Aragon Tourism
Zaragoza is Spain's 5th largest city with a population of around 600,000. It
is the capital of the region of Aragon and provides an ideal stopover for
visitors driving between Madrid and Barcelona on the A-2 motorway. There's also a high speed AVE
train service that links Zaragoza with Madrid in 1.5 hours and Zaragoza with Barcelona
in just 1 hour so Madrid and Barcelona (600km) are now connected by train in just
2.5 hours. Visitors arriving from France can take the 9km Somport Tunnel under
the Pyrenees from Pau.
Main Tourist DestinationsZaragoza
The main tourist attraction in Zaragoza is the magnificent Basilica de Nuestra
Señora del Pilar standing on the banks of the Rio Ebro which provides a stunning
entry point to the city from the nearby A-2 motorway. Plaza del Pilar, behind
the Basilica, leads to La Lonja, the former trading exchange and to the La Seo
Cathedral which are two of the other main sights in Zaragoza.
Adjoining this touristy zone is a lively area known as 'El Tubo' (the beer)
where there are countless tapas bars and cafés. All kinds of celebrations take
place in this central area for a week in October which culminates in La Fiesta
del Pilar on October 12th coinciding with the discovery of the Americas.
Zaragoza really arrived on the international map in 2008 when it hosted the
Expo exhibition on
a stunning news site constructed close to the city centre on a meander in the
River Ebro. The city is also working closely with the town of Jaca in the
Spanish Pyrenees which is bidding to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. A successful
bid would see Zaragoza providing venues for ice events as well as the opening
ceremony in FC Zaragoza's La Romareda stadium.
Map of Aragon
Monasterio de Piedra
If you're staying in Zaragoza or are travelling between Madrid and Barcelona
you should consider a stopover at the beautiful natural park of Monasterio de
Piedra which is just a few kilometers off the main A-2 motorway. The natural
park consists of stunning scenery made up of lush vegetation and fascinating
rock formations created by the erosive action of the Rio Piedra. Next to the
ticket office there's also a 12th century Cisterian monastery which has been
partly converted into a charming hotel which is a fine place to stay for a night
en route to Madrid or Barcelona.
Ordesa National Park
The Aragonese Pyrenees are one of Spains most beautiful and rugged natural
areas. The region contains Aneto (3403m), Possets (3375m) and Monte Perdido
(3355m) the three highest peaks of the Pyrenees. But the area is not just about
high mountains, known as the flower garden of Europe the alpine meadows have
spectacular displays of wild flowers and the area is steeped in history with
medieval villages, Romanesque churches, castles and monasteries.
The Ordesa National Park is an undisputed highlight of the region. Spains first
protected region, the valley was first protected in 1918 before the formation of
the current National Park in 1982. The park consists of four hugely impressive
valleys - Ordesa, Anisclo, Pineta and Escuain - and a dozen three thousand metre
peaks of which Monte Perdido is the highest.
The park is most famous for it's steep sided canyons carved into the soft
limestone. As you walk along the valley floors cliffs rise over hudreds of
metres above you on each side. There is a huge variety of wildlife and flora
within the park which is particularly famous for it's birds of prey. Six pairs
of the rare lammergeier nest in the high cliffs of Ordesa and Anisclo as well as
several pairs of golden eagles. Griffon vultures, sarrios (Pyrenean chamois) and
marmots are regularly seen.
Good bases for exploring the park are the pretty village of Torla or the town of
Ainsa.
San Juan de la Pena
The monastery of San Juan de la Pena (St John of the crag) is the most famous in
Aragon and the burial site for many of the early Kings of Aragon. The lower,
early monastery dates back to 920 and is built under overhanging cliffs using a
mixture of natural rock and stonework. The 12th century Romanesque cloister is
the highlight of the old monastery and contains a series of superbly carved
capitals telling the bible story.
After the old monastery was ravaged by fire in 1675 a new monastery was built on
the plains above the cliffs. Raised to the ground by French invaders, the
excavations now form part of a fascinating museum telling the story of San Juan
and the many legends that surround it.
