The fire salamander is the best known salamander in Europe. Its range pretty much covers most of Europe. When someone says the word salamander I tend to think of the fire salamander.
European fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra), Budapest Zoo.
The fire salamander has bright yellow patches on a black background — a warning to predators that the animal’s secretions are highly toxic.
Salamanders have the ability to regenerate not just lost tails but lost limbs as well as other body parts, such as most of the eye. This ability is the subject of much scientific research as it would be highly desirable to duplicate it in humans. Much of the salamander regeneration studies are done on axolotls, not fire salamanders though.
Fire salamanders make undemanding and long-lived pets. It might be illegal to keep a fire salamander as a pet in some jurisdictions, so check your local laws before acquiring one.
Further Readings:
Salamander on Wikipedia.
Amphibian regeneration on Wikipedia.
Salamander Limb Regeneration on HowStuffWorks.
Fire Salamander Care Sheet on reptilesmagazine.org.