Salamanca Off The Beaten Path

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The cemetery is located on the edge of town at the top of a large hill. I've never seen graves above ground before, as they were in the cemetery, and parts of it are incredibly ancient.

You can also look down at the town from the paths and it's a nice view of the city. If you're only planning to stay in Salamanca for a short time I wouldn't bother, since it's a very long walk and quite out of the way, but if you're planning to study there or spend a more significant amount of time, I would definitely check it out.

Arribes del Duero is an international natural park traversed by the river Duero, in the border between Spain and Portugal. Part of this park is in the province of Salamanca.
The natural beauty of this place makes it ideal for a vacation enjoying nature, watching birds and tasting the rich gastronomy of the region.

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Torre del Clavero (Clavero Tower) is part of the palace of Sotomayor. It was built in the 15th century. It has a square base that turns into an octagon as it goes up. Now, it houses the offices of the Salamanca Provincial Government.

- Address: Calle Consuelo

- How to get there: From Casa de las Conchas, take Calle Jesús to Plaza de Colón, cross it and you will reach Calle Consuelo, then walk along it (to the left), and there it is.

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To end this virtual visit of San Marcos, have a look at the statues. The ones showed in this tip portray:
1) Saint Mark the Evangelist;
2) the crucifix hanging from the top of the main apse;
3) the Virgin (Christ's mother, as the inscription says);
4) Mary with the Child (Jesus).

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Although Saint Mark's church is not one of the most known in Salamanca, you may find it interesting anyway. It is a Romanesque church of the 12th century with an unusual circular shape. Inside, you can see some Gothic paintings and sculptures.

Address: Plaza de San Marcos
Phone number: +34 923128900
Opening times: from 1st April to 30th September, Tue-Sun 10.30-13.30 and 16.00-19.30 h. The rest of the year, it is open only during the masses. Free entrance.

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The inside of the church consists of a nave and two aisles and has three apses, but the main attractions are the paintings portraying various saints. Have a look at the old bas-relief of the coat of arms (fourth photo).

A little over an hour away from Salamanca is Avila. Its most striking feature is its city walls which have survived for almost a thousand years. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to visit and was only able to take this really horrible picture from the highway as we passed by on the bus.

On the way to Salamanca from the east, you'll start to notice the terrain changes a bit. You'll notice these giant stones scattered about the fields on the side of the road. It's a sparse and barren looking landscape and isn't quite like anything I've seen before.