Salamanca is located in the mid-west area of Spain in the province of Castilla y Len, 2-3 hours drive from Madrid and 1 hour away from the Portuguese border. It has a population of 165.000 inhabitants.
Salamanca is known for its many monuments and special architecture.
In the center of the town all buildings are constructed with golden sandstone (the special Villamayor stone), which gives the visitor the impression being in another time period.
Quite possibly Spain's most beautiful town, Salamanca's buildings appear to glow. The local sandstone used to construct most of this 13th century university town's churches and historic mansions, seems to turn gold when the sun beats down...
The visitor will find within Salamanca little streets brimming with history and life, that create the enchantment of this city which is not based only in its monuments. It is a summary of history throughout the centuries. In its mix of quietness from the ancient masonry, time has passed together with the joyful noise of the youth, that in its invigorating spirit, resides the magic of Salamanca.
The city has an impressive history, with many illustrious characters having passed through the city. One of its first notorious visitors was Hannibal, who attacked the then-called "Salmántica" when it was part of the Roman province of Lusitania. Christopher Columbus visited the university of Salamanca while planning his travels to the Indies.
Gastronomy and Wine
The city of Salamanca is located in the region of Castilla y Leon (the castle and the lion), northwest of Madrid. Meat and rich red wines are ubiquitous in the region. Specialties include Chuleton de Ternera (enormous beef chops), Cochinillo or tostón (suckling pig), Cabrito (roast kid), Cordero (roast baby lamb) "Chanfaina" (rice with lamb and sometimes tripe), and "Hornazo" (a savory pastry stuffed with meat and egg). To accompany these heavy meats, strong wines are in order. The full-bodied red wines, Tempranillo based (called "Tinta del Pais locally) from Ribera del Duero, Toro and Las Arribes del Duero suit the cuisine perfectly. Table wines are made in the beautiful Sierra de Francia ("French mountains", named after the region south of Salamanca where Napoleon's troops were based during much of the fighting between the British and the French). For non meat-dishes, the delightful white wines from Rueda are super and amazing value for money.
