National Geographic Traveller (UK)
FIVE DAYS IN Aragon
From tasty local cuisine to Moorish architecture, here’s how to spend five fascinating days in the cities of Zaragoza, Huesca and Teruel
DAY ONE: HUESCA
The hilly medieval town of Huesca, surrounded by lush green fields, is best explored on foot. Spend a couple of hours looking around then head up to the Huesca Cathedral sitting on top of it all. A one-hour drive northwest will take you to the Pyrenees and the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park.
DAYS TWO AND THREE: ZARAGOZA
Straddling the River Ebro and dominated by the imposing towers of the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, Zaragoza is the birthplace of one of Spain’s most celebrated artists — Francisco de Goya. Spend the morning in the Goya Museum or discovering the Cathedral of the Savior. For lunch, try one of the city’s two most popular dishes — migas
de Aragón (fried breadcrumbs with chorizo, bacon and garlic with fresh grapes and a fried egg) or ternasco (roasted lamb).
The next day, head to the striking Aljafería Palace — a fortified palace built in the 11th century. In the afternoon, learn more about Zaragoza’s history at the Forum Museum of Caesaraugusta, before heading into El Tubo, Zaragoza’s tapas quarter, to sample the local cuisine.
DAY FOUR: BELCHITE AND MONASTERIO DE PIEDRA NATURAL PARK
Travel south to the abandoned ghost town of Belchite, which was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. From here, drive to the Monasterio De Piedra Natural Park. Spend your time touring the 13th-century monastery and its grounds before learning about the history of chocolate in the kitchens where the first sweet milk chocolate was invented.
DAY FIVE: TERUEL
Head southwest for the two-hour drive to your last stop — the romantic city of Teruel, filled with Mudéjar art and medieval architecture. Explore the historic centre to see the ornate Mudéjar towers of the Teruel Cathedral and the churches of San Martín, San Pedro, El Salvador and La Merced.
For lunch, try one of the region’s specialities: jamón de
Teruel. Finish off with suspiros de amante (lovers’ sigh), small pastries made from cheese and egg. Then, visit nearby Dinópolis, one of the world’s largest dinosaur museums or head to Albarracín, once the capital of the Moorish kingdom.
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