What's there to see in Zaragoza?

What's there to see in Zaragoza? That's something that some may ask upon arriving in the city. Or better still, what's there to see in Zaragoza other than the Cathedral (of Our Lady of the Pillar)? That is exactly what my friends and I thought last week. The question was instantly answered upon entering the tourist office, specifically the one that is situated in the train station when long distance trains arrive: Delicias Station.

Although the girl who spoke to us wasn't too enthusiastic in recommending places to us, we managed to get her to point out some places on a map and she told us how to get to the city centre. We took the number 34 bus that dropped us off in the old town and yes, we obviously ended up at the Plaza de El Pilar and we entered to visit the cathedral.

Once we completed the obligatory wander around, we discovered the Lonja de Zaragoza in the vicinity, which surprised us due to its vaults in the shape of stars. Although this Renaissance building was used for economic transactions, it is currently a room dedicated to exhibitions belonging to the city council.

That's why we met an artist from the area, Eduardo Laborada, who presented some interesting paintings about the beauty of the ugly, others with a theme based on classical sculptures and paintings of everyday characters.

With regards to food, for lunch we headed to the famous area of "El Tubo", a series of long and picturesque streets with a variety of bars, restaurants and terraces on offer to enjoy some tapas. We were extremely content with this!

To finish the meal, there's nothing better than a coffee in the Gran Café of Zaragoza, an establishment that transports you to another time thanks to its furniture and lighting. It is located on the Calle de Alfonso I, very close to El Pilar, and, before you have even entered, its exterior is already inviting you to come in and relax with the products available on its menu. For us, the warm coffee came in handy to wake us up and escape from the cold for a little while.

After this stop, we set off towards the Auditorium of the University of Zaragoza, an old Science and Medicine faculty. It is one of those hidden gems in the city - a place declared of Monumental Interest. Highlights include its inner courtyard, its library, the entranceway staircase and the exhibition halls.

There, we had the opportunity to get closer to the photographic work of the Valencian artist, Agustí Centelles. In total, 82 pieces from his photographic archive were recovered after spending years and years in a suitcase in the French town of Carcassonne, where he had left it after leaving the Bram concentration camp. It was enriching to be able to see images from such a difficult period for the country during the Civil War, and to observe how the previous generations lived.

After this, as night fell, we decided to take a final walk around the area by the river. We approached the foot of the water wheel, which was beautifully lit, like El Pilar, which you can see in one of the following photographs.

That's when dinner time approached. This time we chose to go to a sandwich place and finished them at the hotel because we were shattered!

Photo gallery