• The city of Salamanca

• don Quijote Salamanca
• Pricelist

THE CITY:

• Population: 215.000.
• Location: Mid West of Spain (in the Castile-Leon region).
• The people of Salamanca speak the purest Spanish, which makes the city very popular for learning the language.
• Salamanca is large enough to be able to offer the advantages of a big city but, at the same time, it has the friendly atmosphere of a small town.
• It is the home of the world's second oldest university. It receives about 50.000 students every year, of which approximately 5.000come from abroad.
• Salamanca was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known as "La Dorada" -the golden city- because of the golden glow of its sandstone buildings.

CULTURAL/RECREATIONAL:

• The Plaza Mayor of Salamanca is one of the most beautiful baroque squares in Spain.
• Madrid is only 200 km. away (2 hours by car)
• By train, you can be in Portugal within an hour.
• Salamanca is surrounded by the mountains of Sierra de Francia and Sierra de Gredos (mountains).
• You have plenty of opportunities to get in touch with nature and to discover typical small villages.
• In September, the Ferias and Fiestas de San Mateo are spectacular. For two weeks, there is a fully organized program of concerts, parades, exhibitions, bullfights and markets.
• As a student town, Salamanca is the perfect place to go out and have a good time.
• Salamanca was declared a European Capital of Culture in 2002.

The province of Salamanca is located in the southwest corner of the Castile & Leon region directly bordering Portugal. It is located about 2 hours north west of Madrid and about 4 hours to the nearest beach (in Portugal). Gold-hued Salamanca is also one of many dazzling UNESCO World Heritage sites in Spain. It is home to two grand cathedrals, spectacular Renaissance palaces, beautiful plazas and one of the oldest universities in Europe.

Salamanca's Cathedral

The city is large enough (180.000 inhabitants) to be able to offer the advantages of a real city, but at the same time it keeps the intimacy of a village. Salamanca has played an important role in the history of the Spanish (Castilian) language. For this reason Salamanca is enormously popular with people all over the world who want to learn Spanish. It is very easy to meet people because the city is fairly small and you can go practically everywhere on foot. You are bound to see everyone in the Plaza Mayor, one of the finest squares in Spain and known as the “living room of the Salamantinos.” You’re bound to make international friends as there is such a varied range of nationalities.

Salamanca is a real university city, Spanish students are everywhere and there are plenty of places full of Spaniards. The surrounding areas around Salamanca also offer many facilities for cultural and sporting day-trips to villages, the mountains or to the many lakes.

Plaza Mayor, Salamanca

Plaza Anaya, Salamanca

The vast majority of celebrations in Salamanca have, as everywhere in Spain, a religious background. One of the most special celebrations in Salamanca is "El Lunes de Aguas" ("Water Monday"), a tradition dates back to 1570, during the reign of King Felipe II. On this day, the last of an eight-day religious celebration at Easter, the inhabitants of Salamanca meet at the shores of the River Tormes in what is essentially a huge picnic.

During the year there are many more festivals and festivities of which the September "Ferias y Fiestas de Virgen de la Vega" are the most spectacular. For two weeks there is a fully organized program of open-air concerts, parades, exhibitions and markets that are not to be missed!