# Salamanca

The Plaza Mayor, the two cathedrals, the University and its frog, the Casa Lis and the Roman Bridge, two hours from Madrid: opening hours, prices, where to eat and sleep.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/salamanca · Revisado: 2026-11-12

Salamanca is a city for walking. Everything you come to see fits within an old town of a couple of kilometres: the Baroque Plaza Mayor, the Casa de las Conchas, the Clerecía, the two cathedrals side by side, the University with its frog hidden in the façade and, at the far end, the Tormes with the Roman Bridge. The Villamayor sandstone, a yellow that turns golden as evening falls, gives the city its colour. And because it has been a university city since 1218, there are people in the street at all hours, in winter too.

## How do you get there from Madrid?

By car it is 214 km along the A-50 motorway, about two hours. From Zamora it is about 65 km along the A-66, less than an hour; from Ávila, about 100 km along the A-50, around an hour and a quarter, and from Valladolid, about 120 km along the A-62, an hour and twenty minutes. From Cáceres it is a little over 200 km along the A-66, about two hours.

Without a car, Salamanca is one of the easiest provincial capitals. Renfe has daily trains from Madrid: the Alvia leaves Chamartín and takes around 1 h 36 min, and there is a medium-distance service from Príncipe Pío, slower. The railway station is on Avenida de la Estación, about twenty minutes' walk from the Plaza Mayor. By bus, there is a direct line from Barajas airport (T1 and T4) and from Madrid's Estación Sur; the bus station is on Avenida Filiberto Villalobos.

## Where to park?

The historic centre is largely pedestrianised and the surrounding area has regulated parking (ORA). The sensible thing is to leave the car in a public underground car park on the edge of the centre or in one of the park-and-ride sites that the town council publishes, and not move it again until you leave. If you sleep here, the Hotel Rector has a private garage, the Hospes Palacio de San Esteban parking with limited spaces and the Parador a paid garage on the other side of the river.

## How much time do you need?

One day covers the essentials: Plaza Mayor, Rúa Mayor, Casa de las Conchas, cathedrals, University and a walk to the Roman Bridge. With two days, you add the Ieronimus towers, the Casa Lis, the convent of San Esteban and the city at night, which is when Salamanca is at its most beautiful: the lit stone of the Plaza Mayor and the façade of the cathedrals is the image you leave with. If you have a third day, head south: La Alberca and the Sierra de Francia are an hour and a quarter away, and Ciudad Rodrigo an hour along the A-62.

## A Sunday in Salamanca

Sunday changes the order of the visit. The Historic Building of the University is open only in the morning, from 10:00 to 14:00, so start there. The cathedral is open all day, from 10:00 to 18:00, and the Casa Lis from 11:00 to 15:00. The Casa de las Conchas, which is a public library, closes on Sundays: its façade can be seen just the same from the street. For lunch, Bambú and ConSentido are open on Sunday lunchtime, and it is wise to book.

## When to go?

April, May, June, September and October are the best months: mild days and the long afternoon light on the stone. In July and August it is hot in mid-afternoon, but the nights are cool and the city is lively. In winter, Salamanca is on the plateau at almost 800 metres and freezes on many nights; in return there are fewer people at the monuments. Holy Week and the September festivals fill the hotels: book in good time.

