus 1[dead link] can take you between the train station and Plaza Poeta Iglesias, which is right next to Plaza Mayor.
If you do need a taxi, you can find a few taxi ranks around the city. However, one can also use the app called Pide Taxi to call on a cab. Passengers pay with cash at the conclusion of the ride.
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(La Casa de las Conchas) was built 1493-1517 by Rodrigo Arias de Maldonadoa. He was a Knight of the Order of Santiago de Compostela, which (along with the pilgrimage to Santiago) has a scallop as its symbol. The facade is carved with 350 stone scallops. Within is a public library, but you can look into the elegant courtyard M-Sa 09:00-21:00.(updated Jan 2025)
spans the River Tormes. It takes a battering when the river is in spate and has been repaired many times, with dates not well recorded. It was likely built in the 1st century BC, and the northern section near the city looks to be the oldest, while the southern section succumbed to floods and is medieval. It carried the principal north-south highway Vía de la Plata - mistranslated as "silver" but that name just means the road was cobbled. It's been pedestrian-only since 1973.
Spanish language courses are available from:
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Book well in advance if you hope to stay in Salamanca during Easter (Semana Santa) or during the fiesta of the Virgen de la Vega.
A central inexpensive place will not have its own parking lot, but will direct you to the nearest public lot probably at some distance. So you need to factor in a hike with your bags through dark unfamiliar streets, and €20 a night for parking.
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As of Jan 2025, Salamanca and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.
Beware traffic, safeguard valuables and swerve clear of drunks, same as anywhere else.
The must-see centres to the east areÁvila andSegovia.
To the south, Béjar is a small town noted for its walls, "El Bosque" gardens, and bullfighting arena. It's also a jumping-off point for the Sierras further south, for hiking and wildlife. Historic villages here include Hoyos del Espino, Piedrahita, Barco de Ávila and Arevalo.
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