In an earlier post, I had hoped to travel to northern Spain after my wife concludes a trip provided by an insurance company with 5 nights in Madrid and 4 nights in Barcelona. We will take day trips to Toledo and El Escorial while in Madrid and day trips to Montserrat and Gerona while in Barcelona. Our scheduled itinerary ends on April 16, right in the middle of Semana Santa, and we can only extend our trip till Monday
April 21.

I have browsed several Spanish websites, and searched madridman.com to determine where we could spend several days to enjoy Semana Santa and other activities. I do know Sevilla is the favorite choice for Semana Santa, but I would enjoy sometime less crowded, and we visited Sevilla last year. Both Salamanca and Caceres are a short trip from Madrid where we end our scheduled itinerary. Please provide me with recommendations

Oh, we will visit northern Spain on our next trip.

Salamanca, of course.

Oh, Carmen, you look so in love with Salamanca. Cáceres is very beautiful too, is one of my favourites. As they're not so far from Madrid I've visited both very often.
I don't know about Semana Santa events, but spring in Caceres province is beautiful. Maybe with the 5 days you have you could visit both.
2 days for each of the towns is enough, although the whole provinces worth.

Miguelito... yeap!!!That´s because my mom was born there!!!! I really love the city.

Salamanca is my choice as well. It has a reasonable Semana Santa "festival", but the real action is a bit north in Zamora. The beauty of the old quarter of Salamanca, to me, is unmatched in Spain. The Plaza Mayor is the finest in the country, and the chance at seeing the Tuna out at night singing and playing from place to place is unique. One vote for Salamanca.

What would these places be like in February? I am looking for a place to go for a couple of days after arriving Friday morning (the 21st). My safe haven is Toledo, but part of me would like to see a new location. I prefer smaller locations because I am traveling alone.

I´d propose a trip (3/4 days) from Madrid.

1st day: have lunch in Trujillo (250 kms) (medieval castle, romanesque churches, renaissance palaces....), pls have lunch in "La Casa de la Troya" at the Plaza Mayor. Spend night in Cáceres (50 kms from Trujillo). Old town is incredible, it is ideal for american people )

2nd day: have lunch in Plasencia (this village has two cathedrals (romanesque and ghotic). (Aprx 90 kms from Cáceres).

You can arrive to Salamanca by night (110 kms from Plasencia) and spend two days in this marvellous town.

I am sure that you will enjoy and will thanks me.

Regards
ABP

CaliBasco

Okay. Who or What is the "Tuna" ?

ABP

Do you have any other recomendations on lodging and where to eat?

I cannot believe that Calibasco recomend to you the Tuna, I hate it so much.
It's a group of 'students' (normally they have an age in which they should have finished studying) that dress like long time ago and go singing songs and trying to make 'jokes' (they think they're soooo fun) and to meet girls. I don't know if girls can join the Tuna, or if there are separated groups of Tuna girls...

I think the Tuna is fun...and the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca gets my vote too! The Tuna singers are a bit silly/cheesy/kitschy, but it's fun to hear live music in the Plaza at night. I have also heard other musical groups there, and watched lots of older people dance in the Plaza. I've also got a photograph of a female Tuna member, so I think they allow women to join.

It's all part of the Salamanca experience...and Salamanca is one of my favorite cities in the world!

Tara