One day away from Barcelona: A day visit to ZARAGOZA

[alserrod]

Zaragoza  (1h30m away from Barcelona)

 

 

We often wonder what can be seen more in Barcelona. We already know the Gothic Quarter, we have visited the Sagrada Familia, the modernism of the Paseo de Gracia area and we have even climbed Montjuic mountain.

 

We want an additional visit and we don't mind going to places around us.

 

You have the option of visiting Zaragoza. It is a city of 700,000 inhabitants in the interior, and on the banks of the Ebro River. It is halfway between Barcelona and Madrid and the high-speed road passes right in front of it with a stop.

 

Between the different railway companies there is, more or less, a train every 30 minutes from Barcelona to Zaragoza and it takes 1h30m to make the trip. Prices vary according to demand and if you buy them in advance you can find them for 20 euros (and less). A taxi is more expensive than taking a high-speed train trip.
As a reference, an excursion to Montserrat ALSO takes 1h30m to arrive and the same amount of time to return.

 

If you are in Barcelona for a stop on your cruise, you can go to Zaragoza considering the "all aboard" time and the train schedules (in Barcelona the train leaves you at Sants station and it is just 10 minutes by taxi).

 

 

 

Zaragoza railway station. The whole building, so large and without any columns inside deserves a visit. Whilst you are arriving you are visiting first monument.

 

 

 

If your cruise starts or ends in Barcelona and you are going to visit the city, there is no excuse.

 

What can you find in Zaragoza?

 

- Cathedral Square

 

In the same square you have the Basilica of Pilar (in the center) and the Cathedral (at one end), on the banks of the Ebro River.
A visit to the square and entering these buildings is a must.

 

 

Basilica Pilar

 

 

Zaragoza cathedral

 

 

 

The whole square. In the left, basilica. At the end, cathedral. Just before, Roman Forum

 

 

 

- Roman Forum

The city was founded in 26 BC. and all its beginnings were Roman. In fact, the name "Zaragoza" derives from "Caesar Augusta" in honor of the first emperor of the Roman Empire, who had begun to rule just a year before the city was created.
If we see the streets of the historic center we can guess the Roman camp that was created with Cardo (currently Don Jaime Street) and Decumanus (currently Mayor Street).
It also had a Forum and it was not in the center of the city but very close to the river. Part of this Forum can be visited. The entrance is also in the Plaza de las Catedrales right in front of the Cathedral.
The city has more memories of its past than Rome. The most striking thing is the Roman theater. If you search for the city on Google and look at the old area it is very obvious where it is located. Much of it can be seen from the street. The rest (port, hot springs, etc...) I do not recommend seeing in a visit of just one day.

 

 

 

Just down from the cathedral you have the Forum.... and this is, for example, a Roman sewer

 

 

 

Roman theatre

 

 

 

- Walk along the river
In 2008 Zaragoza underwent an urban transformation in which it gave a lot of prominence to its river and its bridges. You will see that it is worth walking along the river and taking some photographs

 

 

Wanna walk?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Tapas by the "Tubo".
As in other Spanish cities, Zaragoza has areas where you can eat very good tapas. I am not going to recommend any restaurant to you. Just a few streets and you will be the one who decides where to enter (in any of the small places in that area you will be right)
Martyrs Street
Fourth of August Street.
Liberty Street

 

 

Are you hungry?

 

 

 

 

- Aljafería Palace Castle

And I'll leave my favorite monument in the city for last (although maybe I should have put it first of all).

 

All of the above that I have mentioned are very close to each other along with the city center itself.

 

This palace is located halfway between the cathedral and the train station (with a taxi you will get there very quickly and if you have time you can walk along the river until you reach the palace).

 

It opens every day and, check in advance, but in summer they give guided tours in English (at 11:00) and in French (at 5:00 p.m.), which will give you a lot of information.

 

The visit can always be done on your own and estimate that it takes 60 minutes to do the tour plus any time you want to stop to take photos in the courtyard and the walls.

I briefly summarize what you are going to find in it.

 

 

It began with a tower that was an Arab astronomical observatory from the 10th century (remember that the Arabs spent several centuries in this area).

 

 

In the following centuries three different palaces were built, each one on top of the previous one, maintaining much of what was already built.

 

 

 

 

Firstly, an Arab palace that was called the "palace of joy" (its name derives from there). It is the northernmost Arab monument that remains from the Middle Ages in the world.

 

 

It was later expanded with a Christian palace from the Middle Ages. It was a place of royal court

 

 

Finally, at the beginning of the modern age, it had the last extension as a palace

 

 

 

A century later it became a prison. The moat was built.
Later military fortress.

 

 

 

It had important use during the wars against Napoleon.

And it currently houses the parliament of the Aragon region (the chamber is next to the southern wall), it has many official administration offices and a part that can be visited.

 

 

 

 

[marazul]

Thanks.  I love Zaragoza and hope more people visit it.