## What to eat

Salamanca is dehesa country. Ask for Iberian ham and cured meats from the province, morucha beef, the local breed of cattle, and pulses such as pedrosillano chickpeas. Tapas-hopping around the Plaza Mayor is part of the visit: Calle Prior, the Plaza del Mercado and the Plaza del Peso have bars for a round before lunch.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Historic bookshops and libraries of Europe
- Cerca: Zamora (a 59.9 km), La Alberca and the Sierra de Francia (a 65.0 km), Hervás and the Ambroz Valley (a 78.6 km), Sierra de Gredos (a 79.9 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Plaza Mayor of Salamanca** (30 min · Everyone · Free): The Plaza Mayor is the centre of life in Salamanca and the point from which any visit is organised. It is an 18th-century Baroque square, enclosed by four fronts of Villamayor stone arcades, with the Town Hall on the north side and medallions with portraits of kings and notable figures in the spandrels of the arches.
A little history
Work began in 1729, on the initiative of the corregidor Rodrigo Caballero Llanes. The design was by Alberto de Churriguera, followed by his nephew Manuel de Lara Churriguera and finished by Andrés García de Quiñones in 1755, who is also the author of the Town Hall. It is not a perfect square: it is an irregular quadrilateral, with three storeys above the arcades on each front, although walking round it appears regular.
What to look at
Each side has its name and its gallery of medallions. In the Royal Pavilion is the effigy of Ferdinand III the Saint, and the medallions on its arches are of kings of Spain. In the south pavilion, that of San Martín, the medallions commemorate soldiers and conquerors; in that of the petrineros, figures from culture. Walk slowly round under the arcades looking for familiar faces: it is a good game with children.
How to make the most of it
Come twice: in the morning, to call in at the tourist office at number 32 and pick up the map, and at night, when the lights come on and the stone turns golden. The office is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 19:00, Saturdays from 10:00 to 19:00 and Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00; it is closed on 25 December, 1 and 6 January and on the afternoons of 24 and 31 December. Phone 923 268 571.
The terraces under the arcades are expensive, but a coffee sitting here is part of the visit. The square is pedestrianised and is visited from outside, with no ticket or hours.
From here
Rúa Mayor leaves the square and takes you in ten minutes to the Casa de las Conchas, the Clerecía and the cathedrals. From there, the University is a step away and the Roman Bridge, downhill. It is the logical order for a first day: square, shells, university, cathedrals and river.
- **Old Cathedral and New Cathedral** (1 h 30 · Everyone · Desde 10 € per person): Salamanca has two cathedrals side by side: the Old one, Romanesque, and the New one, built next to it between the 16th and 18th centuries without demolishing the first. With a single ticket you see both, the cloister and the chapter houses, and the exhibitions of the Bishop's Palace. The audioguide is included, and there is a free children's audioguide in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.
What to see
The New Cathedral, late Gothic, was finished by the Churriguera family in 1733. It is the larger of the two; look in it for the Virgin of the Assumption that Esteban de Rueda carved in 1626. The Old Cathedral, from the 12th to the 15th centuries, is smaller and more intimate. What you come to see here is the main altarpiece by the Delli brothers, from around 1440, of painted panels. From outside, the dome of the Torre del Gallo is seen well from the Patio Chico.
In the Bishop's Palace, the same ticket gives access to a 360-degree virtual reality experience and an immersive room, at no extra cost. The audioguide is in six languages, so everyone goes at their own pace. Allow an hour and a half, a little more if you linger in the cloister.
Hours and tickets
It is open Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:15. General admission costs €10; reduced, €9 (over-65s, students, large families); ages 7 to 16, €7, and children under 7 enter free. It is bought at the ticket office on Plaza de Juan XXIII or online, which avoids the queue. With the cathedral ticket you get a discount at the Convent of Santa Clara. Information on 923 217 476 or at info@catedralsalamanca.org.
Masses and concerts have their own timetable, published on its website; check it if you want to avoid coinciding with a service.
Before or after
The towers are visited separately, with Ieronimus, named after Bishop Jerome of Périgueux, under whom the diocese was restored in 1102: going up after seeing the naves helps you understand the building from above. Opposite is the Casa Lis, and going down, the Roman Bridge, from where the two cathedrals are seen together.
- **Historic University Building and the frog** (1 h · Everyone · Desde 10 € per person): The University of Salamanca, founded in 1218, has its Historic Building in the Escuelas Mayores, on Calle Libreros. What everyone comes to see is the façade, from 1529: the medallion of the Catholic Monarchs below, the coat of arms of Charles V in the middle and the Pope with his cardinals above. The relief grows with height because it was designed to be seen from close up. Among the decoration, on a skull, is the frog that students look for to have luck in their exams.
Inside the Historic Building
The building was begun in 1411, by order of Pope Benedict XIII, and is organised around a two-storey courtyard. The paid ticket gives access to the courtyard and the lecture rooms around the lower cloister. The best known is the Fray Luis de León lecture room, with its original wooden benches, where, according to tradition, the professor returned from five years in prison with the words "as we were saying yesterday". You can also see the Paraninfo, where solemn ceremonies are held, and, on the upper floor, the Antigua Librería, the university's historic library, which is viewed from the door. Allow an hour for everything.
Hours and tickets
