This guide on what to do in Salamanca in one day It will help you to know all the most interesting points of one of the most beautiful cities in Spain.
Although we understand that having only 24 hours to get to know a city like Salamanca is never enough, we believe that if you optimize the itineraries on foot you can visit most of its architectural wonders such as the Cathedral, the Plaza Mayor or the University.
If you have more time we recommend you to spend the night in the city to walk at dusk without the large number of tourists and organized groups that pass through Salamanca every day.
Based on the experience of the time we spent in the city, in which we made this list of places to visit in Salamanca, we have planned a route so you do not miss anything Salamanca in one day. We start!
How to get to Salamanca
The most common way to get to Salamanca is by public transport or by car from Madrid.
The fastest option is to take an ALVIA train at Madrid's Chamartín Station that will take you to Salamanca in an hour and a half for 25 euros. Although there are usually places, on holidays and weekends, you can find that there are no places, so it is highly recommended to check the places and book tickets on this page.
For a slightly cheaper price you have the option of catching a bus at the Madrid South Station that will leave you in Salamanca in about two and a half hours for 22 euros.
Once in Salamanca you can reach the center on foot in less than 15 minutes or take the city bus that takes 5 minutes.
Another more comfortable and interesting way to get to Salamanca from Madrid, which will allow you to better know its history is to book this excursion to Salamanca with a guide in Spanish that includes the visit to Ávila.
For more information about the transfer you can consult this post on how to get to Salamanca from Madrid.
Where to stay in Salamanca
The best area to stay and tour Salamanca in one day It is the historic center, between the Plaza Mayor and the University.
One of the hotels with the best quality / price ratio in the old town is the Hotel Melibea, located 600 meters from the Plaza Mayor and 200 meters from the University. In addition to its magnificent location, the hotel has modern facilities, comfortable rooms, a full breakfast, parking and a beautiful terrace and garden area.
For more information on the best hotels and neighborhoods you can consult this post of where to stay in Salamanca.
Salamanca in one day
The itinerary of what to do in Salamanca in one day It starts early in the morning arriving at the bus or train station.
After about 15 minutes you will arrive at the San Boal Palace, which stands out for its sculpted façade and its interior Renaissance courtyard.
This palace is located a few meters from the Plaza Mayor, the great jewel of Salamanca and one of the most beautiful places to see in Spain.
To get to this square you can go down two of the most famous streets in the city: Calle de Zamora and Calle Toro, where in the latter there is a Zara located inside a church, which we also recommend you visit, even if only out of curiosity
Once in the Plaza Mayor, which is shaped like an irregular square and after running out of words for its beauty, we recommend you to surround it without losing detail of the semicircular arches that surround it, with medallions of illustrious characters and several historical buildings such as the Town Hall or the Royal Pavilion.
Main Square
At this point, you can take the opportunity to have a drink in the Novelty cafeteria, the oldest in the city with over 100 years of history.
An interesting way to know the history of the city and not miss anything important is to book this complete tour with a guide in Spanish or this free tour of Salamanca Free!
If you prefer to visit on your own you can leave the Plaza Mayor through the south gate to follow the itinerary of the Salamanca in one day by Rúa Mayor Street that will take you to the Casa de las Conchas.
This stately palace of the late fifteenth century surprises by having a facade with more than 300 shells and a beautiful interior courtyard for free entry, which you can not miss.
In front of this house is La Clerecía, which consists of a school and a church. After seeing the cloister, the Altarpiece and the Sacristy, you can climb the towers of the church to enjoy the best views of the old town of Salamanca.
Salamanca from La Clerecía
When leaving the Clerecía you can go down Libreros Street that will take you to the University, another of Salamanca's wonders.
The University of 1218 is the oldest in the Hispanic world and has had as illustrious students and professors such as Hernan Cortés or Unamuno.
After finding the figure of a frog on top of a skull, on the plateresque facade of the university and that is the challenge that students must overcome if they want to pass the exams, you can visit inside to see several classrooms of the Senior Schools Like the old library.
University of Salamanca
Once the visit is over, you can approach the Minor Schools, located at the entrance to a corner of the University square, and where the popular painting of the "The Sky of Salamanca".
The itinerary of Salamanca in one day Continue looking for the figure of the astronaut and the dragon with an ice cream, on the facade of the Ramos Gate of the New Cathedral, which are a wink of the artist to the city and that we are sure, will surprise you as he did to us.
Once these figures are found, you can enter inside this huge cathedral to see the Main Chapel, the Main Altar, the Choir and cross the south wall to visit the Old Cathedral.
This ancient church impresses with its Altarpiece and several chapels such as Santa Barbara and San Martín.
Facade of the Cathedral
When you leave the Old Cathedral you will find yourself near the Huerto de Calixto and Melibea, a small garden that served as inspiration for the famous novel The Celestine.
A few meters from this green space is the modernist palace known as La Casa Lis, which houses the Art Nouveau and Art Dèco Museum, with some of the most important porcelain doll collections in the world. In addition to the museum, inside you will fall in love with the inner courtyard covered by an impressive stained glass window.
A good option to not miss anything about the museum and learn about the history of the palace is to book this visit with a guide in Spanish.
Lis House
The next stop of Salamanca in one day It is the Puente Mayor del Tormes, an ancient Roman bridge of the first century, in which before crossing it, we recommend you see the statue of El Lazarillo de Tormes and that of Verraco, which also appears in the novel.
The route continues past the spectacular south facade of Casa Lis, to reach the Convent of San Esteban, a Dominican convent is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, which highlights its Plateresque style facade, the cloister Two story interior and church.
Convent of San Esteban
Near this convent there are two of the best restaurants to eat in Salamanca: El Laurel and La Hoja 21. We, having no reservation, could not try them and we decided to return to the center to eat on the terrace of the Corte y Cata Restaurant and after the experience, we can only say that we loved it.
In the afternoon you can complete the visits of this route entering the inner courtyard of the Palacio de la Salina, stroll through the streets of the center like that of the Company and have a drink in one of the terraces of the Plaza Mayor.
Streets of Salamanca
If you are going to spend the night in the city we recommend you book this visit for the best illuminated places of Salamanca or this tour of mysteries and legends, both located among the best rated tours.
Salamanca map in one day
Do you want to organize a trip to Salamanca?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Madrid here
The best hotels at the best prices in Salamanca here
Book the best tours and excursions in Salamanca in Spanish here
What to do in Toledo in one day
Rent your car in Madrid at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
The best offers of Flights to Madrid here
The best hotels at the best prices in Salamanca here
Book the best tours and excursions in Salamanca in Spanish here
What to do in Toledo in one day
Rent your car in Madrid at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
