Salamanca, University city in Castile and León, Spain
Salamanca is a city in the autonomous community of Castile and León in western Spain, situated on the banks of the Tormes River. The old town forms a network of narrow streets and open squares, where sandstone buildings with warm golden tones line up closely and shape the urban landscape.
The city was founded by the Celts in the 3rd century BC and later occupied by the Romans, who built a bridge across the Tormes. A university was established here in 1218, becoming one of the oldest in Europe and shaping the life of the city to this day while securing its international reputation.
Students gather in the evening around tapas bars and small restaurants near the Rúa Mayor, where local wine and regional snacks accompany conversation and daily life. The squares fill with groups of people chatting and moving between cafés, creating an atmosphere that blends academic routine with casual socializing.
The main sites are located in the historic center, which can be easily explored on foot, with most routes taking less than 20 minutes. The old town is quieter in the morning and early afternoon, while the streets and squares become livelier in the evening and are ideal for a relaxed walk.
A small carved astronaut figure appears on the facade of the new cathedral, added during restoration work in 1992. This sculpture surprises visitors because it appears in a building whose construction took place between the 16th and 18th centuries and whose style has no connection whatsoever to space exploration.
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