In winter (16 October to 31 March), Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 19:00 and Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 14:00; in summer, Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00 and Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00. Last entry is 45 minutes before. General admission €10, reduced €5; on Mondays from 15:00 it is free. It is closed on 25 December and 1, 6 and 28 January; on 24 and 31 December it opens from 10:00 to 14:00. Groups pay €5 per person. For questions, the phone number is 923 294 400, extension 1150, and visit information is at museo.usal.es.
Around the Patio de Escuelas
In front of the façade, in the Patio de Escuelas, is the statue of Fray Luis de León, and opposite, the Escuelas Menores, with their own courtyard. There you see the so-called Cielo de Salamanca, a vault painted with signs of the zodiac that is visited separately, with its own access; the guides say it is free, but confirm the hours. From the Patio de Escuelas you are two minutes from the cathedrals and the Casa de las Conchas, and ten from the Plaza Mayor.
- **Ieronimus, the cathedral towers** (45 min · No vertigo; many stairs · Desde 6 € per person): Ieronimus is the visit to the towers of Salamanca cathedral. You enter through the Torre Mocha, on Plaza de Juan XXIII, and climb through medieval rooms and corridors to the terraces and balconies, from where you see the city's rooftops, the Clerecía and the Tormes. There is a bell-ringing thrown in as a gift.
What the visit covers
The climb links rooms that used to be closed to visitors: the Dungeon, the Jailer's room, the Warden's room, the Torre Mocha room, the Upper Hall, the Vault room and the clock room. On the way pieces from the archive and the cathedral treasury appear, such as the pectoral Christ of El Cid, wind instruments, a marine trumpet, drawings by Joaquín de Churriguera or the will of Canon Vela.
Then you go out into the open air. There is a terrace at the top of the Torre Mocha, a walkway towards the Torre del Gallo and the Anaya terrace, with the square at your feet. By the Mallorca spiral staircase you reach the triforium of the New Cathedral, which looks down onto the nave from on high, and the space under the roof, between the vaults and the roof. The finale is the bell chamber, with a room dedicated to the bells and the bell-ringers.
Allow about 45 minutes, more if you stop at each terrace. There are many stairs, some narrow and spiral: it is not a visit for anyone with vertigo or difficulty climbing. With children who climb well, it is among the things they like most in Salamanca.
Hours and tickets
It is open every day: from March to December, from 10:00 to 20:00 (last entry at 19:00); in January and February, from 10:00 to 18:00 (last entry at 17:00). The individual ticket costs €6, and €5 per person for groups of 20 or more. It publishes no reduced or children's rate. There are night visits at €10 on the dates set by its calendar, and tailor-made night visits in Spanish, English and French, with the price to be confirmed. It has braille and easy-read leaflets.
Capacity is limited: buy online and choose a time. For questions or groups, ieronimus@ieronimus.es or 923 266 701.
How to combine it
Ieronimus is a separate visit from that of the cathedrals, with its own ticket, but both start on the same Plaza de Juan XXIII. The practical thing is to see the naves from below first and then go up, to recognise from the triforium what you have just walked on. Afterwards, go down to the Roman Bridge to see the towers from the other bank, or go into the Casa Lis, two minutes away.
- **Casa de las Conchas** (20 min · Everyone; be quiet, it is a library · Free): On the corner of Rúa Mayor and Calle de la Compañía, opposite the Clerecía, stands the palace built in the late 15th century by Dr Rodrigo Arias Maldonado, knight and chancellor of the Order of Santiago. That is why the façade is covered in shells, the symbol of the order: Turespaña counts more than three hundred. Castilla y León Tourism presents it as the most representative civil monument of the time of the Catholic Monarchs, with a mix of Gothic, Mudéjar details and an Italian air.
What to look at on the façade
Look first at the ground-floor windows: their Gothic wrought-iron grilles are among the finest in Spain. Above, the windows have Gothic arches and finials that differ from one another. Over the door there is a coat of arms with fleurs-de-lis. The highest part of the wall has no shells: in the 18th century cracks appeared and it was rebuilt, and from the street the change can be seen.
Inside it has a two-storey courtyard with mixtilinear arches, the only space worth seeing besides the façade. You cross the entrance hall and see it in five minutes.
Hours and admission
Today it is Salamanca's Public Library, so admission is free and there is no ticket office or booking. The official Castilla y León Tourism listing publishes timetables by season that include afternoons and some Sundays, whereas the 2026 guides give Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 21:00 and Saturday mornings, closed on Sundays and public holidays and mornings only in summer. As the sources do not agree, if you want to see the courtyard call beforehand on 923 269 317. The façade can be seen from the street at any hour. Go in quietly: there are people studying inside, and library activities are sometimes held in the courtyard.
How to fit it into the visit
It is at Calle Compañía 2, on the axis that links the Plaza Mayor with the cathedrals: from the square you go down Rúa Mayor and arrive in about five minutes. Opposite is the Clerecía, and two streets away the Patio de Escuelas with the façade of the University. It is a short stop, of twenty minutes, that works well with children because they can look for shells and count coats of arms while the adults look at the grilles. The centre is pedestrianised: leave the car in a public car park and walk.
- **Casa Lis, Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum** (1 h 15 · Everyone · Desde 7 € per person): Casa Lis is a Modernista mansion with an iron and stained-glass façade that looks out over the wall and the Tormes. Inside, in twenty rooms, the Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum brings together nineteen collections: glass, chryselephantine figures and bronzes, porcelain dolls and automata. The dolls and automata are what children like most.
The house
