THE CITY
Zaragoza, with its emblematic Basilica of Our Lady of Pilar, is at the banks of the Ebro river, which gives name to the Iberian Peninsula and crosses it from the Cantabrian mountains to the Mediterranean coast. This locates Zaragoza at a natural crossroads that makes the city an eclectic and intercultural meeting point. The city of Zaragoza was founded by Caesar Augustus in 14 b.C., in the previous location of the Celtic city of Salduie, and it is the only city of the Roman Empire which received the full name of the Roman Emperor (Caesaraugusta). Since its foundation, different cultural influences shaped Zaragoza throughout the centuries, ranging from the Visigothic occupations; the Muslims who renamed the city as Medina al-Baida Saraqusta (“Zaragoza, the white one”); the reign of Fernando el Católico (founder of the Universidad de Zaragoza); to the avant-garde city that we know after having hosted the 2006 Expo. These different influences left several traces in the city that can be visited nowadays. More information in English can be found
LEISURE IN ZARAGOZA
Besides its several museums, such as Museo Goya, Museo de Zaragoza, or Museo Pablo Serrano, the cultural, shopping, and leisure opportunities in Zaragoza are varied and highly attractive. In addition to its several shopping malls, one can enjoy a nice walk in Paseo de la Independencia, Calle Alfonso I and Calle Don Jaime to have a taste of the most exclusive as well as the local brands. Furthermore, a small yet very interesting flea market takes place every Sunday morning in Plaza de San Bruno, just behind the cathedral (“la Seo”).
For night life, the most well-known areas are “El Tubo” and “La Magdalena”. “El Tubo” is in the centre of Zaragoza and consists of a series of streets surrounding Alfonso I, El Coso, and Méndez Núñez in which there is a wide offer of “tapas bars”, including some of the most famous ones of the city. “La Magdalena” is the bohemian area of Zaragoza. It is surrounded by El Coso and San Vicente de Paul streets, and it offers an alternative to the most traditional leisure options, including vegetarian restaurants, second-hand and vintage shops, as well as several bars with live music (generally rock/punk style).
