Traveling To Salamanca, Curiosities That We Must Know

We are going to travel to Salamanca to see its most beautiful corners and also some curiosities and legends. We already anticipate that the city is a World Heritage Site and was the European Capital of Culture in 2002.  A place full of charm, mystery and history that we want you to fall in love with.

Traveling to Salamanca , what awaits us in the city?

Salamanca is a city capable of taking any traveler’s breath away. Its legends, its environment and its people will make any visit an unforgettable trip.

There are many places that we must visit in this beautiful and magical city. And each of them has its own story and some other curiosity. A tip: If you are going to travel to Salamanca, take a good look at the details, some may surprise you, a lot! For now, we are going to give you some clues. Our tour begins.

1. The Plaza Mayor

The Plaza Mayor is one of the best examples of 18th century Baroque architecture. And it is unique for many reasons, one of them is that it is not totally square, each of its sides has a measure, although at first glance it is not appreciated.

This golden square, thanks to the type of sandstone with which it was built, is always full of life. It does not matter the time, the day and the time of year. By the way, here the students celebrate an early and very spirited end-of-the-year party. College New Years Eve is not 20 years old, but it has become one of the most anticipated events.

Another curiosity of this beautiful square: it  is the scene of a well-known Hollywood production, En el punto de mira . In the film, the president of the United States is assassinated and the plaza is blown up. Fortunately, it is pure fiction.

2. Palace of Anaya

The Palacio de Anaya today is the Faculty of Philology of Salamanca. The façade, the cloister and the staircase are spectacular. In addition, it is located right in front of the cathedral, in the Plaza de Anaya, where the Hospedería and Anayita buildings are also located.

It is a perfect place to soak up the culture and knowledge that have characterized this city for centuries. Here you will come across a bust of Miguel de Unamuno. The reason? He was rector of the University of Salamanca and professor of Greek at the faculty.

3. Salamanca Cathedral

Traveling to Salamanca means visiting its cathedral, or rather, its cathedrals, because there really are two of them. The Old Cathedral was built in the 12th century and almost disappeared when the project for the new one began.

Construction of the New Cathedral began in the 16th century, but it was not finished until the 18th. It is the second largest cathedral in Spain and one of the later manifestations of Spanish Gothic.

And now a little curiosity. Look at the facade of the New Cathedral, in one of the doors you will find an astronaut and a dragon eating ice cream. They were carved on the occasion of the celebration of The Ages of Man in Salamanca.  Of course, you will have to look for them.

4. The facade of the University of Salamanca

We are going to the old university of Salamanca. There we will be able to observe the classrooms where prominent Spanish writers taught, among them Fray Luis de León. Additionally, the library and each of the corridors within are steeped in history and mystery.

But it is the ornate facade that catches all eyes. Why? They look for a small frog perched on one of the skulls that are part of the decoration. Legend has it that the student who cannot find it will suspend the course. Will you be able to find it too? We already warn you that it is not easy at all.

5. The House of Shells

It is a beautiful Gothic palace that will draw your attention for those shells that decorate its facades. What sense do they have? There is no agreement, for some it is the representation of the noble title of the family that held it, for others a show of pride for belonging to the order of Santigo.

In any case, better not count them, there are more than 300, and they say that behind one of them there is a gold coin. We recommend that you go inside, the patio is simply magnificent.

6. Huerto de Calixto y Melibea

The Huerto de Calixto y Melibea is a garden located in the historic center of the city. It is a charming corner that leads us to immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of  La Celestina , by Fernando de Rojas . Here part of the plot is developed and here you can remember this story as romantic as it is tragic.

In short, the Plaza Mayor, the university atmosphere, the stories and legends of Salamanca make this great city a magical memory to keep in our memory. If you are going to travel to Salamanca, remember that there is a lot to look out for.