In June 2013 we went to visit Segovia and Salamanca
We left Jesus Pobre at 9.15 and arrived in Segovia at 15.00, after a couple of stops for coffee. It was 550 kms and we went through (under) Madrid. Motorways or fast roads all the way.
We stayed at Hotel San Antonio but would not recommend this hotel. The room was small and dark and expensive at €126. The car park was full so it cost us €18 for the garage overnight. However, if you ask for a room with a view and insist on seeing it before booking in then it’s perhaps worth a chance.
We quite liked Segovia but probably wouldn’t go again, The aqueduct is amazing. The Cathedral is impressive but of course similar to the other large cathedrals in the main Spanish cities (including Salamanca). Jo and I have had enough of looking at Spanish cathedrals.
However, we took many photos of the city:
In the evening we looked at the various Trip Advisor restaurant suggestions and ended up at El Hidalgo (€36). It was very quiet with just four guests until 22.00 when 13 Spanish guys turned up. The food was good. We found that in both Segovia and Salamanca it is very like Madrid, many restaurants don’t open before 21.00 and the Spanish in the main eat at 22.00.
We left Segovia at just after 10.00 and arrived at Salamanca at 12.30. It took longer than it should as our Tom Tom took us on motorways and he/we got lost. We later brought a proper road map of the area and found a much simpler route.
The Puerto de la Catedral Hotel was very good. A large and light room with a good bathroom. Finding the garage was a bit of a game as we arrived Sunday lunchtime and I’d put the hotel name into TomTom. If I had put in the little street behind the hotel which was the entrance to the garage it would not be a problem
The cost of €227 for three nights (excluding breakfast {we went out} and garage {which was €17 for three nights} ) was very good as we were right on the edge of everything and literarily opposite the Cathedral. The city is full of foreign students attending the university and very lively. Lots to see for a couple of days (but no more than two) and we had a day away (see below).
Other than the Cathedral, Plaza Mayor, and other lovely buildings we would recommend climbing the tower opposite the hotel and the Art Deco Museum (very near the hotel).
Again we looked at all the main recommended Trip Advisor restaurants and then ignored most of them. We ate once at La Pecado (€49) – not in TA – a small restaurant near the Plaza Mayor and at an Italian the Giovannino (€48) and would recommend both. Have looked on the internet in 2018 and Giovannino is closed.
We stayed in town for two days and explored and took photos – on the 9th
and on the 10th
For the day out we went to the Sierra’s southwest of Salamanca. On the C512 it took just over an hour but was well worth it. Two villages are a must to see are La Alberca with video (250-year-old houses and lovely), Mogarraz (another old village where most of the houses (and the church) have murals on the walls of people who lived there).
We lunched at another small village called San Martin del Castañar at the Meson de San Martin (€30) amazing value. An excellent day.
The next day, Wednesday we left just after 9.00 and drove nearly non-stop (again under Madrid). With a couple of stops, we did the 662 kms and arrived home at 16.45. A long drive and another time it may have been better to overnight at Chinchon, which we love.
The total distance of the trip was was 1,617 kms
In the file are maps of Salamanca and Segovia and other brochures