Getaways from Zamora: day trips and destinations close by.

South to Salamanca, north to Benavente and Sanabria

The A-66 splits Zamora in two directions. To the south, in fifty minutes, is Salamanca, and from there the A-62 leads to Ciudad Rodrigo and the Vecinos and Tamames road to La Alberca, in the Sierra de Francia. To the north, the A-66 reaches Benavente, where two roads part: the A-52 to the west, which climbs in a little over an hour to Sanabria lake via exit 79, and the A-66 itself, which continues to León. To the east, the A-11 and N-122 go up the Duero towards Valladolid and the Ribera del Duero.

Zamora has a train to Madrid and Galicia and a bus to Salamanca, but the plans on this page are designed for a car: in Sanabria, the castle, the lake, the lagoons and the Wolf Centre are half an hour from each other and there is no practical way to link them without one.

Sanabria, an hour and a quarter away, the most accessible destination

Under an hour is Salamanca (50 minutes), which on a Sunday has an order: the University, which only opens in the morning, the Plaza Mayor and tapas at midday, and the two cathedrals and the Roman Bridge in the afternoon.

Sanabria is an hour and a quarter away (75 minutes), the destination Zamora has most to hand and the one that offers the most plans: a Sunday of castle and monastery, with broad beans in the Plaza Mayor of Puebla and the lake seen from San Martín de Castañeda; a rut Saturday in the Sierra de la Culebra, or two nights to climb to the Laguna de los Peces and see wolves at Robledo.

Between an hour and a half and two hours are Ciudad Rodrigo (102 minutes), with the cathedral, the Parador inside the castle and the wall, León with the cathedral, San Isidoro and the Casa Botines (105) and La Alberca (115), with Mogarraz and the Peña de Francia. All three fit into a Sunday if you set out early; La Alberca also has a two-night version with Las Batuecas. At about the same time, with no plan yet from Zamora, are Hervás (115) and Ávila (122).

The trip is a weekend one from two hours: Peñafiel and two Ribera wineries (135 minutes), Segovia with a balloon at dawn (146), Burgos and the Atapuerca sites (153), Sepúlveda and the Duratón canyon (159) and Gredos in two nights (160).

San Martín monastery closes in January

In winter, the cities: Salamanca, León and Ciudad Rodrigo, which at Carnival, in February, fills up with the bull runs. Sanabria can be done on any Sunday except with snow in the sierra; San Martín monastery closes from 1 January to 8 February.

In spring, La Alberca and Ciudad Rodrigo are at their best, and from May to October is the season in Sanabria: the Laguna de los Peces can be reached by car, unless there is snow left in the sierra. It is also a good season for Burgos and Atapuerca, with the site visit booked by phone.

In summer, Sanabria becomes a lake plan: the weekend in Puebla leaves the lake beaches for the morning and the trails for first or last thing. Salamanca, in July and August, is best with a walk down to the river at the end of the day.

In autumn there are two appointments. From mid-September to mid-October, the rut in the Culebra, which you book with the guide before the accommodation, because the date depends on each year's rut; to do it unhurried, two nights of rut in Sanabria. In October and November, the golden chestnut trees of La Alberca, Mogarraz and the Peña de Francia.

The University frog and tapas in the Plaza Mayor

• Under an hour: Salamanca on a Sunday. The University and its frog in the morning, tapas in the Plaza Mayor and the cathedrals until 18:00.
• With two nights: Sanabria lake. A little over an hour along the A-66 and A-52 on Friday evening, the Wolf Centre booked online and the Sotillo waterfall on Sunday.
• To the south: Ciudad Rodrigo, cathedral, Parador and wall. An hour and three quarters by car, the cathedral tower at 13:30 and the walk round the wall walk.