How to get to Salamanca
Unfortunately the airport of Salamanca Matacán has no commercial flights. Only spanish Iberia, via its subsidiary AirNostrum, flies to Salamanca from Barcelona.
The most common way to arrive to Salamanca is then to land in Madrid or in Valladolid.
Madrid: Barajas Airport.
It is connected with all major European airports.Madrid Barajas is also served by low cost airlines like Ryanair (ryanair.com) and EasyJet (easyjet.com).
Salamanca Bus Express Service
There is a Barajas - Salamanca bus express service; it takes you directly from Barajas airport to Salamanca in 2 hours and 45 minutes. The bus leaves from Terminal 1.
Bus tickets are available online (http://www.salamancabarajas.com/), or at the El Corte Inglés travel agency (T1, 1st floor). Otherwise you can buy tickets on board the bus. You can save money with the return ticket (in spanish Ida y Vuelta; if you do not know with which bus will return, you can ask an "open" return, Vuelta abierta).
If no bus corresponds to you arrival, then you will have to go to the Méndez Alvaro South Bus Station (Estación de Autobuses Sur, Calle Méndez Alvaro). Madrid's Barajas Airport has Metro stations in Terminal T2 and the newer Terminal T4 (for more details http://www.metromadrid.es/). Take line 8 from airport to Nuevos Ministerios and then line 6 (circular line) from Nuevos Ministerios to Méndez Álvaro. You can also go directly by TAXI. But better not to accept offers from taxi drivers inside the airport building.
Get by Train
Another option is to take the train to Salamanca from Chamartín Train Station. Take line 8 from Barajas airport to Nuevos Ministerios and then line 1 to Chamartín. The Spanish train company is Renfe www.renfe.es
Valladolid: Villanubla Airport
The main airline here is Ryanair. When you exit the baggage claim area, you will find Ryanair desk at the opposite side, all on the left. There you buy a ticket for Linecar, the service to Valladolid bus station (there are also taxis that charge a fixed rate). Once there, go to the Avanzabus desk and buy a ticket for Salamanca (1 hour 30 minutes). If you're lucky there might be a direct bus from Villanuebla to Salamanca that corresponds to check-in and boarding times of Ryanair, check on avanzabus.com. You can save money with the return ticket (in spanish Ida y Vuelta; if you do not know with which bus will return, you can ask an "open" return, Vuelta abierta). The bus station and the train station in Valladolid are 3 minutes apart by foot.
Erasmus in Salamanca
The real goodbye for many students it has been certainly the noche vieja universitaria, celebrated on December 10. But what's the Noche Vieja Universitaria? It is a tradition typical of the city of Salamanca: a fake new year celebration for the students who won’t be together on the real 31st December New Year’s Eve. It takes place usually the second Thursday before Christmas. On University’s New Year’s Eve students gather in Plaza Mayor and, instead of the typical 12 grapes, they eat the gummy bears at each stroke of midnight. And then the party starts all around the city!
So these are, for many, the last days before leaving the city Salamanca and leave room for other Erasmus students who will be starting their experience in Spain in February, ready to attend the University of Salamanca and get lost in the fiesta.
Some bits of advice for anyone facing for the first time in the life of the city of Salamanca:
- First of all ask the friendship to David Tormes on Facebook - he is the fiestaman in Salamanca: with him you won't miss any single party!
- If you are looking for a room in a shared apartment the best place to look is the University Web Site section called SOU http://websou.usal.es/vivienda/habitac.asp
- Ask the membership card to the library Casa de las Conchas is free and allows you to rent books, CDs and DVDs that can be useful during your stay in Spain to improve your Spanish or not to lose your language!
Image via Wikipedia
Salamanca in the Easter Holidays
Processions:
Thursday
- Hermandad del Vía Crucis. Departure: Iglesia de los Trinitarios (18: 15).
- Seráfica Hermandad. Departure: Iglesia de las Úrsulas (19.45 h)
- Hermandad del Cristo del Amor y de la Paz. Departure: Iglesia del Arrabal (20:30 h).
- Hermandad Dominicana del Stmo. Cristo de la Buena Muerte, N.P. Jesús de la Pasión, Ntra.Sra. de los Dolores (Piedad) y Ntra.Sra de la Esperanza. Departure: Iglesia de San Esteban (05:00 h).
- Procesión General del Santo Entierro (1615, Organiza la Vera Cruz con la Junta de Semana Santa participan las Congregaciones de Jesús Rescatado, Jesús Nazareno y la Cofradía de la Oración en el Huerto). Departures:
- Cofradía de la Oración en el Huerto: Iglesia del Carmen de Abajo (17.30 h)
- Congregación de Jesús Rescatado: Iglesia de San Pablo ( 18:00 h)
- Congregación de Jesús Nazareno: Iglesia de San Julián (18:15 h)
- Hermandad de Ntra. Sra. de La Soledad. Departure: Catedral Nueva (00:00 h).
- Marcha Penitencial del Cristo de la Liberación. Departure: Colegio del Arzobispo Fonseca (Irlandeses) (00:30 h).
- Hermandad del Silencio. Departure: Iglesia de los Pizarrales (17:30 h).
