The history of Salamanca from the 15th century

Salamanca was divided into two halves, San Benedito and Santo Tome in the 15th century. Two rival noble families faced each other and at that time and had quarrels in Salamanca. By establishing a guild for livestock farmers, called the Concejo de la Mesta, Salamanca became increasingly important as a center for textile making and exporting wool. In 1218, the most famous and oldest university in Spain was founded by King Alfonso IX, in Salamanca. At that time, two cathedrals were built.

In 1520, the city of Salamanca joined the Comunidades de Castilla, a covenant of several cities and regions protesting against new taxes imposed by King Charles I of Spain. At one point these revolts were crushed and Charles I of Spain demolished the palaces of his opponents in Salamanca.

In the 16th century the population of Salamanca grew to about 24,000 inhabitants, this is an important development in the history of Salamanca. Especially because there were around 6500 students and the most important intellectuals of that time studied at the University of Salamanca.

Although the city had become one of the most important cities in Spain, it was completely ruined in 1812. The Battle of Salamanca has caused centuries-old college buildings, palaces and roads to be destroyed. This is all known as ‘the battle of Arapiles’ and was during the Napoleonic Wars.

Main sights

Universidad de Salamanca

An important building in the history of Salamanca is the University of Salamanca. It is possible to get a tour with an audio guide for about ten euros. Especially the library is a masterpiece of this building, you can only view it behind glass.

Casa de las Conchas

Another very special building is Casa de las Conchas, the house with the shells. It is a building that contains more than 300 shells on the outside. Most likely it is a reference to the family arms of Juana de Pimentel.

Cathedrals

Salamanca has an old and a new cathedral. One was built in the 12th century and the new one was built in the 16th century. Especially the old cathedral is huge and contains a lot of art and architecture from the history of Salamanca.

Convento de las Dueñas

Last but not least, one of the highlights in the history of Salamanca; the Convento de las Dueñas. A monastery for Dominicans. Especially the courtyard is a picture!

 

Don’t wait any longer and book your trip to Salamanca now!

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The history of Salamanca, the origin of the City

It is important to have some background information, before you start reading the story about the history of Salamanca. Because it can be a difficult story if you don’t know some of the names of the first inhabitants of the city and all the empires that existed at that time. That is why there is some information about the different empires and its inhabitants of that time.

Celts

‘The Celts’ were a collection of peoples who inhabited large parts of Europe in prehistoric times and in ancient times. The languages spoken within the Celtic populations sometimes differed greatly from each other. Despite the differences in language, the speakers of a Celtic language were still referred to as Celt. The culmination of the Celtic population was in the 4th century BC. The British Isles, the Iberian Peninsula (Andorra, France, Spain, Gibraltar and Portugal), parts of Central Europe, the Balkans and Gaul were all populated by Celtic tribes.

Carthaginians

Carthaginians were the inhabitants of Carthage, the capital of the Carthaginian Empire. The inhabitants of Carthage and the western shores of the Mediterranean Sea were also called Puniers by the Romans. The Romans also distinguished between inhabitants of the Carthaginian Empire, you had the Punic, the Phoenicians (the inhabitants of Phenicia / Phenicia, the area that is now called Lebanon) and the Afer.

Romans

Of course we all heard of the Romans, the inhabitants of the Roman Empire. In the third century BC, the republic conducted various wars with its enemy Carthago. An important aspect in the history of Salamanca.

The area, which later received the name Salamanca, was inhabited in the sixth century BC by the Celtic tribes called the Vacceos and the Vettones. The Vacceos built two fortifications around 400 BC on the river Tormes to protect it, the Ocela Durii and the Salmantica (Salamanca). Around 200 BC. Hannibal besieged Salamanca. Hannibal was a Carthaginian general and the great opponent of the Romans in the second Punic war. Not to be confused with Hannibal Lecter;).