[edinburgher]

4 hours ago, alserrod said:

We want an additional visit and we don't mind going to places around us

Tarragona is also worth considering, also reachable by train from Barcelona.

[alserrod]

Indeed!!!

 

I want to prepare some info about Tarragona too.

 

I read about too many people wanted to visit Montserrat. IMHO it is overrated.

 

Providing from Sants station and by public transport

 

Barcelona - Montserrat, 1h45m

Barcelona - Zaragoza, 1h30m

Barcelona - Tarragona 0h50m

[mskaufman]

It was only 108 F the day we were there

[alserrod]

You can have a glance to weather forecast here

https://www.aemet.es/en/eltiempo/prediccion/municipios/zaragoza-id50297

 

This is an official web, thus most of weather pages use it as a source.

 

It is true in Southern Europe you can find terrible temperatures in summer. Not all the summer, just a three days peak and later just warm temperatures for several weeks.

 

Best option is to check weather forecast and decide.

 

Two cities, one close to the other, can have very different weather on summer days 

[jmwg49]

I love this information!   We are spending 5 days in Madrid after our cruise that ends in Barcelona.  I am wondering if Zaragoza is ok to explore on our own or finding a guide or tour is worthwhile.   We have no problem taking a train back and forth but would make it a day trip.   

[marazul]

@mskaufman

The Goya fountain was a lifesaver for our grandkids on an equally scorching day. 

[alserrod]

6 hours ago, marazul said:

@mskaufman

The Goya fountain was a lifesaver for our grandkids on an equally scorching day. 

 

 

 

 

On the opposite side of the square where you were there is a fountain and a very original waterfall with all of Central and South America on a map.

 

 

 

 

* In this picture, bottom side Patagonia and Chile

* In diagonal (waterfall), first Colombia, Venezuela, etc... left side for Central America. Have a look, there's a corner from Florida in the picture

 

 

 

Regarding heat, whenever I travel I check the weather. In summer in southern Europe you can have days of extreme heat (and days when the temperature drops strangely, or there are strong storms). When it is extremely hot it is a few days in a row but enough to have to adjust plans.

This includes all the cities in southern Spain, inland Spain, southern France and many in Italy, among others.

[alserrod]

8 hours ago, jmwg49 said:

I love this information!   We are spending 5 days in Madrid after our cruise that ends in Barcelona.  I am wondering if Zaragoza is ok to explore on our own or finding a guide or tour is worthwhile.   We have no problem taking a train back and forth but would make it a day trip.   

 

 

Hello:

My suggestion. I would make an intermediate stop in Zaragoza. This city is halfway between Barcelona and Madrid and many of the trains stop there.
I think it is easier for you to leave Barcelona, stop in Zaragoza and continue to Madrid than to leave Barcelona, arrive in Madrid and plan a round trip from Madrid (and much cheaper).
If you make a visit on the same day, there are lockers at the station where you can easily store your luggage. If you are going to spend a night in a hotel, on the day of departure they will store your luggage at the reception in many of them.

I encourage you to visit these not so big cities. You go to Europe and you stay with big cities or well-known cities like Barcelona, Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, Lyon, Rome, Venice... and you have many other smaller cities that are worth it. A shorter visit but worth it. If these cities had a port they would be a magnificent one-day stopover.

If you visit Zaragoza keep in mind that
- hotels are cheaper than in large cities (check booking and you will see that you can go to higher category hotels with the same budget)
- all taxi rides within the city should cost less than 10 euros
- it is much less crowded than the big cities (and you can eat in good restaurants or walk through streets full of tapas bars like in the rest)

So, if you are interested in making a stop and visiting the Plaza de las Catedrales, the northernmost Arab palace in the world, a Roman city, etc... I can tell you anything you want here. You can also ask the tourist office via chat
https://www.zaragoza.es/sede/portal/turismo/es-util/info-chat?locale=en

[bennybear]

We throughly enjoyed an overnight stop there.   So much to see and lovely atmosphere.  So much fun to get a little off the beaten path,   Thanks for the great photos! 

[alserrod]

Regarding guided tours, the best option is the one from the tourist office. On certain dates there are visits in English and French.
You also have guided tours from companies like Civitatis.

As for the rest... what was mentioned about prices. They will be cheaper than in Madrid.
For reference, Palafox, Aragonia, Boston... are the best hotels in the city (five stars). They are business-oriented hotels. Sometimes on weekends and in summer there are incredibly cheap offers (and they do not reduce the quality of service, only the price). Check on any hotel comparator website.

[alserrod]

Zaragoza has the largest Origami museum in Europe (possibly the largest in the world outside of Japan). Don't expect a sumptuous building but do expect a complete collection dedicated to this art.

 

It has hours from Tuesday to Sunday and an almost ridiculous price: 3 euros

 

It has a permanent exhibition and is expanded with temporary exhibitions and even origami workshops for children and adults.

 

It is in a corner of the old town. You can walk there from the center or take a taxi for less than 5 euros.

 

 

 

English Museum Webpage

 

http://www.emoz.es/language/en/