Salamanca is located in the northwest of Spain and belongs to Castilla y León. This beautiful city is characterized by its ornamental architecture and for being the seat of the oldest university in our country (the third in Europe) and of course, for its lively student nightlife. But, beyond the Huerto de Calixto y Melibea and the astronaut on the facade of its cathedral, we invite you to visit some of the towns near Salamanca: they are picturesque and charming places.
Towns near Salamanca
1. Mogarraz
If you ask someone from Salamanca, they will tell you that Mogarraz is one of the towns near Salamanca that you cannot miss. And the most curious thing about this town? That on the facades of the houses you can find portraits of the neighbors (from 1967), as well as follow the famous water path. Mogarraz is located in the so-called Sierra de Francia and, precisely because of its location, its original architectural layout has been maintained.
Mogarraz has an area of only 9.05 km and a small population of almost 300 inhabitants; inhabitants who know each other and are always ready to welcome tourists. The town of Mogarraz has been a Site of Cultural Interest and a historical site since 1998; This is due in part to the fact that it preserves that original layout, but also to its medieval framework with very narrow streets. This small town was founded in the 12th century and still maintains buildings dating from the 18th century, with sections of stone and wood.
In Mogarraz you can visit the Church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, whose bell tower stands out on the roofs of the houses; You can also visit the hermitage and the Humilladero fountain, the Plaza Mayor and the Casa de las Artesanías ethnographic museum, where works made of gold and leather are exhibited. From this town you can follow the water path: a nine-kilometer circular route that follows the course of the Milanos river. This path starts from Mogarraz and passes through Monforte de la Sierra and back to Mogarraz.
2. The Pool
From the website of the City Council of La Alberca they welcome tourists, “passionate visitors, curious, pursuers of beauty, peace, tranquility, walks and good food”. It is the ideal place to escape the city and immerse yourself in a quiet environment. La Alberca is also located in the Sierra de Francia and is characterized by its narrow streets and stone, adobe and wooden houses that trace geometric figures; and is that La Alberca is one of those towns near Salamanca that seem suspended in time.
Since 1940, La Alberca has held the title of Historic-Artistic Complex; It is the first town to obtain this distinction in Spain; Furthermore, it is considered one of the most beautiful towns in our country. In La Alberca, the 18th century parish church stands out, where the Cristo del Sudor is located. According to a legend, this town sweated blood in 1655; the hermitage of Cristo del Humilladero is one of the oldest in La Alberca and we advise you to visit it, as well as that of San Blas, which stands out for its imposing cypress trees in its gardens and which offers a spectacular landscape.
From La Alberca you can follow the path of the roots, a nine-kilometer circular route. It stands out for the natural landscapes through which it passes, such as the San Marcos lagoon. A very popular tradition in this town is that of the “Marrano de San Antón”. It consists of having a pig loose on the streets of the town and that is fed by its neighbors. This pig is raffled on January 17, the day of San Antonio Abad, and on June 13, it is blessed.
3. Miranda del Castañar
Miranda del Castañar is also located in the Sierra de Francia and stands out for its medieval town, which was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1973. But the charm of this town, which when entering it seems that you are traveling back in time, is conferred by a imposing walled castle; This castle, to this day, preserves its four gates: Postigo, San Ginés, Nuestra Señora de la Cuesta and La Villa.
The castle of the Zúñiga or Counts of Miranda del Castañar is located to the east and is one of the best preserved in the province of Salamanca. The castle was owned for many centuries by the Dukes of Alba and it was in 1954 when Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart herself (penultimate Duchess of Alba and who held the title of Countess of Miranda del Castañar) donated the castle. This fortress preserves its entire wall intact and complete.
From Miranda del Castañar, one of the towns near Salamanca, you can follow the path of prodigies ; a circular route of eleven kilometers that begins and ends in this town and passes through Villanueva del Conde.
4. Ledesma one of the most beautiful towns near Salamanca
Ledesma is considered the most important population center in the north of Salamanca and, what attracts the most of this town is its medieval entrance. It is a bridge that rises over the river Tormes and opens onto an unprecedented walled complex. The streets of Ledesma, which are quite narrow, have many palatial houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, which were built in the Gothic and Renaissance style. In fact, the whole of this walled enclosure was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1975.
As part of this complex are the church of Santa María la Mayor or the Town Hall, as well as old palaces erected between the 15th and 19th centuries that belonged to noblemen and burghers of Ledesma; Also part of this complex is the Hospital de San José or the Alhóndiga del Obispo de Útica Pedro del Campo.
The castle of Ledesma is one of the greatest tourist attractions of this town, although, over the centuries, it has lost its wall, as well as the entrances and towers. Inside the enclosure, you can still visit two rooms dating from the Gothic period. Excavations carried out in the 1980s and 1990s uncovered a complex water channeling system, as well as stables, wells and fountains.
5. Montemayor del Río
Montemayor del Río is a small town and ideal to disconnect. It is located in the Sierra de Béjar and this gives it a unique landscape that is complemented by its white houses and its imposing castle. This town is also located next to the old Calzada de la Plata, which, during medieval times, had great geographical importance. In 1982, Montemayor del Río was declared a Historic-Artistic Site.
What to see in Montemayor del Río? You can start by approaching the Castillo de San Vicente, which was recently restored and sits on top of the hill where the town is located. It has six towers: four square and two semicircular. It is also advisable to visit the old Pillory or fountain in the square, a column that, in medieval times, served as a pillory or roll and whose construction you can see the coat of arms of the Marquis of Montemayor.
The Puente de Piedra, over the river Body of Man, the hermitage of San Antonio y Cruz, the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción or the Plaza Mayor are just some of the places of interest in this beautiful Salamanca town.