But in 146 BC Carthago fell and the Romans took over. They spread throughout Spain, including Salamanca. The city became one of the most important stops on the ‘Ruta de Plata’, better known as the Silver Route. The reason why Salamanca was so important? The city served as a crossing for the river Tormes. A Roman bridge that dates from the first century, was located here. Half of this bridge even has been preserved! The Silver Route ran from the mines in Asturias to the south of Spain.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire

Salamanca has had many different residents, as you have read. With the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the story for the Romans, in the history of Salamanca, stops. You guessed it; new residents arrived in Salamanca. Right after the fall, the area was conquered by the Alans, an Iranian nomadic tribe, followed by the Visigoths. The Visigoths were an important (East) Germanic nation, during and after the fall of the Roman Empire. Salamanca’s city wall was expanded by the Visigoths with two towers.

But it also did not work out for the Visigoths. In 712 the city was conquered by the Moors. This area, between the south of the Duero river and the north of the Tormes river, has been the battlefield of the Christian kingdoms and the Al-Andalus (the conquered territory of the Moors) for years. It was only after the battle of Simancas that the Christians conquered this area again, after which Salamanca could slowly start rebuilding the city.

There have been some big fights in the history of Salamanca and the fights we’ve told you about weren’t even all of them. We will tell you more about how Salamanca developed herself after the wars in our next blog.

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Origin of the night of San Juan

When the sun sets on June 23th, Saint John’s (San Juan) eve is celebrated. The Feast of Saint John is celebrated on the 24th of June, with bonfires and partying, this is also referred to as Midsummer in the Northern hemisphere.

The myth is that a lot of strange things can occur on the shortest night of the year. Pagan gods, for example, would show up during the night. During the night of San Juan people will show their gratitude and show the realization that ‘heavier seasons’ are coming. During the night of San Juan, everything revolves around change. The passing of day and night, fire and water. The fire purifies and the water restores, refreshes and rejuvenates.

The night of San Juan Valencia

The night of San Juan Valencia will be celebrated exuberantly. People come together, talk, eat, dance, laugh and make music with each other, friends, but also strangers. Bonfires are made, people barbecue together and they drink together. In Valencia these activities take place on different beaches. The most famous beaches are Playa las Arenas, Playa Patacona and Playa Malvarosa.

This year the night of San Juan is celebrated on Sunday the 24th of June and the spectacle will take place in the night of the 24th/25th. In the end of the afternoon wood will be gathered together and will be built up into one big pile, which of course will be put into flames a few hours later.

The night of San Juan Alicante

This special night will also be celebrated in Alicante, even more exuberant than in Valencia. There will be parades, fireworks shows, flower offerings and just like in Valencia there will be bonfires. We definitely recommend you to go there if you’re around!

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Where should you go to discover the best of Marbella?

Marbella is located between Málaga and Gibraltar, in the foothills of the Sierra Blanca. One of the most important resorts of the Costa del Sol, with a pleasant temperature all year long. This resort has a lot to offer and with our favorite hot spots we want you to discover the best of Marbella!

Casanis Bistrot Marbella

In the old center of Marbella you can find the French restaurant Casanis Bistrot. The facade of the restaurant is a real eye-catcher, because it is overgrown with plants and flowers. Moreover, it is just as cozy inside as it is outside. We advise you to make a reservation because it is a busy place. With us are a lot of people who think that Casanis is one of the things that belong to the best of Marbella.

Rachel’s Eco Love

From a distance you can already see the turquoise chairs of Rachel’s Eco Love standing in front of the beautiful white building. It is a trendy place and all the food is ‘organic’. What makes it even more special? The small pool between the nice turquoise chairs. You even have the possibility to hang out on one of the sunbeds by the pool, of course with one of the delicious fresh juices.

Puerto Banús

Once you are in Marbella you should also visit the harbor, Puerto Banús. You will be impressed once you are there, because the yachts in the harbor can be up to 70 meters long. Besides that, this is also the center of nightlife. It certainly belongs to the best of Marbella, but there is a price tag attached to this center. Whether you go out, shopping, eat somewhere or want to grab a terrace, you will have to pay for it.

Sala club

A popular, and obviously expensive beach club in Marbella is La Sala Beach Club. You should definitely make a reservation at this place, because it is extremely popular. While enjoying a drink and the music of a DJ, you can lay in the sun all day at La Sala. Marbella also has a lot more beach clubs, so do not fear, if it is full at La Sala there are plenty of other options!

