DAY ONE TILES & TAPAS

Morning

Catholic pilgrims come to worship two related relics at Nuestra Señora del Pilar: a small wood icon of the Virgin Mary, and the ornate jasper column on which it rests. Believer or not, the gorgeously tiled and gilded cathedral-basilica makes a excellent starting point on a visit to the city. Across the Plaza del

Pilar is Zaragoza’s other cathedral, La Seo, a marvel of hybrid styles (Romanesque, gothic, neo-classical) incorporating the remains of an 11th-century mosque and ancient Roman forum. Reach deeper into the city’s past at the ruins of the 1st-century thermal baths and the amphitheatre of Caesaraugusta, the Roman settlement that gave Zaragoza its name. catedraldezaragoza.es zaragoza.es

Afternoon

For generations, the city’s surrounding farmlands have long sustained its citizens, with produce ranging from cereals to tronchon (sheep’s cheese). The signature dish, however, is ternasco, or roasted lamb, best eaten leisurely at El Real. The restaurant has tables on a patio overlooking the Pilar and under the grand arches of the Pasaje del Ciclón arcade. The shops here mix the usual chains with more specialised local ateliers — if you’re shopping for something Aragónese, regional ceramics hubs like Muel have been turning out vivid, purple-andgreen clayware since the Middle Ages, while modern iterations of the same pottery are sold at the likes of Artesanía Aligia. elreal.es pasajedelciclon.wordpress.com artesania-aliaga.com

Evening

El Tubo (‘the tube’) is a dense lattice of backstreets that crams vintage taverns and modern bars between gothic courtyards, Renaissance-era houses and sections of the Roman city wall. Consider starting an evening with a glass of Cariñena wine at the Bodegas Almau or one of the 24 gins on offer at Libertad 6.8. Tiny corner bar El Champi is renowned for its single tapa — garlicky mushrooms on bread — while Lamaribel Escabechado specialises in age-old pickling techniques to make rich, dense meat stews. Also in this zone is El Plata, hosting comedy, acrobatics and quasi-burlesque performances in a 1920s cabaret hall. alas20enlibertad.com lamaribelescabechado.com elplata.com