Loarre Castle
In the foothills of the Sierra de Guara lies Loarre Castle. Built in the 12th
century Loarre was the centre of resistance to the Moorish occupation of the
region. Loarre semi-ruined state makes it a great castle to explore - you can
descend into it's dungeons, walk over it's arched bridges and climb the high
Queens tower. A more recent claim to fame for Loarre was as a setting for Ridley
Scotts film 'Kingdom of Heaven'.
Teruel
In the south of the region is the city of Teruel, with a magnificent cathedral and further examples of
Mudéjar architecture and art as well as its very own Romeo and Juliet legend –
concerning local lovers Diego and Isabel. Nearby is the towering and dramatic
medieval town of Albarracín, which is worth at least a few hours of any
traveller’s time. Belchite
Finally, students of Spanish history might want to pass through the tiny town
of Belchite, site of some horrific civil war fighting. The town was so
devastated that it was decided after the war to rebuild it completely – and the
ruins are still as they were, adjacent to the new town. It is a chilling place
to see.
Tourist Activities in Aragon
The geography of Aragón makes it an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, in both
summer and winter, and all kinds of activity take place here. Mountaineering,
rock climbing, pot holing, canyoning, mountain bikes, horse riding, white-water
rafting, paragliding, trekking, downhill and cross country skiing are all
deservedly successful here – along with the sometimes less energetic pursuits of
bird watching and fishing. There are also six golf courses in Aragón – by far
the most spectacular being the incredible Benasque Club in one of the most
scenic areas of the Pyrenees.
Rafting and canyoning
The thrill seekers among you will want to try some of the excellent rafting in
the area. Perhaps the best venue is at Murillo de Gallego where you raft under
the huge red cliffs of Los Mallos. Canyoning involves following a stream down a
gorge and jumping, abseiling or sliding down the waterfalls as you reach them.
The Sierra de Guara is famous for its deep gorges and is a superb canyoning
venue.
Winter in the Pyrenees
Aragon has some of Spains best ski resorts - Formigal, Candanchu, Astun, Cerler
and Panticosa are favourite destinations for French and Spanish skiers. There
are also a number of pisted cross country ski tracks in the region and some
great venues for trying out snow-shoeing.
For more information on Aragon and walking holidays in Spain visit
www.hikepyrenees.co.uk
who specialise in guided walking holidays in the area.
Local Aragonese Festivals
Saint George is the patron saint of Aragón so April 23rd tends to be a party
day in most places in the region. Other particular festivals you might want to
visit if you’re in the area include the Bielsa Carnival in Huesca. Carnival time
is invariably rather manic but at this one you can see the young men wearing
coloured skirts and blouses while having their heads covered in goat skin, with
large horns, their faces blacked and with potatoes for teeth. They run around
trying to attract girls by clanging loud bells. There’s a big fire on the last
day, apparently. Only in Spain!
Hardly less bizarre, and considerably more dangerous, is the tradition at
villages such as Gudar and Javalambre, where they put inflammable balls on the
horns of bulls before running them through the streets. In the middle of July,
in Rubielos de Mora, the medieval streets are lit with torches to help
illuminate the bull’s way.
Zaragoza’s main festival of interest to visitors is held in October and known as
El Pilar. This is a festival of
processions of giant papier mache figures, bull fights and flowers topped off by
a gigantic firework display above the River Ebro. This final event traditionally
takes place on October 12th, Columbus Day, now celebrated throughout the country
as El Día de la Hispanidad.
Food and Drink in Aragon
Aragón is best known for its meat dishes – for example Teruel ham, Ternasco
asado (roasted young lamb), Pollo al Chilindrón (chicken in a ham, tomato, onion
and paprika sauce) and a delicious assortment of sausages and chorizos. There is
also a local specialty of Borrajas con patatas, which is the Syrian
herb-cum-vegetable, borage.
Apparently, wine from this region used to be so strong that it was often mixed
in with weaker Spanish wines to raise the strength of them but there are now
four recognised denominaciones de origen – Somontano, Cariñena, Calatayud and
Campo de Borja. Somontano is generally accepted as the leader in terms of
quality.
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