Salamanca Spain Travel:
A Destination for Spanish Language Learning and
More
My week-long stay in Asturias had come to an end
and had to say goodbye to my gracious hosts at the
Posada de Babel and start my drive eastwards along
the coastline of Asturias. Slowly the rainy and
cloudy weather gave way to bright sunshine near
Oviedo, and on my way through the mountains, I stopped
the car to admire the breathtaking mountain scenery
of Asturias.
One last look at the mountains of Asturias
Then I left the mountains behind and drove into
the plains of Castile and Leon. The famous Camino
de Santiago (St. James Way), the ancient pilgrimage
route, snakes its way through here. Driving along
some country roads near Leon I saw several groups
of pilgrims, walking by the side of the road. The
traditional scallop symbol was guiding their path
to their final destination: Santiago de Compostela.
Great views on my drive from Asturias to Salamanca
The landscape through Leon was impressively flat
and rather monotonous. In the mid-afternoon I finally
arrived in Salamanca, my destination for the day.
The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and definitely
a destination I wanted to catch on my way from Asturias
to Madrid. I checked into my Salamanca hotel, the
4-star Hotel Regio on the outskirts of town. After
a brief rest I drove 10 minutes and parked my car
just next to the Tormes River.
A nice view of Salamanca from where I parked my
car
Compared to the north of Spain, the weather in
Salamanca was incredible warm. After a week of temperatures
around 20 degrees, it was definitely much hotter
here, probably around 35 degrees Celsius. Although
winters are fairly cold in Salamanca, the summers
are downright torrid with average temperatures close
to 30 degrees in July and August. It was a nice
change enjoying the warm sunshine after almost a
week of cool rainy weather.
Starting my walk up into the old downtown area of
Salamanca
With a population of about 160,000 people, Salamanca
is an important city in the autonomous community
of Castile and Leon. It is about 200 kilometres
west of Madrid and most well-known for its historic
university, which was founded in 1134 and given
the Royal chart of foundation in 1218. Today the
University of Salamanca, the fourth oldest western
university, is one of the most popular destinations
for Spanish language learning. Thousands of foreign
students study here and about 16% of Spain’s
market for foreign language study is covered by
Salamanca.
Salamanca's impressive cathedral
During my walk through the downtown area I took
in the countless golden sandstone buildings, most
of which stem from the Renaissance area. This has
earned Salamanca the nickname "The Golden City"
("La Ciudad Dorada"). The impressive Plaza
Mayor is the city's central square and can hold
about 20,000 people. In former times it was even
used as a venue for bullfights.
The Plaza Mayor of Salamanca
Salamanca's cathedral is of Romanesque style and
was founded in the 12th century. The adjoining “new”
cathedral dates from the early 1500s and was finally
finished in 1734 and encompasses Late Gothic and
Plateresque styles. A gorgeous small park surrounds
the Cathedral on the north side and is a popular
attraction for locals who like to relax and enjoy
a shady spot. Several young university students
were gathered to play some Flamenco tunes. It’s
a great place to watch people.
Some Flamenco jammin' beside Salamanca's cathedral
Across from the cathedral I walked into the Colegio
de Anaya, a gorgeous Neoclassical palace, built
in the 1760s that currently houses the Faculty of
Philosophy. It has a striking inner courtyard and
an impressive stone staircase leading up to the
second floor. The stone walls are adorned with mysterious
engraved symbols and names which I assumed were
from students who had graduated from this educational
institution.
The symbols at the Colegio de Anaya
A few minutes away I also caught a view of the
imposing university buildings. Over the centuries,
the University of Salamanca has been host to many
famous students and lecturers, including Christopher
Columbus, Hernan Cortes, Miguel de Unamuno, and
Miguel de Cervantes. Unfortunately I was not allowed
to enter the university, but I did make it inside
the courtyard of the impressive library building
across the street. These interior patios are among
Spain’s most enchanting architectural features.
The gorgeous staircase at the Colegio Anaya
The House of Shells (La Casa de las Conchas), built
in the late 15th century and studded with 350 sandstone
shells, is just around the corner. To get to know
the city better I decided to hop on the miniature
train that departs from the Cathedral Square every
20 minutes. Our narrator was explaining all the
various sights in Spanish to the audience. Although
I did not catch everything, it was a great way to
see all the major sights in the city.
The famous University of Salamanca
The sun was starting to slide lower on the horizon
and tired from my long drive, I wanted to call it
an early night. The last major sight of Salamanca
that I took in was the Roman Bridge over the Tormes
River. It dates back to 89 AD and was part of the
Roman silver route. 13 of the bridge’s arches
are still original from Roman times. The locals
were enjoying their evening strolls across the bridge,
and a group of teenagers was doing tricks on their
skateboards on the square right next to the Roman
Bridge. It was an ironic mixture of antiquity and
21st century endeavours.
The Roman Bridge of Salamanca
On the way back to my hotel I picked up some pizza
and settled in for a night of relaxing before my
next big adventure tomorrow: Madrid!
