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Zaragoza - Camino de las Torres, 28
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Light years away from the stereotype of sun, sand and sangria with which many people identify Spain, Aragon is a region of picturesque mountain landscapes and romantic stone villages where time seems to stand still.
It is famous for being the birthplace of Francisco Goya, the Spanish painter and author of immortal masterpieces including the Maya Desnuda, but it is also rich in undiscovered treasures such as medieval castles, churches, monasteries and other wonders that look like the set for a film adapted from an epic chivalric novel. Surprisingly, Aragon is also the region in northern Spain with the most Mudejar-style palaces, more reminiscent of the regions in southern Spain.
The region’s greatest attraction, however, are the Pyrenean mountains and their breathtaking landscapes. A favourite destination for lovers of winter sports and numerous outdoor activities, Aragon is best appreciated with a thrill in your body: accept the challenge and try your hand at skiing, canyoning, rafting and paragliding. If these sports are not your thing, enjoy lazy days visiting cultural attractions, sampling the tasty local culinary specialities and admiring the romantic sunsets that illuminate the enchanting villages in the valleys or those perched along the mountain slopes with fiery pink or red hues.
Whichever way you look at it, Aragon will make its way into your heart.
A land of contrasts and centuries of history, Aragon offers enough cultural and scenic attractions to fill a holiday of a week or more. The advice is to rent a car and make an itinerary in stages that includes at least these five top attractions; you can then add other fascinating villages such as Benasque, Jaca, Alquézar or the valleys of Hecho and Ansó.
Halfway between Madrid and Barcelona lies another large Spanish city, less known to tourists: elegant Zaragoza, an intriguing blend of old-world charm and modern dynamism.
Its historical centre, crossed by the Ebro river, is entirely flat and therefore easy and pleasant to get around on foot. During your stroll through the centre, you can admire splendid buildings from different eras and architectural styles. The most beautiful are the Aljaferia, the most beautiful Arab palace in Spain outside Andalusia, and the majestic Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Pilar, which you can easily recognise by its two soaring towers and a series of domes covered in coloured tiles.
Another attraction not to be missed in Zaragoza is the Goya Museum, dedicated to the brilliant Spanish artist who was born in this city.
Huesca is a pretty town in the Pyrenees that is equally popular with outdoor sports enthusiasts and Romanesque art lovers. Around Huesca are some of the three most important ski resorts in Spain, including Candanchú and Formigal; in spring and summer you can enjoy beautiful walks or more adventurous sports.
The architectural gems of the city are the Cathedral and the Church of San Pedro el Viejo; also worth seeing are the Museum of Huesca, a typical local history museum, and the original CDAN, a cultural centre that connects nature with contemporary culture.
Sadly famous for a bloody battle in the Spanish Civil War, Teruel is a medieval city situated on a hill in southern Aragon surprisingly rich in buildings in Mudejar styles. More like an Andalusian village than a village in northern Spain, it is an unmissable stop on any itinerary in Aragon.
Strolling through the streets of Teruel, you cannot fail to be attracted by the colourful tiles or carved wooden roofs that adorn the city’s churches and towers.
The Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park is located in what is considered the most beautiful area of the Pyrenees and includes some of the highest peaks of the entire mountain range; one of these is Monte Perdido, which reaches a height of 3355 metres.
It is an evocative landscape of beautiful valleys (notably Ordesa, Añisclo, Escuaín and Pineta), deep gorges, steep headlands, green forests, bubbling torrents, tumultuous waterfalls, icy alpine lakes, snow-capped peaks and glittering glaciers. An enchanting place to experience a holiday immersed in nature.
One of the most beautiful medieval villages in Spain is Albarracín, a town in the province of Teruel perched on a steep rocky promontory overlooking a bend in the Guadalquivir River.
The historic centre is a maze of narrow streets lined with characteristic houses with wooden balconies. Packed with romantic sights and attractions such as towers, churches, walls, stairways, museums and an impressive castle originally built in the 9th century, Albarracín is well worth a stay of at least one night.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
Aragon is a very large region, roughly in the shape of a rectangle 300 kilometres long and 170 kilometres wide. Therefore, recommending an area where to stay is improper: it depends a lot on what you want to visit and how many days you have available. However, the capital Zaragoza is practically in the geographical centre of the region, and at the same time is the largest and most important city with many things to see. Therefore, if you choose to spend the night in Zaragoza, you will have a wide range of hotels, flats and bed and breakfasts available and you will never be too far away from the other things to see.
If, on the other hand, you want to concentrate your visit in just one area of Aragon, we recommend sleeping in Teruel or Albarracin in the south, or in Huesca in the north. These are towns with many services and a good choice of hotels, and they are strategically located with respect to infrastructures and motorways.
The gateway to Aragon is its capital Zaragoza. The city also has an international airport connected to the main European cities thanks to convenient and cheap direct flights offered by Ryanair. If, on the other hand, you are already in Spain, Aragon is never too far from the most touristy cities: Zaragoza is less than three hours by car from either Barcelona, Madrid or Valencia.
Also bear in mind that Zaragoza is located on the Barcelona-Madrid high-speed railway line and is therefore also convenient to reach by train: the journey takes about 3 to 3½ hours from both cities.
The region of Aragon is located in north-eastern Spain. It borders France to the north and six Spanish regions: Catalonia to the east, the Valencian Community to the south, Castile-La Mancha, Castile-Leon, La Rioja and Navarre to the south; it is landlocked.
Administratively, it is divided into three provinces: Zaragoza (regional capital), Huesca and Teruel.
The climate in Aragon varies considerably from the valleys to the mountainous areas: the former enjoy a subcontinental Mediterranean climate, with cold but not harsh winters and hot but not torrid summers; in the mountains, temperatures drop considerably and rainfall is more frequent.
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