Zaragoza, Spain
Founded 2000 years ago this capital city of Aragon is a melting pot of cultures, with strong influences from Jewish, Roman, Christian, and Muslim cultures. Zaragoza is known for it’s folklore tradition, exceptional local gastronomy, and it’s unforgettable landmarks. Let’s visit Zaragoza!
Visiting Zaragoza? Let’s Have A Look Around!
Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar
Reminiscent of the great mosques of Istanbul, this Basilica is said to be built in the exact spot that the Virgin Mary appeared to St. James in 40AD. This absolutely stunning piece of architecture is hands down the most important thing to see in Zaragoza. In fact, this legendary structure is so magical that during the Spanish Civil War, three bombs were dropped on the church and none of them exploded.
Catedral del Salvador de Zaragoza
Also referred to as La Seo de Zaragoza, this Roman Catholic cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once home to a mosque, evidence of several architectural elements remain, including Mudejar, Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance.
Aljaferia Palace
Located north of the city center this medieval Islamic palace dates back to the 11th Century and is now home to the Aragon regional parliament. If planning a visit make sure to check if parliament is in session, as it is closed most Thursdays, Fridays and the occasional week.
Visiting Zaragoza? Bonus!
We’ve teamed up with GPSmyCity and converted our Zaragoza travel guide into a downloadable application that comes complete with a GPS map of our recommendations and operates offline without any need of data plan or Internet connection. You can check it out here.
Getting to Zaragoza
TRAIN
Trains throughout Spain are a great option. You’ll avoid the airport lines, enjoy beautiful scenery, and trains can be very comfortable. If you plan on doing a lot of traveling through Spain make sure you look into the Spain Pass, only available to non-residents. Fares & Schedules
FLY
If planned in advance, you can find reasonable direct flights to Zaragoza from many neighboring cities like Milan for just $11, Brussels for $20, or London for $17 with our favorite flight search site, Skyscanner.
Zaragoza Flight Deals
BUS
Buses are not our favorite mode of travel.. The seats are generally cramped, the ride can be bumpy, and departure/arrival times can be unpredictable. This said bus travel is generally the least expensive. In particular, the route from Madrid is only $22 for the 4-hour ride.
Visiting Zaragoza? Book a Tour!
Zaragoza Airport to City Center
Bus
For roughly $9, take a 25-35 minute bus ride into the city center.
Taxi
You’ll find the taxi stand just outside arrivals. It’s about 15 minutes by taxi to the city center, and the fare should be around $25.
Getting around in Zaragoza
Walk
Walkscore.com gives Zaragoza a score of 99, calling it a “Walker’s Paradise”. We also found this to be true. Walking around Zaragoza is highly recommended.
Uber
Uber is slowly navigating their way into Spain, although currently only available in Madrid. As for now, Zaragoza does not offer Uber.
Bus
Public transport in Zaragoza is very user-friendly. Called Urbanos de Zaragoza, the network is made up of 29 day-time routes and 7 at night that will get you around the city for about $2 per ride. If you plan on taking several bus trips, you should probably look into the ZaragozaCard. The 24 or 48-hour cards include free rides, museum discounts, and even nightclub discounts.
Where To Stay in Zaragoza
HOTELS
Zaragoza offers a wide range of very affordable hotels. High-end hotels like Hotel Palafox or Hotel Reina Petronila run only about $100 a night, while nice hotels like Hotel Pilar Plaza or Hotel GIT Ciudad De Zaragoza go for about $50 a night. We recommend shopping Agoda.com, the most competitive resource when searching for hotels in Zaragoza.
Zaragoza Hotel Deals
HOSTELS
With only 6 hostels in Zaragoza, you should plan ahead to find one that suits all of your needs. Prices generally range from $17-$20 a night for a dorm room, while private rooms cost about $23-$41 per night. Hostelworld is our recommended resource when searching for hostels in Zaragoza.
Zaragoza Hostel Deals
AIRBNB
We love Airbnb! From private rooms to entire homes, there are plenty of choices when visiting Zaragoza. If you’re a first-timer with Airbnb, use this coupon and enjoy $35 off of your stay.
NEIGHBORHOODS
Choosing a neighborhood is an important part of trip planning that should not be overlooked! Zaragoza is a large city with 15 districts, each sub-divided into their own unique neighborhoods. While our general recommendation is to stay closer to the city center, here are some of the best areas worth considering when deciding where to stay in Zaragoza.
Old Town District (Casco Historico)
This lively neighborhood located just north of the city center is the historic center of Zaragoza. You’ll find the Basilica of Our Lady of El Pilar, La Seo Cathedral, as well as many restaurants and bars.
Downtown District (Zona Centro)
Located in the center of Zaragoza, this district is home to many businesses and banks and is known as the commercial and financial hub of the city.
Delicias District
Located west of Downtown, this popular area is known as the student district and is home to many shopping areas and parks.
Zaragoza Travel Tips:
Zaragoza Travel Tips: Money
Spain’s national currency is the Euro and is currently exchanging at 0.9EUR to $1USD. Credit cards are widely and ATM machines are readily available.
Zaragoza Travel Tips: Tipping
A general rule for tipping in Spain is the 10%. While tipping in bars is not expected, a common tip is 10% to restaurant servers or taxi drivers.
Zaragoza travel tips: Travel Insurance
Traveling through Zaragoza is exciting and safe, but you never know when some good travel insurance could come in handy. World Nomads offers the best coverage in the business, is affordable, and is quick to act should something go wrong. For more info, check out our recent World Nomads blog post.