Salamanca was next on my list, and a relatively short trip from Valladolid.
I soon became massively thankful for this due to the awkward drive down, once again via blablacar. Once again, my lack of Spanish comes into play. Having communicated via google translate, I was pretty sure we were meeting at the end of the road I was staying. An hour or so later, I realise I may have got it wrong. I was picked up, and met with a pretty evil look, as well as plenty of Spanish muttering under the breath.
I placed my ridiculously oversized backpack in the boot, and saw two other passengers in the car heading the same way as me. We drove off, I tried to explain why I’d made everyone late, but only one girl understood English, and not very well. I ended up using my translator to crack a joke (think it was along the lines of “I should have taken the bus”), which thankfully got a laugh from the driver, and that settled things down.
An hour or so later I was dropped off in Salamanca, grabbed some food, and waited for my host for the next few days, Huayu.
I’ve mentioned couchsurfing (Please check the latest situation regarding couchsurfing, as it has faced difficulties during the Covid 19 crisis) previously, but this was the first time I’d used it for what it was essentially made for, staying at someone’s place. I even got a bed in the spare room (move over couch), even if it was ridiculously high up in an apartment block. I steered clear of the window, fell asleep (standard), and headed out a few hours later with Huayu.
Salamanca is just wow. An absolutely beautiful place, with the centre something else. Huayu’s place was around fifteen minutes away from the main hub, and there is a special vibe about the place. According to this website, it has been declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO, and there is so much to see within a relatively compact space.
It’s famous for its universities, and while I was there in the summer, there was still plenty of the younger generation (tragic I’m now in a position to say that) swanning around. The university buildings are impressive in size, as well as being intricately decorated.
There are so many places to eat with it being, and Huayu showed me to some wonderful tapas bars. Despite having no sense of smell or taste, I love tapas. It’s cheap (in Spain at least), and perfect bar food. The place I was taken, you simply walked in, pointed to your tapas of choice, ordered a beer, and that was it. You’d be full up on a few euro’s, and left to sup your beer and enjoy what’s ahead of you.
I know I’ve been waxing lyrical about squares, but Salamanca’s is also pretty damn special, and once again called ‘Plaza Major’. Every night I was there it was a hive of activity, with a real buzz around. There was your usual collection of places to eat, ice-cream parlours and souvenir shops scattered throughout, and what I really liked is that most of the exits of the square led to somewhere interesting.
One such exit led to the main shopping street, one led to a fun Irish bar, you get the drift. Just get out and explore! I think there are hotels that overlook the square, and I imagine that would be a great experience. Try and get there as the sun sets for something truly special.
Golden sandstone buildings are everywhere, and both the old and new Cathedrals are well worth a visit. During restoration of said cathedrals, some rather modern touches were added, including an astronaut, and a dragon eating ice-cream! As mentioned, well worth a trip, for both the beautiful architecture, and for spotting these brilliant oddities.
Speaking of, the main University, also has a decoration for you to find, this time in the form of a frog. I went with my host Huayu who was a student there, and the frog itself can be found as part of the main façade.
I won’t lie, I needed help to find it, mostly due to the fact scaffolding was covering most of it when I paid my visit. In hindsight, the gap in said scaffolding should have been a clue on where to look. Spot the frog, and you’re said to receive good luck if a tourist, while students find it so they can graduate! Here’s a bit more on Salamanca and its hidden carvings, but spoiler alert, it does say where to find them.
Another great thing about Salamanca, was this café on a quiet square that sold beers at ridiculously cheap prices. Without sounding like an alcoholic, it was lovely to just chill in the sun, supping 17 cold beers for as much as it would cost you for one or two in London, the city I had left shortly before.
There was a museum I visited, but sadly I can’t remember which one. As the photos suggest though, it was pretty interesting.
You’ve probably already guessed in this overwhelmingly positive piece, but I loved Salamanca. It was great to experience couch surfing, and the beauty of the city simply added in making it a memorable trip. I’ve read that it’s a place where Spanish people like to visit on their holidays. I think that speaks volumes.
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