Salamanca, Spain

A Day in Salamanca

An Ancient University and a Mammoth Cathedral Visit Spain’s oldest college town, an invigorating tapestry of scholarly, religious and cultural pursuits. Cross the Spanish border with your guide and drive through the Iberian countryside to Salamanca, known as “La Dorada,” or “The Golden City,” due to the glow of its sandstone structures. After time exploring the vast Plaza Mayor, surrounded by beautiful baroque buildings, enjoy a visit to the local market to sample some regional cuisine. After, continue to the 13th-century Salamanca University. You will also see the House of Shells, an unusual medieval building decorated with more than 300 carved mollusks. Your tour concludes at the New Cathedral, a golden-hued Gothic-baroque masterpiece built from 1513 through 1733. After, there will be free time to explore on your own, perhaps stepping inside the Romanesque-Gothic Old Cathedral or other icons of Spanish architecture: the 15th-century Tower del Clavero, the 16th-century Monterrey Palace and many beautiful churches and convents. * Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ra