It was commissioned by Miguel de Lis, owner of a tannery, and designed by Joaquín de Vargas y Aguirre, provincial architect of Salamanca; it opened as a residence in 1906. In 1917 Enrique Esperabé de Arteaga moved in, who later became rector of the university. In the 1970s, closed and unused, it was nearly lost, until in 1981 the city council began its expropriation. It opened as a museum in 1995 to show the collections donated by the antiques dealer Manuel Ramos Andrade. The great leaded stained-glass window in the central courtyard was made to his designs.
It is worth seeing from outside twice: from Calle Gibraltar, where you enter, and from the riverside walk, where you see the south façade of iron and glass above the wall.
Hours and tickets
From 19 October it is open Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 17:00, Saturdays from 11:00 to 20:00 and Sundays from 11:00 to 15:00. On long weekends it extends its hours: from 5 to 8 December, from 11:00 to 20:00, and from 21 December to 7 January, on weekdays, from 11:00 to 19:00. On 24 and 31 December it opens from 11:00 to 15:00, and it is closed on 25 December, 1 and 6 January. Last entry is half an hour before.
Adult ticket €7, students and pensioners €3, unemployed €1, under-14s free; groups of ten or more pay €3 per person. On Thursday mornings admission is free for everyone. Tickets are not sold online: they are bought at the ticket office, at Calle Gibraltar 14. There are guided visits of 60 to 90 minutes, at €40 in Spanish and €50 in English or French, booked at reservas@museocasalis.org. Phone 923 121 425.
Before you go in
Inside, photos and video are not allowed, except in the Café and the Lis terrace, nor may you eat or drink outside them. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. The building has lifts and adapted toilets, and the museum has no architectural barriers. The shop and café follow the museum's hours.
Nearby
It is two minutes from the cathedrals and from the entrance to the towers of Ieronimus. On leaving, go down to the Roman Bridge to see the stained-glass façade from the river.
- **Roman Bridge and the Garden of Calixto and Melibea** (1 h · Everyone · Free): The Roman Bridge, pedestrian, crosses the Tormes at the foot of the cathedrals. It was the crossing of the Vía de la Plata, the road that linked Mérida with Astorga, and at the entrance it has a granite verraco, the bull of the Vettones, the pre-Roman inhabitants of the city, which appears in the Lazarillo de Tormes. Cross it and turn round: from the south bank you get the best image of the city, with the New Cathedral above the rooftops.
The bridge and the verraco
According to Castilla y León Tourism, only the fifteen arches nearest the city are Roman, from the 1st century; the other eleven were rebuilt several times after floods of the Tormes. If you look from the bank you notice the difference between one stretch and another. The bridge and the bull appear together on Salamanca's coat of arms, and the verraco is the obligatory stop for a photo: in the Lazarillo, the blind man bangs the boy's head against the stone so that he learns not to trust anyone.
The deck is flat. It is a public space, open at any hour and with no entrance fee. At night, with the bridge and the cathedrals lit, it is a different visit.
The Garden of Calixto and Melibea
On the way back, go up Calle de Tentenecio towards the cathedral and, from the Patio Chico, take Calle del Arcediano: at number 20 is the Garden of Calixto and Melibea, a small garden leaning against the wall that recalls La Celestina, with views of the river and the south bank. Admission is free. The Town Hall's October 2025 timetable sheet gives it as open every day from 10:00 to 22:00, but other municipal sheets close it at sunset: in winter, do not arrive late. Capacity is respected, so on busy days you may have to wait a little.
The whole walk, there and back from the cathedral, takes an unhurried hour.
How to combine it
The bridge is at the bottom of the descent from the Casa Lis, so the natural thing is to see the museum and head out to the river. After crossing it, go up to the cathedrals or the towers of Ieronimus to see from above what you have just walked. At sunset, the south bank is also the place to photograph the golden city; if you are going to fly in a balloon, it is the same landscape you will see from the air.
- **Balloon flight over Salamanca at dawn** (3 h · Couples and families with older children · Desde 215 € per person): Siempre en las nubes schedules one to three flights a month in Salamanca, always first thing, between 7:30 and 9:00 depending on the time of year. There is no fixed field: each day they choose the take-off point according to the wind, which here usually runs parallel to the Tormes, east to west or the reverse, so that the balloon crosses the city or passes in front of it. The usual sight from above is the cathedrals, the Clerecía and the river.
What it is like and how much it costs
You help set up the balloon, fly for about an hour and, on landing, there is a toast with cava, a picnic and a certificate. The whole activity lasts about three hours. It costs €215 per person and includes video, photos and insurance. Book online choosing a date; if wind or rain prevent flying, the company offers another.
When it flies
There are flights every month of the year, normally scheduled towards the end of each month, and extra dates can be requested. To take off you need light wind and no rain or fog: it is best to have the morning free and not to fit the flight on the last day of the trip. The company notifies you of the meeting point on a map of the area before the flight.
What to bring and extra services
Dress as for a walk in the countryside at that time of year: first thing it is cold even in summer. Wear closed, comfortable shoes, such as trainers. You can ask for a vegetarian or coeliac menu for the picnic, an accessible place and a gift box if it is for a present. It does not publish a minimum age or weight limits: ask when you book.
Booking is done online in about five minutes and the ticket arrives immediately. For questions, reservas@siempreenlasnubes.com or the phone numbers 912 524 555 and 607 115 846.
Before and after the flight
On returning to the city, mid-morning, it is a good moment to see from the ground what you have flown over: the Plaza Mayor, the cathedrals and the Roman Bridge. If you are left wanting more height, the towers of Ieronimus open at 10:00.