Olivia Valere

Last but not least, Olivia Valere. This is one of the expensive clubs in Marbella and it’s over-the-top. A club where you will be amazed, there is places for more than 1000 people in here and a lot of famous DJs are performing here regularly. Olivia Valere is not just a club, it also contains a restaurant called Babilonia, and a lounge / sushi restaurant (Karen Valere).

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Discover the most beautiful places of Mallorca

Mallorca is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, these islands are a part of Spain and are located in the Mediterranean. There are living around 858.00 people in Mallorca and the island is a popular holiday destination for tourists. Although the residents made it clear, a few years ago, that they were sick of the tourists, the residents are still very hospitable people. We have made a list of the 5 most beautiful places of Mallorca to make clear that the island has more to offer than just a wild nightlife.

Bellver Castle

The Bellver castle is a castle built in the gothic style on a hill, about 3 kilometers west of the center of Palma de Mallorca. It used to serve as a residence of the kings of Mallorca and afterwards as a military prison. This is obviously a tourist attraction, but it is definitely worth visiting. Tickets cost € 4 each and can be purchased at the castle.

The Cathedral of Mallorca  (La Seu de Mallorca)

The cathedral of Mallorca is also a must-see. You will be impressed if you see the cathedral from the outside, but the inside is just as impressive. The cathedral is located in Palma and is 121 meters long!

Cúber

Lake Cúber is a lake that is artificially constructed and located at the valleys of Puig Major and Morro de Cúber. With this lake they provide water for the city of Palma de Mallorca and the surrounding areas. A beautiful view, as you can see below!

Valldemossa

One of the other most beautiful places of Mallorca is Valldemossa. Valldemossa is a small municipality and village on the island of Mallorca. The old buildings show a lot of the Spanish culture and the rich history of Mallorca. Moreover, there are regular events in Valldemossa and you can hike, cycle, go mountain climbing, golf and visit art exhibitions.

Port de Pollença

Port de Pollença is a small town in the north of Mallorca, and it’s known for its ‘pine walk’. This is one of the most popular hiking trails along various pine trees and you will have a fantastic view over the bay. It is recommended to walk the route during sunrise or sunset. After you’ve seen this you will understand why we think it belongs to the 5 most beautiful places of Mallorca.

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What to expect of our favorite museums in Spain?

We aren’t the only ones who are in love with these museums! There are thousands of tourists with us, and that’s one of the reasons that it’s very busy at most of these museums. We recommend you to buy a ticket in advance, so you won’t be disappointed if you arrive at the museum and can’t visit it. It would be a shame to miss out on our favorite museums in Spain.

Guggenheim Bilbao – Bilbao

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is one of the most famous museums in Spain. It’s part of the three-Guggenheim museums located in Bilbao, New York and Venice. We can safely say that the building itself also is a piece of art and once you go inside you will be overwhelmed with all the pieces you’ll see. The artworks differ from surrealism to modern art, including Andy Warhol’s pop-art. The Guggenheim definitely belongs to our favorite museums in Spain.

Tickets

Picasso museum – Malaga

There are several Picasso museums, but right now we are talking about the Picasso museum in Malaga (Andalusia). This museum is located in the birth house of Pablo Picasso and is located right in the center of the city. More than 200 works are exhibited in the museum and you can even go through the museum with a (free) audio guide.

Tickets

Teatre-Museu Dalí – Figueres

The Teatre-Museu Dalí is located in Salvador Dalí his hometown, Figueres. Figueres is a small town in the autonomous region of Catalonia (Girona). The building in which the Dalí musueum is located, was a theater from 1849 to 1939. During the Spanish civil war it was partly destroyed and from 1974 it was used as the Dalí museum. Usually there are very long lines for this museum because it is very popular. Due to the hustle and bustle in this museum you may not walk around in a museum ‘quietly’, but the artworks make up for a lot, just like the building (also a piece of art)!

