Ohhh, Salamanca. The charming Spanish city known for its historic university (the third oldest in the world!), its medieval architecture, and grand ol’ Plaza Mayor. The city’s energy is contagious, fired by the university students that consume a vast majority of the population.

Knowing all this, I wanted in! So, last weekend I hopped on a train and jumped on over to Salamanca. I went for the architecture, heritage and history…

And stayed for the food.

Seriously, I had every intention of spending an entire day reading up on the beautiful Cathedral, the history of the University, touring the old city….but let’s be honest. Who am I kidding?! I ended up befriending some locals, and next thing I knew I was heading to their fave tapas and cañas spots. LOL…my intentions were good?! #Fattourism

me

minion 1

minion 2

So, 48 extremely foodtense (food + intense) hours later, I had scraped the entire city of Salamanca for its best tapas, wine, and late night spots; and into my tummy Salamanca went!

All research FTB (#ForTheBlog), of course! So, here goes, my fave spots…

AND THIS ONE PLACE. MY OBSESSION. You gotta, gotta, gotta go. (Last on list, ‘cause I gotta save the best for last 😉 )

Where to Eat & Drink in Salamanca:

Oroviejo Gastrobar: Your sit down meal

The chances of you falling into a tourist trap in the city center of Salamanca are pretty darn high. I was walking around for at least 25 minutes in search of a place that wasn’t a trap, (you know, complete with huge blown up pictures of fake looking food, and those annoying guys who stand outside a restaurant door and try to usher you in. NOT on my watch.) This place is your way out!! Reasonable prices, cozy cool atmosphere, and beyond delicious food. Their menu features Salamanca classics, with a modern gastronomic twist.

Find it: Plaza San Benito, 5

La Tahona de la Abuela

While you are in Salamanca, you gotta try the famous hornazo. What is it, you ask? Prepare yourself: A rich pie crust, filled with chorizo, lomo (a.k.a pork loin), and jamón. So, I obviously went on a search for the best, with the help of my hungry French sidekicks. The result? This place, bakin’ up granny’s recipes since 1914. 3 euros will have you full for the whole 48 hours of your stay (but don’t let that stop you from eating more…)

Find it: (There’s two, but here’s the one in the center) Plaza Mayor, 11

Calle Van Dyck: A street full of cheap tapas & cheaper cervezas

Where there are university students…there are cheap drinks. And where there are university students in Spain…there are cheap drinks, and cheap tapas. This is the golden street! Located a 10 minutes’ walk from the city center, it’s an escape from all of the fancy-shmancy, overpriced tourist traps. Sure, it might not look fancy. There’s no charming medieval architecture, nor cobblestone roads. But I assure you…your tummy will be happy. And if your tummy is happy, you’re happy! This is a “zona de tapas” that I assure you, the average tourist does not know about! And don’t be fooled; just ’cause the tapas are cheap, does NOT mean the quality is! In fact, they are probably a better quality than the majority of the restaurants in the old city center. Any tapas bar on this street is authentically fab, but my personal fave was Asador de Van Dyck (Calle Van Dyck, 33).

Find it: Calle Van Dyck, Salamanca

Calle Varillas: A Street full of cheap drinks, trendy bars, and college kids

Going out? Here’s your spot! This street is full of little bar after little bar, with university students pouring out of each of ’em. Literally! When midnight rolls around, you’ll actually find just as many people conjugating in the streets as you’ll actually find inside the bars. In Spanish terms we call this a “botellon” street. A street where 20 something’s happily loiter outside, drink in-hand. But don’t forget to go into the bars! This street’s got everything from dive bars to trendy to-cool-for-school spots, from rock caves to reggaeton. My go-to? Paniagua, a down-home dive bar where they’ve got a groovy foosball table, and 1 liter drinks for 5€s. Yes, I said 1 liter drinks…(find it on Calle Varillas, 7)

Find it: Calle Varillas, Salamanca

And finally…

Cuzco Bodega: MY OBSESSION

I will literally go back to Salamanca just for this place. This is THE BEST tapas bar I have been to, maybe….ever?! Not to mention it actually became the theme of our entire 48 hours in Salamanca. Allow me to explain; it’s a gastro-bar, which takes the concept of traditional tapas bar, and gives them a high-quality, culinary twist. The problem with the majority of gastro-bars? They are trendy and over priced, especially in relation to the portion given. But NOT this one. The portions were perfect for the price, the vibe is trendy without being stuffy, the place is overflowing with friendly locals who want to talk to you, the waiters are friendly and efficient, and the food is just down right AMAZING. And the wine. They’ve got their own bodega (a.k.a vineyard), with their own signature, homemade selection of locally made wines. The red wine is delishhh, and wonderful with the goat cheese and caramelized onion tapa. MmmMMmm…

So, by the end of the weekend we just about covered everything on the menu. When I say “we,” I’m talking about my two French minions, who are super French. What’s that mean? They like their high quality good food, and don’t impress easily. But lemme tell you…this place had my Frenchies DROOLING all over the place. So much so, that we went back twice in 48 hours. And you know, when I go to a place twice…it’s gotta be something really special.

And now, the collage, to make you drool even more…

Have you gotten cheap food and drinks in Salamanca? Where’d you get yo’ munch on? Is Salamanca in your near future? Which of these places are you dying to go to?! Let’s talk about it over a cyber-caña!

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