## Dónde comer
- **Bambú Tapas y Brasas** (Restaurant, Salamanca, €€). Qué pedir: the truffled duck egg, the Iberian ham croquette and a grilled meat to share.
- **ConSentido** (Restaurant, Salamanca, €€€). Qué pedir: the tasting menu if you are in no hurry; à la carte, the chargrilled vegetables from the Tormes valley.
- **Casa Paca** (Restaurant, Salamanca, €€€). Qué pedir: acorn-fed Iberian ham to start and a chargrilled meat; at the bar, tapas.
- **Mesón Cervantes** (Bar, Salamanca, €€). Qué pedir: patatas bravas, its most-ordered ración, and morucha beef.

## By car: Salamanca by car
Salamanca is 214 km from Madrid by the A-50, about two hours. The old town can be covered entirely on foot: the car is for getting there and for day trips to the Sierra de Francia or Ciudad Rodrigo. Look for a hotel with a garage or leave the car in a public car park outside the ORA zone.
Presupuesto orientativo: 80–150 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Parador de Salamanca** (Hotel): The Parador de Salamanca is a modern building on the Teso de la Feria, on the left bank of the Tormes, directly facing the old town. What sets it apart is the view: its windows look onto the cathedrals and the Clerecía, which can also be seen from the pool and the garden. It stands at the start of the city's southern exit, so you can arrive by car without going into the centre.
Closed until 15 June 2027
First things first: according to its website, the Parador is closed from 1 December 2026 to 15 June 2027. If you are travelling on those dates, look for other accommodation; outside them, book on the Paradores website.
Across the river
The centre is a walk away: you cross the Roman Bridge or the Enrique Estevan bridge and climb to the cathedrals in about twenty minutes; the Plaza Mayor is a little further. You get here by the A-66 from Zamora and the south, by the A-50 from Madrid and by the A-62 from Valladolid.
Ask for a superior: the view
There are four types of room: standard double, superior double with city views, junior suite and accessible double. If you are coming for the panorama of the cathedrals, the superior is the one that guarantees it. All have air conditioning, television with Chromecast, minibar, a safe with space for a laptop and a hairdryer, and you can order breakfast or room service.
Pool, garden and sauna
The garden has a seasonal outdoor pool with a view of the city. Inside there is a sauna and a wellness area with separate conditions and prices, as well as a convention centre.
Car and bike
Free outdoor parking and a paid garage, an electric car charging point and facilities for cycle tourists. It is the comfortable option if you arrive by car and do not want to drive into the old town.
Eating at the Parador
The restaurant serves Charro cooking, with meats and cured meats from the Salamanca dehesas, spoon dishes and two classics of the province: hornazo and farinato, all with the city as a backdrop. For dinner in the centre, Bambú, next to the Plaza Mayor, does tapas and grilled food.
The surroundings
From the Parador you can easily head to Alba de Tormes, with the basilica of Santa Teresa, and to the Sierra de Béjar.
- **Hospes Palacio de San Esteban** (Hotel, desde 97 € / night): The Hospes Palacio de San Esteban occupies part of the former 16th-century Dominican convent of San Esteban, on Calle Arroyo de Santo Domingo, at the eastern edge of Salamanca's old town. Inside it keeps high ceilings, golden Villamayor stone and the silence of the cloister, with a contemporary interior of clean lines. It is a hotel for those who want to sleep in the monumental centre, inside a historic building, and get around on foot.
Next to San Esteban, five minutes from the cathedral
You step out and the Plateresque façade of San Esteban is right in front of you. The cathedral is about five minutes' walk away, and the Plaza Mayor about ten. Heading down towards the river you reach the Roman Bridge.
Rooms with cloister views
Rooms start at €97 a night according to the website, in several categories:

Dreamer's: double bed or twin beds, bathroom with bath, for two.
Superiors: fifteen, from 25 to 28 m², with views of the Dominican cloister and its gardens; some also face the cathedrals.
With sitting area and junior suites, with a separate living room, king-size bed and a bathroom with a separate bath and shower.
Dreamer's Triple: with an extra bed, for three.

All have air conditioning, heating, minibar, coffee machine, safe, pillow menu and free wifi. There is 24-hour room service and you can have breakfast in your room.
El Monje and the library
The hotel restaurant, El Monje, is run by chef Juan Agustín Rodríguez and serves Charro and Castilian cooking with modern technique and local produce. It has an indoor room among stone arches, an open-air dining area in the courtyard and a business lunch menu. In the palace library you can have a coffee or a cocktail, and there is a terrace with a bar.
Pool and spa
It has an outdoor pool and a Bodyna wellness space in the old stables. Ask when booking what the rate includes and the opening times.
Car and dog
Parking is private with limited spaces: book it with your room. There is a charger for electric cars. Dogs are welcome. The hotel is adapted for guests with reduced mobility.
Check-in is at 15:00 and check-out at 12:00, with online check-in and door opening with your phone.
- **Hotel Rector** (Small hotel): The house
A boutique hotel of fourteen spacious rooms in a 1930 house on Paseo del Rector Esperabé, the ring road that runs down beside the wall towards the Tormes. The house mixes mahogany furniture, marble bathrooms and stained glass in the lounge. The Casa Lis, the cathedrals and the Roman Bridge are a few minutes on foot, and the Plaza Mayor and the University a slightly longer walk.
The rooms
There are six types:

Double and superior double. Mahogany furniture, marble bathroom, bathrobe and slippers, air conditioning, large Smart TV, wifi, complimentary water and a coffee machine with kettle.
Interior junior suite. Two double beds and a large living room, marble bathroom with separate bath and shower, two Smart TVs and individual climate control. It faces the inner courtyard and is quiet.
Deluxe suite. With an interior living room, a large marble bathroom with separate bath and shower and two televisions.
Family. Two full doubles with two bathrooms, joined by a private corridor, for up to five people.
Deluxe single. 160 cm bed, marble bathroom with bath and shower and Bulgari products, also facing the courtyard.

The website does not publish prices openly, check-in and check-out times or a pet policy. Book through its website, which offers a special discount for stays of more than one night, or by phone and WhatsApp on 686 199 508.
Practical details
What makes it useful if you arrive by car is its private garage for guests, rare in the centre: you enter directly into the hotel lobby and there are several charging points for electric cars, up to 22 kW. The website does not state its price. Breakfast is a buffet in the dining room, there is room service with its own menu, a café and lounges for guests only, and a small equipped gym.
Who it suits
For couples looking for a small, quiet hotel, and for families of up to five who want two bedrooms and two bathrooms without booking two rooms. Thanks to its position next to the wall, it is a good base for exploring the south of the old town on foot and walking down to the river.

## Car-free: Salamanca without a car
Salamanca is one of the easiest cities to enjoy without a car: the Alvia from Madrid-Chamartín takes around 1 h 36 min and everything worth seeing is on foot, in an old town a couple of kilometres across. From the station to the centre it is a walk of about twenty minutes.
Presupuesto orientativo: 70–130 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Hospes Palacio de San Esteban** (Hotel, desde 97 € / night): The Hospes Palacio de San Esteban occupies part of the former 16th-century Dominican convent of San Esteban, on Calle Arroyo de Santo Domingo, at the eastern edge of Salamanca's old town. Inside it keeps high ceilings, golden Villamayor stone and the silence of the cloister, with a contemporary interior of clean lines. It is a hotel for those who want to sleep in the monumental centre, inside a historic building, and get around on foot.
Next to San Esteban, five minutes from the cathedral
You step out and the Plateresque façade of San Esteban is right in front of you. The cathedral is about five minutes' walk away, and the Plaza Mayor about ten. Heading down towards the river you reach the Roman Bridge.
Rooms with cloister views
Rooms start at €97 a night according to the website, in several categories:

Dreamer's: double bed or twin beds, bathroom with bath, for two.
Superiors: fifteen, from 25 to 28 m², with views of the Dominican cloister and its gardens; some also face the cathedrals.
With sitting area and junior suites, with a separate living room, king-size bed and a bathroom with a separate bath and shower.
Dreamer's Triple: with an extra bed, for three.

All have air conditioning, heating, minibar, coffee machine, safe, pillow menu and free wifi. There is 24-hour room service and you can have breakfast in your room.
El Monje and the library
The hotel restaurant, El Monje, is run by chef Juan Agustín Rodríguez and serves Charro and Castilian cooking with modern technique and local produce. It has an indoor room among stone arches, an open-air dining area in the courtyard and a business lunch menu. In the palace library you can have a coffee or a cocktail, and there is a terrace with a bar.
Pool and spa
It has an outdoor pool and a Bodyna wellness space in the old stables. Ask when booking what the rate includes and the opening times.
Car and dog
Parking is private with limited spaces: book it with your room. There is a charger for electric cars. Dogs are welcome. The hotel is adapted for guests with reduced mobility.
Check-in is at 15:00 and check-out at 12:00, with online check-in and door opening with your phone.
- **Microtel Placentinos** (Small hotel): The house
A small hotel in a 16th-century house at number 9, Calle Placentinos, carefully restored and opened as a hotel in 2002. It keeps its exposed stone walls and combines traditional furniture with rustic decoration. It is in the heart of the old town, between the Clerecía and the University façade: the cathedral and the Clerecía are about three minutes' walk away and the Plaza Mayor a stroll, so you do not need the car at all.
The rooms
There are four types, all with breakfast included, air conditioning and lift access:

Twin double. 20 m², two 120 cm beds and a balcony or window onto the hotel courtyard.
Double with double bed. 16 m², 135 cm bed and a balcony or window onto the street or courtyard. Children are not admitted in this room.
Single. 13 m², with a 135 cm bed, exposed stone and traditional furniture.
Attic room. 16 m², 135 cm bed under the sloping ceiling, flat-screen television and bathroom with shower.