Tickets

Centro de Arte Reina Sofia – Madrid

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid (abbreviated MNCARS) is a museum named after the Spanish queen Sofía. The museum exhibits modern and contemporary art in Madrid. You will encounter one of Picasso’s most famous works here, Guernica, and there are also several works by Salvador Dalí. But besides these two famous names, there are a huge number of collections of other famous and somewhat less famous Spanish artists. As an art lover, you will certainly feel at home here, which is why it is one of our favorite museums in Spain.

Tickets

Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciènces – Valencia

If you have the chance to visit Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciènces in Valencia, grab it with both hands! Valencia is known for this, the beautiful white buildings and the blue water. The city of art and science consists of various parts, a 3D IMAX cinema, a large city garden, an opera house, a gigantic aquarium and science museum. The motto of the museum is ‘forbidden not to touch’, with which they aim at the interactive exhibitions. You should see definitely visit it because it’s fun and educational, also for children!

Tickets

Museo de Bellas Artes – Seville

Last but not least, the Museo de Bellas Artes in Seville. This museum is considered one of the most important art museums in Spain and is located in an old convent building. With a beautiful patio and the amount of artworks, this museum, undoubtedly, belongs to our six favorite museums in Spain. Even better, for residents of the European Union the access is free! Otherwise it will cost you € 1.50.

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5 must-see places Tenerife

Tenerife is a volcanic island as you might know. The biggest volcano is the El Teide and this is also the highest mountain of Spain. Without any doubt the most touristic place of Tenerife and one of the must-see places Tenerife. But there’s a lot more to visit and there are a lot more hotspots on Tenerife. Below a short list, especially for you!

Parque Nacional del Teide

As mentioned above, the El Teide, or Pico del Teide, is the biggest volcano on Tenerife. The volcano is surrounded by a gigantic area, called Parque Nacional del Teide. You can reach the Parque with the car and there are several walking-routes and viewing points. There’s also an exposition, a botanic garden and even a cable car. This is absolutely one of the must-see places Tenerife.

Loro Parque

It started as a park for only parrots, but it developed to one of the most famous zoo’s in the world. Loro Parque was even proclaimed as worlds best zoo in 2015. Performances are given daily with the marine animals and parrots.

Siam Park

A part of the Loro Parque is the Siam Park. A gigantic water park on Tenerife which is a reproduction of the Thai Kingdom. It is also the world’s first green water park. Just like Loro Parque one of the must-see places Tenerife.

Piramides van Güímar

On the east coast is one of the other must-see places Tenerife, the pyramids of Güímar. It seems that the pyramids were formed by the farmers who lived there. The stones found, during plowing, were stacked by them next to the fields. However, there are several stories about the origin of the pyramids. It has been opened as an ethnological park, and it’s very nice to see it if you get the chance.

Auditorio de Tenerife Adán Martín

One of the other tourist attractions in Tenerife is the Auditorio de Tenerife. A large opera building designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Many of his works are well known, for example Ciutat de les Arts and Ciències in Valencia and the Milwaukee Art museum in Milwaukee. There are lots of music performances in the opera house, but the building itself is also one of the must-see places Tenerife.

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The most important events in Spain, April 2018

From the 14th of April until the 21st of April, Feria de Abril will take place in Seville. If you want to read more about this, click here. Find out more about the other events in Spain below.

18-22 April, Montilla-Moriles wine tasting

Five days of tasting wine in Córdoba (Andalusia), how can you say no to that? Every year the streets of Córdoba are filled with several stands where you can taste local wines, with some typical tapas. You can also enjoy open air concerts and tasting sessions supervised by vinologists.

From 22 April, Faldeta day in Fraga

This might be a little less known event in Spain, Faldeta day in Fraga, in Huesca (Aragon). The event is a tribute to the important role that women play in the household economy. There are all kinds of cultural activities, for example workshops, exhibitions, dance performances, competitions and a lot more.

23 April, Festivities of San Jorge

Every year Cácares, Extremadura, honours its paron San Jorge with a big festivity. This event symbolises the Christian reconquest of the city. There will be a re-enactment of San Jorge his conquest of the dragon, which is called ‘the burning of the dragon’. The streets are decorated, there also will be a re-enactment of the battle between the christians and the muslims, there will be several processions, a big bonfire competition and the search for the golden hen (the search for two golden eggs which are hidden around the city).

