Salamanca & Madrid
Previous: Porto
Salamanca
Another leisurely breakfast at the guesthouse in Porto. We checked out around noon and headed east toward Salamanca, Spain, where we’d spend the night.
Rather than take the quickest route, we opted for a scenic drive through Portugal’s beautiful Douro Valley. The route eventually follows the Douro River, winding its way through some spectacular countryside. For the next hour or so, we found ourselves navigating a rather adventurous road: narrow, hilly, and serpentine, with enough twists and turns to make you appreciate the guardrails. It was our first real glimpse of Portugal’s lush, green rural interior, and it was absolutely beautiful. We pit stopped about an hour from Porto to admire the scenery in Maseo Frio, and for Em to catch her breath.
About 20 minutes later we stopped at the first gas station we came across along the river and picked up lunch at the Intermarché grocery store next door. As we left, we realized we were actually on the outskirts of Peso da Régua, a small but busy wine/port tourist town along the Douro. Suddenly, the curious looks from the locals as we ate at the grocery made sense. Apparently, vineyard tourists are expected to eat in town, not at the gas station on the edge of it.
By this point, it was getting late, so we abandoned the scenic-road adventure and opted for the main highways toward Salamanca. We still had about three hours to go.
We arrived at the Parador Hotel in Salamanca around 6 p.m. This was our first experience with Spain’s Parador hotel system, and it certainly wouldn’t be our last. Paradors are a collection of hotels operated by Spain’s state-owned tourism company. These are usually historically significant buildings that have been repurposed into upscale accommodations. A great way to preserve history while giving travelers a comfortable place to sleep! However, this particular Parador is a modern building built as a hotel.
Our hotel was just across the Tormes River from the old city. It had three things going for it: rare and much-appreciated free onsite parking, walking distance to the historic center, and an absolutely spectacular view of Salamanca’s cathedrals from our room. The view alone was worth the stay, especially after dark when the cathedrals were beautifully illuminated.
Salamanca Old City
After checking in, we headed out on foot toward the Old City. We crossed the historic Roman Bridge, parts of which date back to Roman times, around the first century. From here, it was about a 15-minute walk into the heart of Salamanca on another warm evening.
Unfortunately, we arrived just as the entrances to the old and new cathedrals were closing for the night. No cathedral tour for us, but there was plenty to see from the outside. We wandered through the medieval streets, around the magnificent university, and eventually made our way to the Plaza Mayor, one of Spain’s largest public squares.
Salamanca’s Old City is something special. Its medieval streets, ancient stone walls, magnificent cathedrals, and historic university create an atmosphere that makes you feel as though you’ve stepped back several centuries. The University of Salamanca was founded in 1218, making it one of Europe’s oldest universities. Here, students are everywhere, giving the old city a vibrant energy. The city is justly a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was now 8 p.m. and we were getting hungry, so we asked a local woman sitting at an outdoor restaurant if the food there was any good. She and her friend directed us around the corner to a place called Tapas 3. We took their advice, and it turned out to be an excellent recommendation, and unbeknownst to us a Michelin starred restaurant.
After dinner, we wandered a little more…
…before crossing a different bridge back over the river and making our way up the hill to the hotel.
After admiring the unreal view of the illuminated cathedrals from our room…
…Off to bed!
April 18
Salamanca Old Cathedral
We checked out of the Parador around 11 a.m., fortunately they allowed us to leave the car in their parking lot while we returned to town for more exploring.
First order of business: coffee and churros from a little stand near the Roman Bridge.
We headed back to Old City for more cathedrals, and purchased tickets to climb the tower of the medieval, fortified Old Cathedral. What an experience! The views were breathtaking, and the opportunity to explore the cathedral and its tower was one of the highlights of our trip so far. We’ve seen some impressive religious architecture already, but this tour easily takes the prize. (We’re putting Lisbon’s Belém Tower in a separate category.)
Afterward, we continued wandering through town and stopped at one of the many cafes for lunch. The streets were buzzing with university students, who make up a significant portion of Salamanca’s population. The university is a historic landmark; and still a major part of everyday life here.
At one point, we stumbled into a student parade making its way down one of the narrow, almost claustrophobic medieval streets. There must have been 200 students, all dressed in traditional costumes, chanting, playing music, and generally making quite a spectacle of themselves. It was great fun to watch.
