The streets south of Plaza Mayor — particularly Calle Prior, Calle Meléndez, and the area around the university buildings — form the beating heart of Salamanca's night-time bar scene. The bars here are cheap, crowded, and busy from around 11pm on any night of the week during term time.
Tinto de verano (red wine with lemon soda) and local Arribes wines are the standard drinks; many bars also serve free tapas with each round. The scene is predominantly young and student-oriented, with music getting louder as the evening progresses. In July and August, when the students are largely gone, this area is considerably quieter.