22-24 April, Aracelitana festivities

The celebration starts at 22nd of April, when the virgin of Araceli will be brought down from ‘the Aras Shrine’. This can be seen during a pilgrimage to the center of Lucena.

22-24 April, Moors and Christian festival in Alcoy

The annual and most important festivity of Alcoy is ‘the Moors and Christian festivity’. It’s a festivity in honor of patron San Jorge, just like they celebrate in Cáceres.

22-24 April, Moors and Christian festival in Banyeres de Mariola

They also celebrate the Moors and Christian festival in Banyeres de Mariola, in honor of patron San Jorge.

28 April, The day of Almadía

One of the most popular events in Spain is in Burgui-Burgi (Navarre), it’s called ‘Almadía day’. On this day they honor/celebrate the existence of the Almadías. Almadías were boats that they used for transportation of wood, untill mid-twenty century.

29 April, Romería de Nuestra señora de la Cabeza in Andújer

On the highest mountain top of Sierra Morena, the sanctuary of the Virgin of the Cabeza can be found. Thousands of pilgrims of the region, in typical Andalusian clothes, gather around at midnight to sing and dance together in front of the sanctuary.

29 April, Battle of the flowers in Cordoba

An annual procession of floats consisting of flowers, takes place every year in Cordoba (Andalusia). A gigantic spectacle and one of the absolute must-sees events in Spain.

20-29 April, San Jorge medieval week in Montblanc

The patron San Jorge will also be honored in Montblanc, during a week of festivities, activities and re-enactments.

27-29 April, Fiesta de Lamprea festivity in Arbo

A three-day gastronomic festival in Arbo (Galicia), which revolves around one of its most famous products: the lamprey fish. Taste this delicacy while enjoying various bands.

27-29 April, Re-enactment of the siege of Zaragoza in Zaragoza

From 27 to 29 April there will be a spectacle about the two Attacks of Napoleon’s troops between 1808 and 1809 in Zaragoza.

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History of Feria de Abril Seville

The first edition of Feria de Abril Seville was in 1847. It was organised by two councillors, José María Ybarra and Narciso Bonaplata. It was originally organised as a livestock fair, but this grew out to be one of the biggest events in Seville, with a lot of commercial interests. The fair reached it’s peak during the 1920’s and turned out to become the spectacle that it’s today.

What is going on during Feria de Abril Seville?

Feria de Abril Seville has been taking place on ‘real de la feria’ since 1973 and it’s spread over a surface of 450.000 m2, which is filled by more than a thousand stands. The fair starts at 00.00 (14th of april) with the ‘test of the light’.

There are several ‘casetas’ on the terrain, these are decorated tents of local families, groups of friends, companies, clubs or political parties. Be aware! You need an invitation if you want to enter a caseta. There are a few casetas that are public and you can enter them for free. They’ll play music and serve food and drinks day and night.

The Sevillanos (natives of Seville) are wearing typical Andalusian Costumes during Feria de Abril Seville, women wear flamenco or gypsy clothes and the men traditional clothing. The fun-fair is filled with hundreds of carriages, where you can buy a ride. There will be a bull-fight every afternoon and the week will end with a spectaculair firework-show. Feria de Abril Seville is definitely a party you want experience, so start planning your trip! Interested in the map of the fair? Click here.

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Semana Santa Schedule 2018 Málaga in English and Dutch

Almost none of the Semana Santa Schedule 2018 Málaga are available other languages than Spanish. We understand that it might not be easy for you to understand the schedules in Spanish, and translating costs lots of time. Therefore, we translated the schedules for you and created an English and Dutch version. Pay attention: this is not the story about Semana Santa, but you can find the story here! The schedule is divided per day and brotherhood. The days that are included in the schedule are: Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Holy Friday, Holy Saturday and Resurrection Sunday. Each day there are 7 till 8 different brotherhoods. This means that there will be 7 till 8 different routes to walk each day. Some of them begin in the morning, some in the noon and some at the afternoon.

The Schedule of Semana Santa 2018 Málaga

In the schedule below you find all the information you need of the schedule of Semana Santa 2018 in Málaga. Click or tap on the image to see the whole schedule.

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