1 day in Zaragoza
Zaragoza is the capital of the autonomous community of Aragon and is located next to the Ebro river. If you’re visiting Zaragoza, check out this 1 day in Zaragoza guide to get some inspiration!
Plaza del Pilar
The best way to start your trip to Zaragoza is through the heart of the city, the plaza del Pilar. From there, you can already see most of the attractions. The plaza is a pleasant walk, with sculptures and fountains decorating the place.
Puente de Piedra
Cross the Puente de Piedra to get a nice view of the cathedral and basilica from both the bridge and the vieweing platiforms on the other side.
Catedral del Salvador de Zaragoza
Visit the Cathedral to be in awe at the art you can see there. The audioguide is very detailed and you can learn a lot about each one of the structures you see. It’s also a cathedral filled with light, which surprised me, as churches are often quite dark. Additionally, the cathedral had an exhibition of medieval carpets featuring medieval scenes.
Basilica del Pilar
The next stop is a magnificent basilica. It seems larger than the Catedral del Salvador, and perhaps it was due to the time of visit, but it seemed to be more religiously active too. The cathedral also had a ban on taking photos in the interior. Usually one can climb the tower, which is included in the ticket, but in June 2025 it was temporarily closed for restoration.
Murallas romanas
Remains from the city walls from the ancient roman period. There is a free viewing tower, that you can climb and get nice views of the city.
Central Market
Enjoy some fresh fruits or a meal at the Zaragoza marketplace. The market is located right in front of the roman walls.
Walk the calle de Alfonso I
This beautiful street has very interesting street lights and you get great views of the Basilica, as well as plenty of small shops and restaurants.
Palacio de la Aljafería
Muslim palace built in thr 11th century, part of a UNESCO heritage from 2001. This palace is a beautiful representation of the mudéjar art, that of muslims who remained in Spain.
As per June 2025, the palace has an exhibition of Goya’s art (be aware that the Goya museum is closed).
This palace is a bit further from the city center, and although it is walking distance, with hot weather taking a bus is recommended.
How to get to Zaragoza?
Zaragoza is located in Aragón, and it’s well-connected by AVE trains. You can reach Zaragoza from Barcelona or Madrid in 1,5 h. If you decide to drive, that will be around 3:30 h from either of those cities.
You can also take a flight to the Zaragoza airport, which receives international flights from low cost carriers.
How to get from the ave station to the city center?
If you arrive by train, you’ll likely come to Zaragoza-Delicias, the ave station. It’s about 30 min walking away from the city center, and Zaragoza is a warm place, so you may consider taking the bus there. Ci3 leaves you in the center, so you may want to take that one. Be aware that you don’t need to go to the bus station, as those are the buses for intercity travel, but to the street. The station might be a bit confusing, so just stay on the upper floor and walk around the station building (on the outside) to find your way.
Most buses don’t seem to accept cards as a payment form, so you want to download the app AvanzaZaragoza, through which you can buy bus tickets (around 1,65€ per trip).
Where to eat in Zaragoza?
We had a brunch in Manolo Bakes, a coffee shop nearby Plaza del Pilar that offered very original croissants.
Lunch was at La Tasca del Tubo, an excellent Spanish restaurant to eat tapas. We tried the greek, an arancino, fried shrimp, and tenderloin, all very tasty!
Do you want to continue your Spain trip?
Spain has an excellent network of trains between the major cities. Take advantage of the AVE to travel around and discover new places in only a few hours. If you want some more inspiration to continue your trip, check out these posts for 1 day in Toledo and a weekend in Barcelona.