Several people have suggested Salamanca as a day trip from Madrid, but the Eyewitness Guide to Madrid makes it look like it's a district in Madrid. I'm confused....are there two different Salamancas? One, a district of Madrid and one a town located away from Madrid?

confused:

Yes. There are two distinct Salamancas. One of them is a district or neighbourhood in the middle of Madrid, near El Retiro park. The other one is the city of Salamanca, one of the more beautiful cities of Spain.

Thanx totx, I was away this weekend and am glad you popped in to help sandypaws3 out.

Teamwork

Saludos,
jer...

I hit Salamanca probably twice per year...suggest you take a cab to just outside to the village of Arapiles.....terrific inn there just on the outskirts.....forgot the name, but the cabbie will know it and it is very reasonable for lunch.

Thyglow

We are thinking of spending a day or two in Salamanca this fall. I read that the city deserves an overnight stay. Any recommendations for Hostals? Can't find any online. Also, would it be worthwhile to rent a car from Madrid to drive us there? I kind of wanted to see Avila and thought that a car would be useful. ???

Hi TonyG,
Yes, Salamanca deserves an overnight stay, particularly as the sun sets over the golden builidngs, it is breathtaking.

I stayed at the Gran Hotel,Plaza Poeta Iglesias, Salamanca, Spain
Phone: +34 (0) 923 213 500; only one Bancotel coupon. This is around 50 Euros/$50. Not a bad deal when I stayed in December 27-28 2001. The great thing about the Gran Hotel is that it is just a few paces from the Plaza Mayor, the main gateway fro just about everywhere in the historical center.

Hi ToniG!

Each time somebody ask for Salamanca I say the same thing ... don't forget to pay a visit to el Bar "La Parrilla" at Bandic Street. For each beer or Coke you ask there, they give you a tapa of ribs or Lomo de cerdo, and they are frying the tapa just in front of you, so you can see that the tapa is not yesterday's tapa.

Also you can have dinner or meal there, but it has a very small dinning room, so you'll have to book to dinner.

Any comments about the Hotel Don Juan (the Gran Hotel has higher rates now!)? This place was recommended by Frommer's. I think I am going to rent a car for the trip, as I want to visit Avila on the way. I have noted the tapas place. Only one night for dinner, though and Chez Victor is closed on Mondays(when we will be there)...so where to go?

Yeah, with a name like that just watch out for lady's men in the lobby

Saludos,
jer...

I would highly recommend the Hostal Plaza Mayor in Salamanca. It calls itself a 'Hostal de Lujo' and is a whole lot nicer than your average hostal, and in fact nicer than a lot of 3 star hotels that I�ve stayed in in Spain.

It�s actually just off the Plaza Mayor, so you won�t get any views of the Plaza, but you are only 2 seconds away from the plaza, and you don�t have to put up with all the noise from the Plaza at night, which is good (although the 3 rooms that look out on the Plaza del Corrillo might get a bit of noise, I�m not sure)

The rooms are gorgeaus, the bathrooms brand new and spotless, you get cable TV and a phone in your room, and there�s 24 hour reception. It�s more expensive than your average hostal, but you get what you pay for.

I stayed there in January, just after it had been renovated, and paid 36 euros a night for a single, and my parents stayed there in March and paid 60 euros a night for a double (not including tax).

Hostal Plaza Mayor - Plaza del Corrillo, 20
Phone - 923262020
Fax - 923217548

so there you go, I�m very hard to please when it comes to accommodation but I really liked this hostal.

hasta luego,

sally

I wanted to stay at the Hostal Mayor, but they don't have an email or any other way to contact (except the fax--which I don't have). I had to make the Hotel Don Juan reservation by email. I don't like to spend my vacation time looking for rooms, so I like to have a reservation. Do you think they would have rooms the end of September? It is pretty small.....