All have a private bathroom with complimentary toiletries. The website does not publish prices openly: book through its booking engine, which promises the best price, on 923 281 531 or at reservas@microtelplacentinos.com. It does not state check-in and check-out times or a pet policy.
Facilities
There is a terrace with a jacuzzi, hydromassage, minibar, safe, free wifi, wake-up service, tourist information, luggage storage and laundry for long stays. English is spoken at reception.
If there are more of you
The same owners run El Mirador del Poeta, nine apartments with a full kitchen, separate bathroom and one or two bedrooms with 135 cm beds and a sofa bed; five of them overlook the Plaza Mayor. They are designed for families or groups of friends and are booked separately, on their own website.
What to see nearby
From the door you reach within minutes the Old Cathedral and New Cathedral, the Ieronimus towers, the Historic University Building and the Casa de las Conchas. Heading down to the river are the Casa Lis and the Roman Bridge.
- **Hotel Rector** (Small hotel): The house
A boutique hotel of fourteen spacious rooms in a 1930 house on Paseo del Rector Esperabé, the ring road that runs down beside the wall towards the Tormes. The house mixes mahogany furniture, marble bathrooms and stained glass in the lounge. The Casa Lis, the cathedrals and the Roman Bridge are a few minutes on foot, and the Plaza Mayor and the University a slightly longer walk.
The rooms
There are six types:

Double and superior double. Mahogany furniture, marble bathroom, bathrobe and slippers, air conditioning, large Smart TV, wifi, complimentary water and a coffee machine with kettle.
Interior junior suite. Two double beds and a large living room, marble bathroom with separate bath and shower, two Smart TVs and individual climate control. It faces the inner courtyard and is quiet.
Deluxe suite. With an interior living room, a large marble bathroom with separate bath and shower and two televisions.
Family. Two full doubles with two bathrooms, joined by a private corridor, for up to five people.
Deluxe single. 160 cm bed, marble bathroom with bath and shower and Bulgari products, also facing the courtyard.

The website does not publish prices openly, check-in and check-out times or a pet policy. Book through its website, which offers a special discount for stays of more than one night, or by phone and WhatsApp on 686 199 508.
Practical details
What makes it useful if you arrive by car is its private garage for guests, rare in the centre: you enter directly into the hotel lobby and there are several charging points for electric cars, up to 22 kW. The website does not state its price. Breakfast is a buffet in the dining room, there is room service with its own menu, a café and lounges for guests only, and a small equipped gym.
Who it suits
For couples looking for a small, quiet hotel, and for families of up to five who want two bedrooms and two bathrooms without booking two rooms. Thanks to its position next to the wall, it is a good base for exploring the south of the old town on foot and walking down to the river.
### Servicios
- **Salamanca train station**: Avenida de la Estación · Alvia from Madrid in 1 h 36 min
- **Salamanca bus station**: Avenida Filiberto Villalobos, 71 · 923 236 717

## Luxury: Salamanca with no expense spared
A night in a palace with a spa, a table of Salamanca produce and Salamanca seen from a balloon at dawn.
Presupuesto orientativo: From €200 por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in style
- **Parador de Salamanca** (Hotel): The Parador de Salamanca is a modern building on the Teso de la Feria, on the left bank of the Tormes, directly facing the old town. What sets it apart is the view: its windows look onto the cathedrals and the Clerecía, which can also be seen from the pool and the garden. It stands at the start of the city's southern exit, so you can arrive by car without going into the centre.
Closed until 15 June 2027
First things first: according to its website, the Parador is closed from 1 December 2026 to 15 June 2027. If you are travelling on those dates, look for other accommodation; outside them, book on the Paradores website.
Across the river
The centre is a walk away: you cross the Roman Bridge or the Enrique Estevan bridge and climb to the cathedrals in about twenty minutes; the Plaza Mayor is a little further. You get here by the A-66 from Zamora and the south, by the A-50 from Madrid and by the A-62 from Valladolid.
Ask for a superior: the view
There are four types of room: standard double, superior double with city views, junior suite and accessible double. If you are coming for the panorama of the cathedrals, the superior is the one that guarantees it. All have air conditioning, television with Chromecast, minibar, a safe with space for a laptop and a hairdryer, and you can order breakfast or room service.
Pool, garden and sauna
The garden has a seasonal outdoor pool with a view of the city. Inside there is a sauna and a wellness area with separate conditions and prices, as well as a convention centre.
Car and bike
Free outdoor parking and a paid garage, an electric car charging point and facilities for cycle tourists. It is the comfortable option if you arrive by car and do not want to drive into the old town.
Eating at the Parador
The restaurant serves Charro cooking, with meats and cured meats from the Salamanca dehesas, spoon dishes and two classics of the province: hornazo and farinato, all with the city as a backdrop. For dinner in the centre, Bambú, next to the Plaza Mayor, does tapas and grilled food.
The surroundings
From the Parador you can easily head to Alba de Tormes, with the basilica of Santa Teresa, and to the Sierra de Béjar.
- **Hospes Palacio de San Esteban** (Hotel, desde 97 € / night): The Hospes Palacio de San Esteban occupies part of the former 16th-century Dominican convent of San Esteban, on Calle Arroyo de Santo Domingo, at the eastern edge of Salamanca's old town. Inside it keeps high ceilings, golden Villamayor stone and the silence of the cloister, with a contemporary interior of clean lines. It is a hotel for those who want to sleep in the monumental centre, inside a historic building, and get around on foot.
Next to San Esteban, five minutes from the cathedral
You step out and the Plateresque façade of San Esteban is right in front of you. The cathedral is about five minutes' walk away, and the Plaza Mayor about ten. Heading down towards the river you reach the Roman Bridge.
Rooms with cloister views
Rooms start at €97 a night according to the website, in several categories:

Dreamer's: double bed or twin beds, bathroom with bath, for two.
Superiors: fifteen, from 25 to 28 m², with views of the Dominican cloister and its gardens; some also face the cathedrals.
With sitting area and junior suites, with a separate living room, king-size bed and a bathroom with a separate bath and shower.
Dreamer's Triple: with an extra bed, for three.

All have air conditioning, heating, minibar, coffee machine, safe, pillow menu and free wifi. There is 24-hour room service and you can have breakfast in your room.
El Monje and the library
The hotel restaurant, El Monje, is run by chef Juan Agustín Rodríguez and serves Charro and Castilian cooking with modern technique and local produce. It has an indoor room among stone arches, an open-air dining area in the courtyard and a business lunch menu. In the palace library you can have a coffee or a cocktail, and there is a terrace with a bar.
Pool and spa
It has an outdoor pool and a Bodyna wellness space in the old stables. Ask when booking what the rate includes and the opening times.
Car and dog
Parking is private with limited spaces: book it with your room. There is a charger for electric cars. Dogs are welcome. The hotel is adapted for guests with reduced mobility.
Check-in is at 15:00 and check-out at 12:00, with online check-in and door opening with your phone.

## As a family: Salamanca with children: frogs, towers and automatons

Salamanca works well with children because it offers challenges: finding the frog on the façade, the astronaut on the cathedral, climbing the towers and counting the arches of the Roman bridge. And everything is on foot, over short distances.

### What works best
Looking for the frog on the University façade, free from the street

The Casa Lis, with dolls and automatons; under-14s do not pay

The Ieronimus towers, with their bell-ringing

The cathedral, with a free audio guide for children

The Roman Bridge and its granite boar

### Where to sleep
Hotel Rector, with a family room and garage

Parador, with a pool and garden (in summer)

### Where to eat
Bambú, with half portions and croquettes

### Bear in mind
Ieronimus has many narrow stairs: not suitable for pushchairs

The Casa de las Conchas is a library: you go in quietly

### Qué hacer as a family
- Plaza Mayor of Salamanca
- Old Cathedral and New Cathedral
- Historic University Building and the frog
- Ieronimus, the cathedral towers
- Casa de las Conchas
- Casa Lis, Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum
- Roman Bridge and the Garden of Calixto and Melibea

## With teenagers: Salamanca with teenagers

Salamanca is a student city, and a teenager will notice: squares full of young people, terraces and a university founded in 1218 that you can visit inside. Hand them the map and let them lead.

### What works best
Climbing the cathedral towers with Ieronimus, best on a night-time visit

The Historic University Building, founded in 1218, and the frog on the façade

The Plaza Mayor lit up at night

The balloon flight at dawn, for those over an age the company confirms when you book

### Where to sleep
Microtel Placentinos, right in the old town

### Where to eat
Bambú, tapas at the bar

### Bear in mind
On Mondays from 15:00 the Historic University Building is free

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Plaza Mayor of Salamanca
- Old Cathedral and New Cathedral
- Historic University Building and the frog
- Ieronimus, the cathedral towers
- Casa Lis, Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum
- Roman Bridge and the Garden of Calixto and Melibea

## Consejos

### Start Sunday at the University
On Sundays it is open only from 10:00 to 14:00. The cathedral and Ieronimus stay open in the afternoon.

### Mondays from 15:00, free
The Historic Building of the University does not charge on Monday afternoons.

### Buy Ieronimus for a set time
The capacity of the towers is limited. Online you choose a time and do not wait.

### Go back to the Plaza Mayor at night
The lighting of the square and the cathedrals is what is remembered most.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Madrid?
About two hours by car along the A-50 and around an hour and a half by Alvia train from Chamartín.

### Can you see Salamanca in a day?
Yes. The Plaza Mayor, cathedrals, University, Casa de las Conchas and Roman Bridge fit into a day on foot.

### How much does it cost to enter the cathedral?
€10 general admission, with an audioguide, the two cathedrals and the cloister. Children under 7 go free.

### Where is the frog?
On the façade of the Escuelas Mayores, on a skull on the right-hand column. It can be seen for free from the Patio de Escuelas.

### What is open in Salamanca on a Sunday?
The cathedrals all day, the University and the tourist office in the morning and the Casa Lis until 15:00. The Casa de las Conchas is closed.

### Can you go without a car?
Yes. The Alvia arrives from Madrid-Chamartín and everything is covered on foot.