Salamanca may be small but Spain’s oldest university city has a big history. On this walking tour, I’ll show you the tiny city’s highlights and share some of its quirky – and often humorous – stories. The tour starts in Plaza Mayor, the city’s vibrant baroque-era market square. After 30 years in this city, I continue to discover curious anecdotes and, on this tour, I’ll share a few famous ones about the square, including its bullfighting past. At Palacio de Monterrey (Monterrey’s Palace), I’ll explain how its symmetrical features make it a fine example of Renaissance architecture. When you reach Salamanca Cathedral, you’ll hear astonishing tales of what PhD candidates went through in the early 1300s. At our tour’s final stop, the Convent of San Esteban, you’ll find out how the foundations for the current-day Gregorian Calendar were laid right here. Along the way, you’ll have a chance to: • Learn how a prince’s scheme to make some extra money at university led to the legalization of prostitution in 1497 • Find out where in the city famous visitors including Columbus, Charles V, Philip II, and Napoleon stayed • Find out whether the lives of students in the Middle Ages were different from modern-day students • Discover which philosophic and economic schools of thought were formulated in this small city • Salivate over a Hornazo, an exceptionally meat-forward pie that locals live for This hour-long tour is the perfect introduction to the most important places in the city. There are lots of bars and cafes along the way for you to enjoy Jamón Ibérico (Iberian Ham), a local specialty! It may be a small city, but you can’t imagine the history it can tell! Join me and we’ll discover it together.