ES · Aragon · 41.65°N 0.88°W

zaragoza

A Moorish palace, tiled basilica domes and tapas lanes beside the Ebro.

Best time
April–June and September–October are pleasant. July–August are very hot, winter's cierzo wind cuts right through you, and the Fiestas del Pilar fill the city in October.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Madrid or Barcelona, usually via Dubai, Doha or Istanbul, then take the fast train to Zaragoza, about 1.5 hours from either. Spain is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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ES · Aragonzaragoza41.65°N 0.88°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,A Moorish palace, tiled basilica domes and tapas lanes beside the Ebro.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingZaragozaES, Aragon
KLzaragoza
≈ 10,812 km from KL, as the crow flies
Basílica del Pilar y río Ebro (Zaragoza)

Photo: Turol Jones, un artista de cojones from Villanueva del Cascajal, República Independiente de Mi Casa · CC BY 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Zaragoza sits halfway between Madrid and Barcelona on the Ebro, and its Aljafería is one of the finest Islamic palaces in Spain outside Andalusia. Add a huge riverside basilica and a tangle of tapas lanes, and it's well worth a night.

Makan

  1. Ternasco de AragónRoast young lamb, the region's pride.Map ↗
  2. BorrajasBorage stems cooked with potatoes and garlic, a local vegetable dish.Map ↗
  3. Frutas de AragónCandied fruit dipped in chocolate, the classic gift to take home.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. AljaferíaAn 11th-century Islamic palace with interlaced arches and a tiny mosque, later a royal residence and now home to Aragon's parliament.Map ↗
  2. Basilica del PilarA vast baroque basilica with colourful tiled domes; a lift goes up one tower for the view.Map ↗
  3. La SeoThe cathedral, mixing Mudéjar brickwork, Gothic and baroque, with a tapestry museum.Map ↗
  4. El TuboNarrow lanes in the old centre packed with tapas bars.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The Aljafería is still Aragon's parliament, so some rooms close when it's sitting.
  • Halal meat is easiest at the city's kebab and Moroccan places; in El Tubo, stick to vegetable and fish tapas.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.