History and religion buffs will love the castles, churches and courtyards of this ancient city, writes John Downes
BEWARE THE FIRST impressions you get of the northern Spanish city of Zaragoza if you arrive by train. The Zaragoza Delicias station - and the high-speed service that links it to Madrid (and Barcelona) in about 90 minutes - is testimony to investment in public transport, but much of the surrounding area is disappointing, with dreary high-rise apartment complexes littering the landscape.
Don't let this put you off. Once you get closer to the pedestrian areas, including the plaza surrounding the renowned Basílica del Pilar, the true appeal of the city - which is steeped in history and dates from Roman times - becomes clear.
The centre of Spain's fifth-largest city - it is home to about 700,000 people - is strikingly similar in parts to some French towns, with the influence of its near neighbours particularly evident on Paseo de la Independencia, complete with its curved columns and wide open spaces.
History and religion buffs will love Zaragoza. Indeed, anyone with even a passing interest in Spanish and European history should not miss a visit to the Aljafería palace, dating back to the 11th century. If possible, try to coincide your visit with a tour in English - the palace tourist office organises such tours for groups, and private tours in English are also available in the summer.
The mixed history of the castle, which is now the seat of the regional assembly of Aragon, is reflected in its many sections. An ornate garden, replete with orange trees reproduced as part of the Islamic palace section, greets visitors.
Elsewhere, the hugely impressive great throne room, where nervous visitors to the Catholic King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain would walk a flight of steps, corridors and collection of rooms known as the Lost Steps, before awaiting an audience, is fascinating.
Some of the walls in the castle bear inscriptions from prisoners, including what are rumoured to be some Irishmen held there over the centuries.
Basílica del Pilar is another key attraction. A huge, ornate construction, it is Zaragoza's most emblematic building, and it is not difficult to see why. It includes works by Goya, including mural frescoes, although these are arguably not his best work, as they were largely imitations of a style he had seen in Italy.
The arrival of the Virgin Mary, who is said to have visited Zaragoza in "mortal body", is commemorated at the basilica on January 2nd. The Fiesta del Pilar is celebrated on October 12th, and attracts thousands of visitors to the city. Anyone visiting the basilica should also take the opportunity to visit the oldest cathedral in the city, La Seo, nearby.
Other historical attractions of Zaragoza include the Caesaraugusta Roman theatre museum and the Renaissance-period Infanta courtyard, painstakingly reassembled and transplanted, bizarrely, to a bank on Calle San Ignacio de Loyola. Inside, good examples of Goya's portrait works hang on the walls.
But a must-see for anyone interested in getting a true insight into Zaragoza life is a visit to its indoor Mercado Central, not far from Paseo de la Independencia. The market offers a broad range of fruits, vegetables, meat and cheeses. Among the delicacies are Spanish chorizo sausages and even a skinned sheep's head.
If you're getting tired walking, we found the Gran Cafe de Zaragoza, on Calle Alfonso, a charming venue, with good coffee and efficient staff. It is also conveniently located on a street that houses a number of well-known high-street shops.
Eating out in Zaragoza, as in most cities, can be cheap or expensive, depending on your budget. Cured ham and tapas were, unsurprisingly, ever-present during our trip. One of the most stunning restaurants we visited was Montal, on Plaza de San Felipe, replete with hams hanging from the ceiling and a selection of good wines.
At night, much of Zaragoza's activity seems to centre on small bars, pubs and clubs, which are a feature of the city, in particular in the lively El Casco Viejo area.
More than 1.2 million people live in the Aragon region, in which Zaragoza is located, and it is worth considering taking the time to travel outside the city.
Among the key attractions of Aragon, one of the 17 autonomous regions of Spain, are the house at Fuendetodos where Goya was born, in 1746, and an accompanying museum that houses examples of some of his later work.
For wine buffs it is also worth a trip to the wine museum at Cariñena, although on our visit an interesting tour did not finish with the expected tasting.
It is difficult to escape the suspicion that Zaragoza may struggle to attract Irish tourists for more than an overnight trip, in part due to its location, roughly halfway between the competing attractions of Barcelona and Madrid.
As our tour guide pointed out, another option for those holidaying in the south of France - a hugely popular destination for Irish tourists - is to cross the Pyrenees and stay overnight in a picturesque mountain village before journeying on to Zaragoza. However they choose to get there, visitors will be rewarded with the chance to discover an often overlooked city with plenty to offer.
Go there
John Downes travelled to Zaragoza as a guest of the Spanish Tourist Office. He flew with Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) to Madrid. From Madrid you can take the high-speed train to Zaragoza.
Where to stay, where to eat and where to go if you're visiting Expo
Where to stay
We stayed at the four-star Gran Hotel (Joaquin Costa 5, 00-34-976-221901, www.nh-hotels.com/ nhgranhotel), which was clean, comfortable and well located. Thousands of new rooms will come on stream for Expo Zaragoza 2008.
Where to eat
We liked Montal at 29 Plaza de San Felipe, 00-34-976-298998, www.montal.es.
Where to drink
Gran Café de Zaragoza at Calle Alfonso I, 25, or, for the less adventurous, the nearby Flaherty's pub at Calle Alfonso I, 39, 00-34-976-298094, www.pflaherty.com.
How to get around
Zaragoza Card is worth investing in, with prices starting at about €8 per day. It gives users entrance into museums and monuments, discounts on hotels, cafes and bars, unlimited use of a daytime tourist bus for a day, and even one tapas and a drink from a list of tapas bars. More details on ww.zaragozacard.com.
Expo Zaragoza 2008
Expo Zaragoza 2008, which runs from June 14th to September 14th, has as its theme water and sustainable development.
The 25 hectare Expo site, to the west of the city, will include a water tower designed to look like a drop of water, a green pavilion surrounded with tree-like pillars to help generate its own microclimate, and a variety of other themed plazas.
Among the major infrastructural developments for the Expo are the construction of a cable car, which will run from Delicias station to the site's water tower gate.
More than 90 countries have signed up to take part in the Expo, which is expected to attract six million tourists to Zaragoza.
The Expo will include more than 3,400 performances from more than 350 dance, street theatre, cabaret and pop groups.
Cirque du Soleil has designed a parade that will pass through the Expo site every day. The site will also include an amphitheatre, which will house daily musical performances, and events for all ages at night.
Adult one-day tickets cost €35, free for children under five, with discounts for older children, the elderly and group bookings. More details at www.expozaragoza2008.es.