Zaragoza in 3 days

Spain's underrated fifth city: Roman ruins, a Moorish palace and a riverside basilica with almost no queues. Best time to visit: April-June and September-October. Average daily budget: $85 to $150 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Casco Historico, The old town: Basilica del Pilar, the cathedral, Roman theatre and El Tubo, all walkable.

Morning: Basilica del Pilar. Enormous, free to enter, and worth paying a few euros to ride the tower lift for a view over the Ebro.

Afternoon: Explore Casco Historico, The old town: Basilica del Pilar, the cathedral, Roman theatre and El Tubo, all walkable.

Evening: Tapas crawl through El Tubo. One dish and one drink per bar, moving every 20 minutes, the way locals actually eat here.

Eat: Ternasco de Aragon, the local slow-roast lamb

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: El Tubo, A dense knot of lanes off Plaza Espana packed with tapas bars, best after 9pm.

Morning: Aljaferia Palace. An 11th-century Moorish palace, later a royal and Inquisition seat, and a UNESCO Mudejar site.

Afternoon: Explore El Tubo, A dense knot of lanes off Plaza Espana packed with tapas bars, best after 9pm.

Evening: Roman Zaragoza. Caesaraugusta's theatre, forum, baths and river port survive in four small linked museums.

Eat: Migas with grapes and chorizo

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Centro & Paseo Independencia, The 19th-century grid for shopping, cafes and most mid-range hotels.

Morning: La Seo cathedral's Mudejar exterior wall, an intricate brick and tile facade most visitors walk straight past.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Centro & Paseo Independencia, The 19th-century grid for shopping, cafes and most mid-range hotels.

Evening: The Goya museum, in the painter's home region, with a strong collection of his prints.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Borrajas, a regional green vegetable you will not find elsewhere

Hidden gems

La Seo cathedral's Mudejar exterior wall, an intricate brick and tile facade most visitors walk straight past.
The Goya museum, in the painter's home region, with a strong collection of his prints.
The riverside walk and Puente de Piedra at dusk, when the basilica lights up in the water.
Mercado Central, a restored iron-and-glass market hall for cheap lunches.

Getting around

The old town and centre are flat and easily walked, and a single tram line links the station side to the middle of town. AVE high-speed trains reach Madrid and Barcelona in about 1 hour 20 minutes each, which makes Zaragoza an easy stopover. Buses cover the Aljaferia if you do not want the 20-minute walk.

Safety

Zaragoza is a calm, low-crime Spanish city and comfortable to walk at night in the centre. Petty theft exists around Plaza del Pilar and the train station but at much lower levels than Barcelona or Madrid. Summer heat is the real hazard: July and August routinely pass 38C, so plan sightseeing before noon and after 7pm.

Zaragoza in 5 days | Zaragoza in 7 days | Full Zaragoza guide