A walk with the best things to see in Zaragoza in one day
Halfway between Madrid and Barcelona we find a city whose visit is one of the best that can be done in this country. A single day is very little to get to know Zaragoza but if you are not lucky enough to have more time we will tell you the essential things to see in Zaragoza in one day.
Zaragoza is a fairly large city, but it has the advantage that a good part of the most important places to visit are in the same square and it is the place from which we can start visiting it.
If you want to know the best things to see in Zaragoza in one day, all you have to do is continue reading and discover that it is possible to visit the city in one day.
What to see in Zaragoza in one day
The Plaza of Our Lady of Pilar
We can begin our one-day tour of Zaragoza in the Plaza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar, the nerve center of the city and where, as we have said, almost all the essential places to visit in this city are located.
The main monument of this square, and symbol of the city, is the Basilica of Our Lady of Pilar, one of the most beautiful temples in Spain and that will leave you speechless. Its baroque interior is truly spectacular, almost as much as its tall towers.
You can go up to them and have great views of the roofs of the Basilica as well as the Ebro River and a good part of the city. Don’t worry, because you go up by elevator. Do not miss the Chapel of the Virgen del Pilar either.
At one end of the square we can admire the Cathedral of San Salvador, always in the shadow of the Basilica del Pilar, or the Lonja de Mercaderes.
The surroundings of the Plaza del Pilar
Not far from the Plaza del Pilar is one of the most visited museums and the best thing to see in Zaragoza in one day, the Goya Museum, dedicated to the most illustrious painter of Aragon and which is also located in a beautiful building from the 16th century. XVI which is also a true work of art.
This area is also where the Roman legacy of Caesar Augusta, the forerunner of the city of Zaragoza, is located. Among the places to visit we can highlight the Roman Theatre, built in the 1st century and which became one of the largest in Roman Hispania, Las Termas or the Roman Wall.
The next thing we can do is lose ourselves in the surrounding streets enjoying the Mudejar towers that rise to the sky of Zaragoza and its shopping streets before going to our next destination, further away from this area.
The Aljaferia Palace
This destination is the Aljafería Palace, the other essential place to visit in Zaragoza in one day. It is a building declared a World Heritage Site and your visit should not be forgotten.
The Aljafería Palace is today the seat of the Cortes de Aragón but it has had great importance in history since it was built in the 11th century. It was the residence of the Hudi kings and is the greatest exponent of Islamic architecture from the Taifa era that is preserved in Spain.
Visiting the Aljafería Palace will take you through the best of the Islamic palace and the Mudejar palace that make up this fortified complex, one of the best things to see in Zaragoza in 1 day.
The Expo 98 area and the River Aquarium
From there we can head towards the Ebro River and continue walking along its banks to the site where the 2008 Universal Exhibition was held and admire the buildings that were built for it.
Of all of them, we must highlight the River Aquarium, an essential place to learn about the different river species of the five continents, with special attention to the Ebro River. It is very interesting as it is one of the few aquariums dedicated to rivers and not to the sea in the world.
In this area we must also highlight the Bridge of the Third Millennium, the Manterola Footbridge, the Bridge Pavilion, the Water Tower, the different pavilions of Expo 2008 or even the Delicias Railway Station.
We can end our day tour of Zaragoza in Parque Luis Buñuel, where you can relax and unwind after a long walk in the city.
You can find more information on the official Zaragoza tourism page.