We also took on the challenge of finding the famous hidden frog carved into the intricate stonework of the university’s exterior facade. This little frog has become something of a Salamanca legend. Tradition says that students who find it will have good luck and success in their studies. Em spotted it first, and a tour guide’s laser pointer confirmed that we had indeed found the elusive amphibian.
Eventually, it was time to retrieve the car and head for Madrid, about a 2.5-hour drive away.
Madrid
We arrived at the Madrid airport around 5 p.m. to return our rental car. Finding the rental-car return area was an adventure in itself. Airport signage and rental-car returns seem to operate under different rules here, but we eventually made it. And we were more than happy to hand over the keys…and the non-working a/c.
From the airport, we took the train to Atocha Station in central Madrid and then an Uber to our Hotel Madrid Centro on Calle Gran Vía, one of Madrid’s busiest and most famous avenues. We arrived around 7 p.m.
After experiencing Madrid’s traffic firsthand, we were once again convinced that returning the rental car was a brilliant decision. We honestly don’t know how the Uber drivers make a living here. The traffic is relentless, and navigating these streets behind the wheel is frantic. We’re planning to take a train to Valencia in two days and will pick up another rental car when we leave there.
Our boutique hotel was small but comfortable, complete with a tiny balcony overlooking the very busy Gran Vía. It’s quite a contrast from the peaceful countryside we’d been driving through just the day before.
After settling in, we headed out for dinner at a restaurant recommended by the hotel clerk. The walk took us past Plaza de España, just up the street from the hotel, before arriving at La Mi Venta. We got there about ten minutes after the restaurant reopened following the traditional afternoon siesta and were lucky to get a table without a reservation. It was already packed.
The food was excellent, the waiter was terrific, and we couldn’t have been happier with the recommendation.
Royal Palace of Madrid
After dinner, around 9:30 p.m., we took a stroll toward the nearby Royal Palace. This turned out to be a perfect time to see it. The crowds had disappeared, the palace was beautifully illuminated, and we could appreciate the enormous scale of the building without having to navigate a sea of people.
The Royal Palace is absolutely magnificent and massive. We wandered around the grounds, admired the Roman statues and surrounding architecture, and soaked up the evening atmosphere before heading back to the hotel.
A successful first evening in Madrid.
Off to bed!
April 19
Walking and Discovering Madrid
After breakfast at the hotel, we set out to explore Madrid on foot, with absolutely no agenda.
Madrid is an impressive city. Magnificent cathedrals, grand boulevards, medieval architecture, beautiful plazas, and an endless supply of people. Lots and lots of people.
We made our way through the historic center and eventually passed the Royal Palace again. The line to get inside stretched for hundreds of people. We admired it from the outside and decided that we weren’t that committed to seeing the inside.
Next stop was the famous Chocolatería San Ginés, an institution in Madrid dating back to 1894. It’s particularly famous for its churros and thick Spanish hot chocolate. We were fortunate that the line wasn’t too bad, although figuring out exactly how to order and get ourselves seated took a little effort. Apparently, there’s a system, and it isn’t necessarily obvious to first-timers like us. The churros were delicious, and the hot chocolate so thick it’s practically a meal in itself. It’s more like dipping your churros into a cup of melted chocolate pudding. Not a bad way to spend part of the morning!
After chocolate was a stop at the geographic center of Spain at Puerta del Sol.
Also in Puerta del Sol was my favorite building and sign combination of the trip.
From there, we made our way to the Círculo de Bellas Artes, a cultural center with a rooftop terrace offering wonderful panoramic views of Madrid…and drinks! We stopped for a rather bougie rooftop drink and enjoyed the views.
Reina Sofia Museum
Eventually, we made our way to the Reina Sofía Museum, arriving around 4 p.m. Fortunately the museum wasn’t very busy at this time. We were able to spend as much time as we wanted viewing Picasso’s famous Guernica up close. It’s an enormous, powerful painting depicting the horrors of the 1937 bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.
The museum also has a substantial collection of works by Picasso and Salvador Dalí, among others. We spent about an hour and a half wandering through the galleries, which was just enough time to appreciate the highlights.
Afterward, we grabbed a bite and a drink at a cafe in the square along the museum’s perimeter. It was a lively spot, with local kids playing, musicians performing, and people enjoying the late afternoon. A great place to sit, relax, and enjoy the life.
We eventually headed out for dinner, followed by a little more wandering around the city. By now, our feet were reminding us just how much walking we’d been doing.
Back at the hotel, we organized ourselves for tomorrow’s train ride to Valencia.
Off to bed.
