Saragossa between history, nature and tapas culture

Culture and history

La Seo, the Cathedral of the Savior, stands on the site of the Roman forum of Zaragoza, a Visigothic church and the former main Muslim mosque. La Seo’s Museo de Tapices houses an exceptional collection of Flemish tapestries belonging to the Metropolitan Chapter of Zaragoza.

The Palacio de la Aljafería is the only surviving large building of Hispano-Islamic architecture from the Taifa period. The ticket for the Ruta Caesaraugusta provides access to four archaeological site museums: the Museo del Foro, the Museo del Teatro, the Museo del Puerto fluvial and the Museo de las Termas públicas de Caesaraugusta.

The Museo del Foro de Caesaraugusta preserves the foundations of Tiberius’s forum from the 1st century AD, remains of the Cloaca Máxima and the Mosaico de las Musas. The Museo Pablo Gargallo is dedicated exclusively to the life and work of the Aragonese sculptor Pablo Gargallo. The IAACC Pablo Serrano presents the legacy of the sculptor Pablo Serrano and his wife, the painter Juana Francés.

The Basílica del Pilar houses works by Goya and a 16th-century alabaster altarpiece. The Baños Judíos are regarded as a Mudéjar building with formal Cistercian elements, whose layout follows that of Hispano-Muslim, particularly Taifa-era, baths from the 11th century; at the same time, they are considered Aragonese cultural heritage and a Bien de Interés Cultural.

The surviving Roman wall remains of Zaragoza date from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. At the Fuente de los Incrédulos on the Canal Imperial de Aragón, the success of the canal works can be seen despite widespread skepticism.

Nature and trails

The Zaragoza Natural program comprises four routes within the city through semi-desert landscapes, dense forests, wetlands, habitats with diverse fauna and water-management heritage. One route from Zaragoza begins at Parque del Agua Luis Buñuel, follows the banks of the Ebro and ends at Galacho de Juslibol, a complex of a former river channel, lagoons, riparian forests and steep slopes.

A route along the Gállego River passes through riparian forests. At the viewpoint where the Gállego flows into the Ebro, little egrets, cormorants and grey herons can be observed. A steppe ravine in Zaragoza combines Mediterranean woodland, dry-adapted vegetation, lush vegetation on the ravine floor and striking gypsum escarpments.

A route through Zaragoza follows a section of the Canal Imperial de Aragón and passes through water-management heritage and the Montes de Torrero with their reforested pine forest. Parque Grande José Antonio Labordeta covers 27 hectares and features 22 sculptures, pine groves, fountains, terraces, and boules and roller-skating areas. The different landscapes and route profiles can be viewed side by side for personal day planning by theme and duration.

Experiences in the city

The guided tour Ruta Mudéjar Patrimonio Mundial lasts approximately two and a half hours. The cycling tour “Pedaleando por otra Zaragoza” includes a visit to the Museo de Ciencias Naturales in the Faculty of Medicine, where Ramón y Cajal studied.

A guided tour of the Canal Imperial de Aragón relating to Zaragoza divides its 41-kilometre course into seven sections for visitors. A prominent viewpoint in Zaragoza offers a 360-degree view over the city.

Food and the old town

El Tubo is a district in Zaragoza’s historic old town consisting of narrow, elongated streets, where tapas culture is present all year round. The Chocopass in Zaragoza includes tastings of five different chocolate specialities selected from the offerings of participating establishments.

Getting there

The regular L-505 bus route connects Zaragoza Airport with the city of Zaragoza.

Other places: Bardallur, Biel, Torrijo de la Cañada, La Almunia De Doña Godina, Calatorao, Gallocanta, Saragossa, Bardena Del Caudillo

To the higher-level travel overview: Saragossa.