Procesión del Resucitado. Departure:
- Jesús Resucitado: 11:00
- Nuestra señora de la Alegría: 11:15
- Meeting at the Plaza Mayor at 13:00
Image by Lawrence OP via Flickr
Places to see in Salamanca, Spain
View Larger Map
The center of Salamanca has its jewel in the beautiful baroque square called Plaza Mayor (the main square), a unique artistic achievement in Baroque art. Built between 1729 and 1755, it is surrounded by beautiful galleries and arcades, decorated with medallions depicting famous Spanish personalities.
Behind the south side of the square (going out through the arch of Plaza del Corrillo) there is the 13th century church dedicated to San Martín.
Take a leisurely walk along Rúa Mayor. On the right, in Calle Compañía, you will see Casa de las Conchas (House of Shells), which dates back to the fifteenth century - so called because of the shells carved out of stone that adorns the building. Truly remarkable the restored courtyard and the Renaissance portal, finely decorated. Today Casa de las Conchas is a modern library.
On the opposite side there is the church of Clerecía (17th century),a pefect example of baroque architecture. Since 1941 it has belonged to the Universidad Pontificia (a Catholic University).
Formerly it was the Sacred Spirit Royal College, founded in 1611 by Margaret of Austria, the wife of Felipe III, and it was one of the bastions of the Jesuits in Spain before they were expelled in 1767. It was designed in a "U" shape, and took 150 years to build. The Clerecía is considered one of the most outstanding baroque buildings in Europe, and the staircase in the main hall is also a must-to-see.
The many shops along this road are ideal to do some souvenir shopping...but do not buy too much yet because there are still a few buildings to see ;)
Continuing on the Rua Mayor, just at the end, you will reach Plaza de Anaya, the city's most attractive and romantic square. Opposite are the Catedral consisting of two buildings: Catedral Nueva (New Cathedral) - with its 17 chapels, begun in 1513 and completed in 1733 is the latest example of Gothic in Spain - and the Catedral Vieja (old cathedral) surmounted by Torre del Gallo, a tower of 110 meters.
Among the chapels of the Catedral Nueva remember to see Ognisanti, also called capilla dorada. The old cathedral is in Romanesque style with some Gothic elements of 12th and 13th century.
On the left of Plaza de Anaya you should visit San Sebastián Church and Colegio de Anaya that houses the university's Faculty of Modern Languages. The courtyard, the majestic staircase and the bust of Miguel de Unamuno are definitely worth visit.
Now you can choose to go down to the Puente Romano (Roman bridge), or go towards the University.
So you decided to go to the Roman bridge over the Tormes River? ¡Muy bien! Better to know that this bridge was an important part of the Roman silver route and that of the 26 early arches of the Puente Romano only the first 15 are left. The rest disappeared as a result of floods and the passage of time. But the Puente Romano is still a wonderful spot where you can look down on the charming city of Salamanca. You can also see the famous bull from the first picaresque novel Lazarillo de Tormes.
The famous University instead, was founded by Alfonso IX of Leon in 1218, and is therefore the oldest in Spain. The magnificent façade in Plateresque style is decorated with medallions and escutcheons of various kings. This filigree work contains symbolic imagery that gives rise to numerous legends. You'll notice a lot of people trying to find a frog ... the legend says that if you can identify the image of a frog, you're sure to have good luck, so the story goes!It's your turn! Find the frog .. a small tip .. is on a skull! Sorry but that's all I can say ;)
Right opposite to the University don't miss the courtyard of the Escuelas Mayores with the Cielo de Salamanca (Salamanca Sky, the ceiling that used to be on the University Library).
And this is just a taste of things to see .. ah, do not miss the Convento de San Esteban (St. Stephen's Convent) en la plaza del Concilio de Trento.
So what are you waiting for! Travel to Salamanca! And do not miss the next post with updated information on Salamanca!
Salamanca, Castile and Leon, Spain
That gives the city such a special youthful atmosphere, full of energy, with hundreds of students, both Spanish and international, who meet up in its ancient streets and enjoy its nightlife until late in the morning. In Salamanca it is impossible to feel alone: there is always some fellow student from somewhere in the world to share some tapas and copas with!
One of the features that makes Salamanca unique is that, despite being a city, has kept the character and the feel of a small town; everything you may need from cinemas to shops to libraries, is within walking distance.
This is a magical place where modern Europe attitudes and Spanish traditions co-exist happily, a place where you can soak up the culture going to the many museums and participating to its thousands cultural events, where you will quickly become accustomed to its more relaxed life style and to have dinner at 22.30pm (!).
The architectural beauty of the historic monuments, the culture that you breathe in the air, the golden light of its streets, the kindness of the Salmantinos, all these aspects give Salamanca a unique feeling, so that you just don't wanna leave ...
It is definitely one of the most pleasant towns in Europe, a very attractive place to visit if you are looking for cultural values, want to enjoy night life and learn Spanish where it originated. So, what you waiting for?
Your travel guide to Salamanca, Spain
So are you planning to come to Salamanca, aren't you? Good choice! First of all why don't you find out more about its history, its museums, its nightlife, parties and outdoor? Stay tuned on Salamanca 2 Travel to know more about the charming city of Salamanca in Spain. We will give you plenty of information on what you need to make your stay in Salamanca unforgettable!