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Wise Pilgrim APPSalamanca is, without exaggeration, the most spectacular Renaissance city in Spain. The old town is built almost entirely of locally quarried sandstone that glows gold in the Castilian sunlight. Give it at least one extra day.
The two Cathedrals — old and new — are conjoined, the result of a miscalculation when construction of the Catedral Nueva began in the 16th century. Rather than demolish the Romanesque original, they built around it. The Catedral Nueva has some curiously modern carvings on its Puerta de Ramos — look for the astronaut and the imp eating an ice-cream cone, added during a 1992 restoration.
The Plaza Mayor is one of the finest Baroque squares in Spain, built between 1729 and 1755. At night it's lit from every angle and fills with students and locals. The Universidad de Salamanca, founded in 1218, is one of the oldest in the world. Find the frog on the facade of the Escuelas Mayores — tradition says students who spot it without help will pass their exams.
The Casa de las Conchas, covered in over 300 carved scallop shells, is hard to miss. The shells were placed there by Rodrigo Maldonado de Talavera, a knight of the Order of Santiago, in the late 15th century. The Convento de San Esteban, with its immense Plateresque facade, and the Convento de las Duenas, with its cloister of fantastical carvings, are both worth the visit.
Try to see the city at night. The lighting transforms the sandstone into something close to magic. All services available.
Salamanca's university calendar drives much of the city's cultural life. The main fiestas patronales are in September (Virgen de la Vega, around September 8-21) with concerts, bullfights, and fireworks. During the academic year, the student population keeps things lively year-round. Semana Santa brings solemn processions through the old town.
Salamanca's university was founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of León, making it the oldest in the Hispanic world and one of the oldest in Europe. By the 16th century it was one of the four great universities of Christendom, alongside Bologna, Paris, and Oxford. At its peak, 12,000 students studied here — in a city of 25,000.
The city was largely spared during the Reconquista but suffered terribly during the Peninsular War. The Battle of Salamanca in 1812, fought by Wellington against the French on the Arapiles hills south of the city, was a turning point in the war. The city itself changed hands several times, and some of its medieval colleges were demolished to build defensive positions.
Waymarks in and out of Salamanca are scant. There are some bronze shells embedded in the ground, but they're not easy to spot. Fortunately, the way out is a nearly straight course due north.
From the Plaza Mayor, exit through the center gate of the main facade onto Calle Zamora. Follow this road to the edge of the old town. The round Iglesia de San Marcos should be on your left with a large roundabout directly ahead. Take the road directly opposite the roundabout, keeping the same direction you've been going. Continue through the next roundabout, and at the third, veer left to keep the Plaza de Toros on your right. From here it's straight on, watching for traffic at the numerous roundabouts between here and the motorway.
The camino keeps to the road most of the way, leaving it only as it nears Aldeaseca de la Armuna.
