My thirtieth birthday trip is shaping up quite nicely and we’ve decided that instead of going to London, we’re heading back to Spain! I love everything about Spain and have loved every city I have ever visited in that lovely country. Fabian visited Spain for the first time when we went to Barcelona for our fifth wedding anniversary last summer and he fell in love with every aspect of the country and culture, just as I predicted he would. This time around, we’ll be heading to Madrid, but we’ll spend a couple of days in the nearby town of Salamanca. Salamanca is a gorgeous, historic city, which I’ve visited once before on my first trip to Spain. It’s a beautiful, magical place. The buildings are all made of limestone from the Castilla y Leon region which makes them appear to glow in the sun or moonlight. It’s just stunning! Madrid has a fast-paced, exciting energy similar to New York while Salamanca is the complete opposite, so I am very much looking forward to experiencing the contrast of these two cities with my husband since he was not there the first time around.
Salamanca is home to one of Spain’s oldest and most prestigious universities along with a treasure trove of medieval architecture and what may be the most beautiful plaza in all of Spain. It also has some fabulous shopping and is completely walkable. We’ve decided on a hotel for our stay in Madrid, but I am scoping out a few options in Salamanca. While researching hotels, I came across the beautiful Hotel Don Gregorio which is housed in a former palace from the fifteenth century. Most hotels in Spain, even in the four and five star range, tend to leave a little to be desired in terms of design. Many are extremely traditional, while others are starkly modern so it was nice to come across such a lovely hotel within an historic setting.
{The lobby at Hotel Don Gregorio is warm and lovely, yet the modern furnishings fit perfectly within the historic building.}
{Hotel Don Gregorio Lobby}
{A Tastefully Designed Guestroom}
{This room features a terrace overlooking the beautiful city.}
{The hotel features thoroughly modern and well-appointed bathrooms.}
{Notice the original stone wall on the right along with the beautiful, wide-plank wood floors. I love it when hotel rooms have wood floors rather than carpet. It feels so much cleaner. By the way, whoever designed the hotel chose a fabulous selection of chairs!}
{I believe this room is part of a suite. I love the juxtaposition of the gilded mirror in the bathroom with the modern sink.}
{Lovely Seating Area Featuring Rich Hues of Purple}
{A Lovely Courtyard for Enjoying the Salamanca Sun}
Here are a couple of photos from my first trip to Salamanca in June of 2008:
{The University}
{Salamanca’s Beautiful Plaza}
{The “Casa de las Conchas” is named after the conchas, or seashells that adorn its façade. It now serves as Salamanca’s library.}
{Salamanca’s Cathedral- I promise to share lots of photos and details of our trip once we get back in November!}
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