Salamanca

Salamanca’s golden sandstone university buildings glow at sunset, and the Plaza Mayor, one of Spain’s finest squares, is free to sit in and watch the city go by. The large student population keeps the nightlife cheap and the menus del dia good value, so eating and drinking here cost less than in bigger cities. Wandering the old town and hunting the carved frog on the university facade costs nothing, and nearby Segovia, Leon, and Valladolid make easy onward stops for further Castilian exploration.