Old town
First-timersAround the Plaza Mayor.
Salamanca city guide
Things To Do In Salamanca
A city of golden sandstone with the oldest university in Spain, one of the finest main squares in Europe and a student nightlife to match.
13
Hostels in the city
8.1
Average, from 2,422 reviews
1218
The university founded
1988
UNESCO World Heritage Site
1.75 h
To Madrid by train
The golden city
Salamanca's university was founded in 1218, the oldest in Spain and one of the oldest in Europe, and for centuries it was one of the great centres of learning. The city grew up around it in a warm, golden sandstone that glows at sunset, and the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Plaza Mayor, an eighteenth-century baroque square, is one of the finest in Spain. Two cathedrals, old and new, stand side by side.
Salamanca is still a student city, full of young people and Spanish language students, with cheap bars and late nights. Two days is right.
Where to stay
Stay in the old town, near the Plaza Mayor.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 4 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Salamanca
Start in the Plaza Mayor, the city's living room, at its best in the evening. Walk to the university, where the facade is carved with figures; students look for the small frog on a skull for luck.
The New and Old Cathedrals stand side by side. Climb the Ieronimus towers for the view from the roof, and look for the astronaut carved on the New Cathedral's doorway during a 1990s restoration.
The Casa de las Conchas is a fifteenth-century house covered in stone scallop shells. Cross the Roman bridge over the Tormes for the view back to the city.
Free things
Free things to do in Salamanca
The Plaza Mayor, the old town and the Roman bridge are free.
The university facade and the Casa de las Conchas are free to see.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Salamanca
Salamanca is in jamón country: Guijuelo, nearby, is famous for ibérico ham. Hornazo, a meat-filled pie, is the local speciality.
Student bars serve cheap tapas. A menú del día is €11 to €14.
Nightlife
Going out in Salamanca
Salamanca has one of the best student nightlives in Spain, with bars and clubs around the Plaza Mayor and Gran Vía, busy late every weekend in term time.
A beer is €2 to €3.
Getting around
Getting around Salamanca
The old town is walkable. Trains reach Madrid in about an hour and three-quarters, and buses in about two and a half hours. Buses also run to Portugal.
Costs
What Salamanca costs
Salamanca is cheap. Dorms start around €16. A careful day is €35 to €50.
The euro is the currency. Cards work almost everywhere, though small bars still like cash.
Safety
Staying safe in Salamanca
Salamanca is very safe.
Emergency number is 112, with English-speaking operators usually available.
Day trips from Salamanca
Castile and León.
Ávila
Complete medieval walls.
La Alberca
A medieval mountain village.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Students celebrate New Year early, in December.
March or April
Semana Santa
Old town
Holy Week processions.
September
Fiestas de Salamanca
Citywide
The city's main fiestas.
December
Nochevieja Universitaria
Plaza Mayor
Students celebrate New Year early, before the holidays.
Hostels
Where to stay in Salamanca
The top-rated places to stay in Salamanca right now, live from Hostelworld.
When to go
April to June and September to October. Winters are cold.
Jan
Cold
Feb
Cold
Mar
Spring
Apr
Holy Week
May
Excellent
Jun
Warm
Jul
Hot, students away
Aug
Hot
Sep
Fiestas
Oct
Students back
Nov
Cold
Dec
Student New Year
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. Cold winters, hot summers.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
A student city, so food and drink stay cheap.
—
- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Salamanca travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
What is the frog on the university?
A small carved frog on a skull on the facade; finding it is said to bring luck.
Is Salamanca good for students?
Yes, it is one of Spain's great student and language-learning cities.
How far is Madrid?
About an hour and three-quarters by train.
Is there really an astronaut on the cathedral?
Yes, carved during a 1990s restoration.
Is Salamanca cheap?
Yes.
How many days do you need?
Two.
When is the best time to visit?
April to June and September to October.
Say yes to hostels, meet the world
Compare Salamanca hostels — live prices, real reviews and free cancellation on most bookings. Then meet the people already there in the app.
Get the App.