from 49€
/person
july 27*28, 1812
Battle of Talavera
Come to the battlefield with us and discover a totally different combat!
Salamanca Battlefield Tour
Salamanca battlefield
Where the war turned the tide
On July 22, 1812 the multinational army of the then Earl of Wellington, composed of British, Spanish, Portuguese and Germans, faced the Armée du Portugal de Marmont, Marshal of the Empire and personal friend of Emperor Napoleon I.
The French had been maneuvering with skill for more than a month, to the point that they had pushed back the Allies from the banks of the Duero. Wellington would be forced to return to Portugal if he failed to win a decisive victory. Marmont knew it. Would the Earl be able to go on the offensive?
Historic place
Los Arapiles is one of the few protected battlefields in Spain, so it remains practically the same as 200 years ago.
Official Tourist Guide
Specialist on the battlefield. Know every inch of land in the place after many visits.
Interpretation Centre
In which a great model about the battle, explanatory diagrams of the different phases and a video of the previous actions are exposed.
Optional visit to Salamanca city
For those who do not know the city 'charra' we can extend the visit to enjoy it in the afternoon.
Rates
Transfers
3+ People
from 69€/person
- From Salamanca (from 69€)
- From Madrid (from 109€)
- Optional visit to Salamanca (not included in price)
- Optional lunch (+19€/person)
Battlefield tour
4+ People
from 59€/person
- Official Guide
- Optional lunch (+19€/person)
- Tour insurance included
Cancellation policy
Payments will be made at least 72 hours in advance. If canceled within 72 hours, 70% of the amount will be refunded. In the last 72 hours no cancellations or modifications to the reservation are allowed.
Itinerary
Meeting point
Once you have made the reservation, we will tell you the meeting point
Battlefield tour
We will make the tour by car, because the battlefield is too big to walk. We will stop in several places to know the point of view of both the Allied and French sides
Interpretation classroom
We will visit the interpretation classroom located in the village of Arapiles, with a model with more than 5000 miniatures
Virtual Reality
We can watch the troops positioned on the same spots where they were the day of battle using this latest technology
Typical restaurant lunch
It is time to comment on the visit and enjoy a well-deserved rest
End of visit
We said goodbye (until our next tour!)
“On a clear and hot day, we approach the site of the Battle of Salamanca, first - if I remember correctly - by Calvarrasa de Arriba, from where there is a view that dominates the battlefield, and where according to our guide the first were produced skirmishes. From there one gets a good idea of the distance at which the armies were, the route of the troops, and the evolution of the battle. Then we drove to the Arapiles, and stopped at the Arapil Chico, and there we could see the strategic importance of the two mounds (the Arapil Chico and the Grande), around which the military clashes occurred. Later, we moved again to get new views of the battle, which allowed us to better understand the movement of the troops, and the decisions that made the battle tilt the Wellington side. Finally we end up in the Arapil Grande, from which this typically salmantino natural landscape is completely dominated, with an oak only a few kilometers away, where some soldiers took refuge at night. The visit followed the development of the battle, and in that way we placed ourselves in the places that were most decisive in the course of it. The explanations allowed us to understand the difficulty of organizing the troops, the random component of making some decisions, and the importance of trust or luck on the part of the commanders. At certain times, it was almost possible to be in the shoes of some of those soldiers, blackened by the sun, with their bodies crippled after a long day of war. As if it were a journey through time, only that the mythical Arapiles field was regarded as a place of fabulation and conjecture, now surrounded not by cannon shots, but by good companions.”
Francisco Bautista
Profesor Universidad Salamanca
Reserve your place
Tell us when you would like to go and how many people you would come to the tour and we will organize it in a personalized way.
6 Comments
Jill
Our visit to Los Arapiles was the highlight of our visit to Salamanca.
Raul was an excellent guide to the events of July 22nd 1812 as he combined detailed knowledge of the battle with an infectious enthusiasm. As we walked the Battlefield we could almost see and hear the armies as they marched into position.
The sun was setting as we stood at the Memorial stone and we felt we had honoured the memory of all who had fought.
Thank you, Raul,for a memorable tour.
Richard
We thoroughly enjoyed our recent Salamanca battlefield tour with you. Your enthusiasm was infectious. And your detailed knowledge was most impressive.
The scale and strategy of the battle came across very well. As did your portrayal of the personnel involved. Altogether engrossing and most informative.
Karen
What a fantastic way to learn about the Battle of Salamanca. Raul was a brilliant guide with a huge amount of knowledge about the Peninsula Wars. We visited a number of locations so that we could appreciate the perspective of both sides and Raul’s narrative brought the battle alive. Highly Recommended for anyone who loves history!
Duncan Rose
Superb guide. Well prepared, knowledgeable and happy to be guiding.
He was a consummate professional. Highly recommended.
Jon Riley
I really can’t recommend Raul’s tour highly enough.
My wife and I are both interested in military history. At school, I had done a project on the 43rd and 52nd Light foot Regiments, who along with the 95th Rifles made up the Light Division. They featured heavily in the Peninsula War. I had long known the name of Salamanca as a pivotal battle. Last year (2022) we visited the battlefield and the interpretation centre. I realised this wasn’t enough to understand the battle.
Raul’s knowledge and expertise brought the whole battle alive. It really is extraordinary to be able to stand where the various commanders stood, to see what they would have been able to see, to understand the difficulties in communication and the scale and distance involved in the battle. From the initial skirmishes to the conclusion to the final conclusion this was an enlightening afternoon.
Although I knew something of the era, it was truly a wonderful tour that broadened my knowledge and understanding.
Ellen
The quality of your experience will vary with the storytelling abilities of your guide. My grasp, and appreciation, of the Battle of Salamanca is now profound thanks to Raúl Bellido. Should you ever be interested enough to spend four hours climbing hills and rambling through an enormous valley due south of the Spanish university town, he’s your man.