24 Hours In Salamanca
Steve Newman spends a day in this mediaeval Spanish city.
07:00 Hotel Rector
The Hotel Rector is a former palace of one of the city’s aristocrats and is found near the cathedral just next to the old city wall. Renowned for its hospitality, calmness and a sense of luxury, the hotel’s staff are super attentive, and it has its own garage to make life even easier.
09:00 Breakfast With Cake
Join the locals on their way to the office having an espresso and an amarguillo (almond cookies that are a legacy of the Moorish occupation). Salamanca is awash with cafés and bars, but the Croissanteria Paris SL serves some of the best croissants to be found anywhere and is very popular with students.
11:00 Be Square
The Plaza Mayor is one of the most beautiful plazas in Spain and is known as the “living-room of Salamanca.”
The town hall is the focal point of the plaza, which is a meeting point day and night. Its arcaded sides contain boutique shops where you can browse for souvenirs, or soak up the Castilian way of life in its numerous bars and restaurants.
13:00 Lunch With Locals
You have to go local and eat in the city’s traditional restaurants. Sample hornazo, a salty, oven-baked pastry stuffed with ham, sausage, bacon, cooked egg and sometimes even chicken. Try Río de la Plata, in the Plaza Peso. Its tiled floor, wooden furniture and white tablecloths are reminiscent of a typical local home.
15:00 Enjoy The History
Walk across the Roman bridge and visit the Casa de las Conchas where the façade is studded with carved stone shells. The university and many museums are all interesting to explore. Climb the cathedral’s Gallo Tower for incredible views and then have fun trying to find the astronaut and ice-cream cone in the carvings!
16:00 Superb Food
For the locals, ir de tapeo means going from bar to bar and having a small tapas in each with some wine. The Casa de Comidas Montero in the Plaza del Corrillo, with its combination of traditional and innovative foods, is a must to be included. Go relatively early as it gets very busy.
20:00 Live And Late
The city really comes to life when the sun sets, turning it into one of the most vibrant places in Spain. Salamanca por la noche como ninguna means at night there is no city like Salamanca, with most crowds forming at one a.m or two a.m.
It’s a fabulous mixture of bars and music, so do take a nap before and get a late start.