Spain in Still Frames

Two Fridays ago, Fabian and I headed to Spain for a week of rest and relaxation. We landed in Madrid on Saturday morning and then headed two hours west to the charming medieval city of Salamanca where we spent two days before heading back to Madrid. Salamanca has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and was once of the most important cities in Spain, often considered the “Florence of the Iberian Peninsula” as it flourished during the renaissance. Salamanca’s university was host to some of the most important names in Spanish history—Cervantes, Cortez, Unamuno, and even Christopher Columbus, who spent time in Salamanca while he was being commissioned by the Spanish Kings to set off on his travels.

Salamanca is a quaint and charming town, made vibrant by it’s young population attracted by the university and the stunning architecture. The buildings are made from a local limestone that seems to glow in the sunlight and especially at night by the light of the moon. The day that we arrived, it was rainy and gloomy out. I was quite worried because the town seemed to be dead as no one was out—the complete opposite of the happening little town I remembered from my visit three summers ago. I worried that I’d made a mistake bringing us there, but we had booked two nights at the hotel, so we stayed. By Sunday, the sun came out and so did everyone else. People were out and about, enjoying the weekend and this wonderful town. Fabian ended up loving it and really enjoyed seeing the contrast between a small, laid back Spanish town like Salamanca and a thriving metropolis like Madrid. Alas, we prefer the city life, so two days was plenty of time in Salamanca before we were ready to move on.

After a weekend in Salamanca, we moved on to Madrid, Spain’s bustling capitol. We both commented on how much it reminds us of New York. It is a fast-moving city with activity at every hour of the day and night. It is also reminiscent of Paris with its elegant architecture and wide boulevards. We loved the fact that we always had something to do in Madrid. From tapas and drinks at the fabulous San Miguel Market (a foodie’s heaven!), strolling along the frenetic Gran Vía, taking in the world-class Prado Museum, shopping in the tony Salamanca neighborhood, or experiencing an awe-inspiring Flamenco show at the Corral de la Morería, we enjoyed so many different activities. By the way, if you are planning a trip to Madrid anytime soon, you simply must take in a show at the Corral de la Morería. It is considered the best Flamenco tablao in the world and with good reason. It was far and a way the best Flamenco performance I’ve ever seen. The passion and emotion are completely palpable—I was moved to tears at the show. For now, I’ll leave you with these images, but I will be back later this week with a review of our Madrid hotel, the NH Palacio de Tepa, which I would highly recommend.