Salamanca - Love every corner

Salamanca is the world's oldest UNESCO heritage city located in the west of Spain, about 3 hours by car from the capital Madrid. The city is more than 2,000 years old and is a massive architectural complex from the ancient Roman, Roman and medieval periods, including countless structures such as churches, monasteries, squares, castles, mansions and old quarters, etc. Not only attracted by ancient architecture, Salamanca also possesses many other attractive features such as: cuisine, art, handicrafts, unique souvenirs... But perhaps the pace of life influenced by the cultural sediments of an ancient city is the point that "knocks down" the hearts of tourists - something that is difficult to share but can only be felt from real experience.

To explore the old town of Salamanca, visitors need at least 2 days to not miss the iconic experiences of this ancient city.

Plaza Mayor

This square is the first destination, the center or can be understood as the heart of Salamanca. Every tourist wants to own a selfie at this place. Plaza Mayor was built in the early 18th century, is the central square of the city with a rectangular area, surrounded on all four sides by an ancient 3-storey building with typical baroque architecture and is also one of the largest squares in Europe. This is where real estate has the most expensive rental or ownership prices in Spain. The ground floor is mainly restaurants, cafes, the upper floors are used as offices, handicraft and art shops, fashion stores and even private apartments. Spending hours walking around the square, admiring the typical baroque architectural lines, enjoying the unique performances of street artists, drinking coffee and waiting for the sun to set to experience the magical shimmering light-up time are things that tourists should not miss at Plaza Mayor.

Casa de las Conchas

The Maldonado Knights Templar family residence, built between 1493 and 1517, is a huge, walled mansion with hundreds of sandstone seashells carved into its facade. The large mansion is well preserved and today serves as a library and a part of the tourist attraction.

Celerecia y Universidad Pontificia

The university is over 800 years old, ranked 3rd in the top 10 oldest universities in the world. One of the school's famous alumni is the writer Miguel de Cervantes, author of "Don Quixote" - a novel familiar to Vietnamese readers. Walking inside the quiet campus of the school, we suddenly feel like we are lost in the Middle Ages. It is easy to come across familiar scenes reminiscent of Hogwarts in the wizarding movie "Harry Potter" with high-ceilinged classrooms, long, dark, deep corridors, lecture halls with rows of antique leather chairs. Don't forget to climb the Clerecia tower, from here you can take a 360-degree view to admire the panoramic view of the beautiful ancient city of Salamanca with countless buildings and mansions.

New - Old Cathedral

The pair of churches are the pride of the people of Salamanca. You certainly won't want to miss the opportunity to admire the architecture, interiors, and exquisite exteriors of these two structures. The old church, built in the 12th century, is one of the oldest churches in Europe. The new church, next to the old church, was built in the 16th century with a dominant gothic architectural style. Both are priceless treasures, preserving many works of art, sculptures, murals, etc. The church still has many tombs and remains of local noble figures throughout the ages.

Museo Art Nouveau & Art Decó

Famous for its collection of beautiful yet haunting dolls, the museum also displays works by the famous artist Picasso, many collections of 19th-century handicrafts, fine arts, and ceramics... The windows, walls, and roof of the museum are decorated with splendid stained glass, which is also a highlight that attracts visitors.

Walk through squares and street corners

This ancient city has many squares, street corners, beautiful cafes and the distance between the attractions here is not far, can be walked. Therefore, walking in the old streets, under the ancient pine trees or simply sitting still, letting your soul wander in a cafe also brings visitors many poetic emotions. The most interesting walking place in Salamanca must be the Roman Bridge. The magnificent bridge is more than 2,000 years old, built from the ancient Roman period with the symbol of a proud bull lying across the Tormes River, is also the pride of the city's people.

Enjoy wine, cheese and divine Iberico

What is special about Salamanca cuisine? All visitors who have come here will have the same answer: it is Iberico - ham. It is so special that you can order this dish at all restaurants in Salamanca. And if you are invited to dine here, ham will be the first dish served. Ham sliced ​​thinly, eaten with cheese, sipping a little wine is the perfect appetizer, sure to be addictive. Along with Iberico, due to the soil and climate, wine in this region is also a famous specialty.

Shopping in Salamanca

When shopping, you can use cards or euros, Salamanca (or Europe in general) does not use USD. Although it is a tourist attraction in the world, the cost in Salamanca is not too expensive. Fashionistas will definitely regret if they do not have enough time to visit the fashion stores here, especially the stores of Spanish brands such as: Zara, Mango, Pull & Bear, Bershka. Iberico ham, ceramic and tin flamenco dancer statues or paintings by street artists are the most popular souvenirs and purchases by tourists.

Overnight stay at hotel in old quarter

The experience will be perfect if you spend at least one night at a hotel in the old town. Fall asleep in the ancient houses, feel the peaceful breathing as the 2,000-year-old city falls asleep and wake up with the city to enjoy the intact morning, without worries, noise and dust.

More information

Trip:

- 5-star airline Qatar Airways has daily flights (1 morning flight, 1 evening flight) from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to Madrid (Spain). From Madrid, it takes just over 2 hours by bus to reach Salamanca. However, flights from Qatar Airways Vietnam to Madrid do not have direct flights, must transit in Doha with a transit time of about 2.5 hours.

- Qatar Airways was voted "World's Best Airlines 2019" by Skytrax.

- Doha International Airport is one of the most modern and convenient airports in the world. This is also a favorite check-in location for tourists with a giant golden Lamp Bear statue worth 7 million USD.

Climate: divided into two distinct seasons. Winter is cold, summer is dry and hot, outdoor temperature can reach over 35 degrees. Summer days are long, the sun usually sets after 9pm, suitable for tourism.

Accommodation:The EUROSTARS LAS CLARAS old town hotel (Calle de la Marquesa de Almarza, 37001 Salamanca) is a great stopover for visitors.

Cuisine:Don't miss the chance to enjoy traditional Spanish dishes at Michelin-starred restaurant - Don Mauro (open from 1:30 pm) located right on Plaza Mayor.

Money:Use the Euro

Other notes:

- Salamanca is a popular location for weddings, engagements and wedding photography. On weekends, many weddings take place here.

- Hola is an intimate greeting.

- Nearby tourist attractions, convenient for the trip: Segovia (World Heritage City), Madrid.

- Take time to visit the Hacienda Zorita winery. A long-standing wine producer, Hecienda is also a beautiful and attractive tourist destination with resort services combined with sightseeing, wine tasting, lunch/dinner.

Phuong Le - Photo: Quang Vinh