15th-17th April. Salamanca

We spent Easter Sunday in Salamanca. In 2002, Salamanca was named the European Capital of Culture and it truly deserves that title. We walked the 6 km from the campsite into the city. It was a beautiful walk through lush greenery along the Tomar River and suddenly we found ourselves in one of the most beautiful old towns we have seen so far. The Plaza Mayor, the enormous (and I mean really enormous, because it never fits completely into a photo) Cathedral, and the many other historic buildings of the vibrant university town captivated us. Despite it being busy on Easter Sunday, it wasn't overwhelming for us. The "Semana Santa" (Spanish term for Holy Week) is still celebrated here with numerous processions. The enormous Easter parade was somehow part of it, which we visited almost unintentionally but ended up enjoying. We ended our city visit in the beautiful university garden high up on the fortress wall, with breathtaking views of the city and the surroundings. It was a wonderful stay that we hadn't even planned. But as often happens on this trip, the most beautiful things happen spontaneously.