Well known not only in Spain but throughout Europe as a university city which combines leisure with culture thanks to its universities and its artistic heritage, notable for its two cathedrals (Zaragoza is the second Spanish city with this distinction), its churches, the Plaza Mayor and its palaces, in a wide range of styles that include Romanesque, Gothic, Plateresque and Baroque. Salamanca has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, and has been a European Cultural Capital since 2002.

Tourism in Salamanca: breaking new ground

In this cosmopolitan city, tourism, culture and leisure are closely related, with a wide range of options available for all three. Tourists and local residents will find countless points of interest to discover the history that has made Salamanca what it is today. All of them are accessible on foot, as it is a small city on the banks of the River Tormes and it does not take long for visitors to walk from one end to the other.

Directly or indirectly, everyone contributes to making Salamanca a young, dynamic and optimistic city, which welcomes students and other newcomers to the historical buildings in its centre, sharing with them its heritage, its culture and its Castilian-Leonese gastronomy. Light transforms the buildings, inside and out, bathing the golden façades and recalling the famous figures who have graced the city during its long history: Unamuno, Cervantes, Fray Luis de León, Menéndez Pelayo, Torrente Ballester, Lope de Vega and many more.

What can you see in Salamanca?

The capital is home to two cathedrals (the New Cathedral and the Old Cathedral), which are linked and offer guided tours of their towers. A visit is always worthwhile, especially at night. The two form the Patio Chico complex, beside which is the Huerto de Calisto y Melibea, a splendid garden with views of the River Tormes, the city wall and the two cathedrals. The Historical Memory Centre is also near the cathedrals on the way to the river, where we find the Iglesia de Santiago near the famous Roman footbridge.

Near the Plaza Mayor -the heart of the city- stands the Clerecía building of the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, also referred to as the Church of the Royal College of the Company of Jesus, and beside it the Casa de las Conchas, an unusual building dating from the fifteenth century. 300 shells can be seen on its façade and, according to legend, there is a gold coin under one of them. Another interesting legend is that concerning the famous University of Salamanca, the oldest in Spain, founded by Alfonso IX in 1218. If you examine its spectacular façade carefully you may be able to find a frog on a skull. It is said that students who manage to find the frog will do well in their exams.

The University's museum contains a work of great beauty: El Cielo de Salamanca, by Fernando Gallego. Beside it is the Palacio Anaya, and crossing Calle San Pablo you come to the San Esteban Convent, where Christopher Columbus stayed when he went to Salamanca to present his project for a voyage to the Indies.

These are only some of the places you should visit during your trip to Salamanca. Visitors never fail to be charmed by this amazing city. Come and see it with your own eyes!

Accommodation in Salamanca

Silken Hotels offers you the Silken Rona Dalba, one of the best hotels in the centre of Salamanca. The 3-star hotel is an ideal spot to rest between one day and the next, top up your energy levels in the morning with our breakfast buffet, and relax at any time in our partnering spa, less than 600 metres from the hotel.

Special advantages if you book through our official website

If you book directly through our official website you will enjoy numerous benefits: you will be guaranteed the best rates, you can take advantage of our exclusive free cancellation policy and you will not need to pay until you reach the Silken Rona Dalba hotel. Come and discover the charm of the city from within; we shall be delighted to welcome you to our hotel, which is only 5 minutes from the Plaza Mayor.