Santa Marta de Tormes: Art, River Routes and Museums

Santa Marta de Tormes combines a riverside landscape with cycle paths, walking routes and a variety of art and cultural venues. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, first consider which of these themes will shape your trip: trails and nature, museums and exhibitions, or public art. The places and routes below offer some concrete ideas.

Riverside Landscape and Cycle Paths

Isla del Soto is a 14-hectare river area in the Tormes riverbed. Isla del Soto has about two kilometres of paths, open to both pedestrians and cyclists. If your stay is focused on getting active, you can distinguish this shorter stretch of paths from the cycle routes elsewhere in the town, which are reported to cover about 12 kilometres. Check the current route before setting out, as the cycling infrastructure may change.

The bike-sharing service SalEnBici’s service configuration described for 2025 includes three stations in Santa Marta de Tormes. This is a useful guide if you are also planning to explore by bike; the information refers to the 2025 configuration.

Walking or Cycling Routes

The “Los Puentes del Arte” (Bridges of Art) route can be explored on foot or by bike. It is signposted as a tourist, educational and leisure attraction. Information panels highlight the sociocultural heritage, fauna and flora of Santa Marta de Tormes. This route also focuses on discovering and understanding the surrounding area.

The Ruta de los Lápices (Pencil Route) is less than two kilometres long and follows a circular path through Isla del Soto. Its route is marked by striking, oversized coloured-pencil decorations. It also extends beyond the island, passing through squares and streets in Santa Marta de Tormes. It therefore includes both the river island and parts of the town. Two sculptures on the Ruta de Los Bichos del Soto (Creatures of the Soto Route) can currently be visited; further additions may change the route in future.

Art, Collections and History

You can encounter art outdoors at several locations: Arte Emboscado (Art in the Woods) features four large iron sculptures on Isla del Soto and along the riverside promenade. The Ruta de los Murales (Mural Route) comprises 48 works and forms part of Santa Marta de Tormes’ open-air museum of urban art. New murals may increase the number of works. The T12-Aviocar is also part of the townscape: it stands at the junction of Avenida de la Serna and Carretera de Madrid, and recalls Santa Marta de Tormes’ close connection with Matacán Air Base.

Different collections offer further points of interest. The Museo de la Moto Histórica (Museum of Historic Motorcycles) displays 50 motorcycles arranged chronologically. The collection at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo José Fuentes (José Fuentes Museum of Contemporary Art) comprises 150 works of art spread over two floors. The series “Las Catedrales Mágicas” (The Magic Cathedrals), comprising 64 works in four polyptychs, can be seen in the parish church of Santa Marta de Tormes on Plaza de la Iglesia. The “Gastronomía y Naturaleza” (Gastronomy and Nature) collection, on permanent display at the Escuela de Hostelería de Santa Marta de Tormes (Santa Marta de Tormes Hospitality School), brings together 50 works by 25 artists. The Museo del Grabado y Obra Múltiple (Museum of Engraving and Multiple Works) houses a collection of almost 80 works by Oswaldo Guayasamín; collection details may change with future exhibitions.

Smaller exhibition venues also vary in their content and format. The Sala de Exposiciones Miguel Delibes (Miguel Delibes Exhibition Hall) is located in the Centro de Interpretación de la Isla del Soto (Isla del Soto Interpretation Centre). The Sala Jorge Navarro displays 87 prints made by students and inspired by music and dance. Espacio Serzo Santa Marta is a permanent exhibition space. Its art combines drawing, painting and sculpture with theatrical, cinematic and poetic installations. Sala Protagonistas, in turn, hosts temporary exhibitions by both lesser-known and established artists.

History is the subject of the exhibition space “Ora et Labora, nuestra historia” (“Ora et Labora, Our History”), which tells the story of the former Benedictine monastery of Santa María de la Serna in Santa Marta de Tormes. The Centro de Interpretación Isla del Soto (Isla del Soto Interpretation Centre) aims to recover Isla del Soto’s cultural heritage as an ethnographic museum. Volatiritormes, an international festival of acrobats, tumblers and “Genios sin botella” (“Geniuses without a Bottle”), is also a cultural highlight in the town. The programme and dates vary from one edition to the next.

Planning Your Visit

The Oficina de Turismo de Santa Marta de Tormes (Santa Marta de Tormes Tourist Office) provides information about museums, Isla del Soto, Arte Emboscado and the town’s murals. If you plan to visit a particular exhibition venue, check its current opening arrangements in advance. This will help you choose the places you actually want to include in your stay.

For getting around, there are interactive and accessible audio guides in Easy Language and English, as well as audio descriptions for people with visual impairments, subtitles and Spanish Sign Language. Digital features may be updated, so check what is currently available before using the service.

Discover more destinations: La Hoya, El Maíllo, Martinamor, La Fregeneda, Miranda Del Castañar, Cordovilla, Vega de Tirados, Valverdón.

For the main travel overview: Salamanca.