- I was here: November 2016.
- Number of days: half.
- My rating: 2/5.
A pleasant surprise was to go to this little village of 444 inhabitants on the border of Portugal that few have heard and I had quite much. We went there for family issues, and it turned out to be a whole provincial tourist destination in summer. Do not expect great attractions, but if included in a day trip around the province, it can be an interesting point.
HOW TO GET THERE
Vilvestre is on the road SA-320, 100 km west of Salamanca, it takes approximately 1 h and 20 min to arrive by car. I would not recommend going if you have to use public transport, but for those interested there are two buses a day from Monday to Friday, at 13:10 and 18:00, they cost € 8.55 one way or € 16.20 return; the buses back to Salamanca leave at 7:30 and at 15:00 (this last only Monday, Wednesday and Friday); it takes 2 hours, as it stops at all intermediate villages.
WHERE TO EAT AND SLEEP
Although they are trying to foment the tourism in the zone, accomodation is scarce. Several rural houses have been built in recent years. There are hardly a couple of restaurants, but we can always eat cheese.
WHAT TO SEE
Because its cheese factory is famous throughout the province; there are those who travel 200 km from the capital to go and buy it.
The church of the sixteenth century, of Gothic and Renaissance influence.
There are three minimuseums, the Taller Neolítico (Neolithic Workshop), with some cave paintings being studied, the Casa de Frailes, and another exhibition and shop of traditional elements.
The microclimate. The village is located 592 meters above sea level, quite low for the Castilian plateau, and the descent to the river is very pronounced; the Duero forms here a valley in which a Mediterranean microclimate takes place, with an annual temperature 3 or 4 degrees Celsius superior to everything around it. It is really curious to find olive, prickly pear or orange trees in the middle of the pasture, crops that are only develop hundreds of kilometers away from this place.
La Barca is the name given to its pier, inaugurated in 1998, 4.6 km west of the village. The biggest tourist attraction with more than 10,000 visitors a year just from June to September. A place that radiates tranquility and invites to swimming, picnic and navigation in summer, when it is conditioned, offering fluvial routes by the Duero.
The Castle or Hermitage lookout point, named after one erected on the top of this hill long ago, place occupied today by a hermitage. It offers good views of the Duero and its river valley.
Although for us, the main reason of interest was another, it was for a local who on his 91 years still wants to travel 1500 km by car to go visit childhood friends.
Al Was Here 
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