Zaragoza: architecture at its best

The capital of Aragon, Zaragoza is an ideal holiday destination for travellers who seek a perfect blend of historical and cultural jewels. The city’s landmarks range from Roman ruins to Christian religious buildings to a delightful selection of palaces and museums. 

Zaragoza’s great versatility of tourist highlights to pursue makes this place a top-notch choice. The city’s value as a holiday spot is even greater considered the wide variety of dining venues offering regional specialties. Thus, don’t limit yourself only to a journey around Zaragoza and combine your trip with the exploration of rich regional cuisine.

To make your journey super comfortable, consider renting a vehicle owing to which you’ll be guaranteed full freedom of planning. The multiple car hire companies that can be found in Zaragoza have something in store for all types of motorists.

While walking around the heart of Zaragoza, you’ll notice that the city is riddled with fantastic examples of architecture. Try starting with Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar dating back to the 17th century. Its most interesting features are the soaring towers and location at one of the banks of the scenic Ebro River. 

Another interesting example of architectural landmark is the Cathedral of Zaragoza. The church was constructed on a site with long history of transformation from a Roman temple to a Muslim mosque to its final form, a Romanesque church. While visiting the cathedral, it’s also worth directing your steps to the Tapestry Museum housing an extensive collection of Flemish tapestries. The exhibits represent a number of styles from Renaissance motifs to Baroque patterns. 

The Pablo Serrano Museum will be a major attraction for holidaymakers who praise art in all its forms. The institute is dedicated to Pablo Serrano’s works and life. Inside, you’ll find more than 100 sculptures and drawings presenting his development as an artist. In Museo Ibercaja Camón Aznar, you’ll have a unique chance to admire a collection of paintings by renowned Spanish artists, including Francisco de Goya and Lucas Villamil.

If art is not your cup of tea, try Museo de Zaragoza, where you’ll learn more about the history of the city in such fields as culture, history, or archaeology. The collection is nicely divided into historical periods from prehistory to the Moorish, Renaissance, and even the 21st century periods. If you are especially interested in the Roman times, you should definitely visit Museo de las Termas Públicas. Here, you’ll learn about the social aspect of thermal baths that date as far back as the 1st century.

If you are into history, a must-see highlight that will cater to your needs is the Aljafería Palace. A Moorish fortification in the past, the landmark is a true historic jewel today. Its interior features Islamic-style ceilings, ornamentations, and decorative elements. Interestingly, the palace is the headquarters of the regional parliament.

Parking in Zaragoza is not as easy as it may initially seem. There are a couple of rules that you need to keep in mind while travelling around the city with your rental car.

The central part of the city is pretty limited when it comes to on-street parking. You can only park on streets where there are blue or orange lines marked on the road. These are places where parking fees apply from Monday to Friday between 9 am and 2 pm and between 5 pm and 8 pm. 

The maximum stay in these zones is from 1 to 2 hours. In orange zones, you’ll pay €1.10 per hour, whereas in blue zones, you’ll pay €0.65 for 1 hour and €1.35 for 2 hours. You can also park here for free on Saturdays and Sundays.

Zaragoza also offers a wide selection of municipal car parks where you can safely leave your rental vehicle. These are open round the clock and parking rates aren’t that high with €1.50 for a one-hour stay and a daily maximum of €13.50.