Plan one night in Zaragoza, or two with a day in Goya’s country or at the Monasterio de Piedra, ideally from April to June or in September and October. It sits halfway between Madrid and Barcelona by high-speed train. Your licensed guide leads you through the Basilica del Pilar, the Moorish Aljafería palace and the cathedral of La Seo. Private journeys including Zaragoza start from $884 per person per day, based on double occupancy, excluding flights.
At a glance. Ideal stay: one or two nights · Best months: April to June, September and October · Nearest airport: Zaragoza (ZAZ), with few international flights, so most travelers arrive through Madrid or Barcelona, about 75 to 90 minutes away by high-speed train · From $884 per person per day, double occupancy, excl. flights
Three bombs fell on the Basilica del Pilar in 1936 and none went off. Two of them hang inside the church today. For the people of Zaragoza, they are part of the Pilar’s story, and many stop beside them in quiet thanks. The city keeps its devotions close, and your guide knows the stories behind them.
What does a licensed guide show you in Zaragoza?
Your licensed guide shapes the day around what you love, with entries reserved before you arrive and the great churches seen at the quiet hours.
The Basilica del Pilar
The Pilar rises above the Ebro with eleven tiled domes and four towers, and inside it holds the small statue of the Virgin on her jasper pillar, the heart of Spanish devotion. Goya painted one of the domes, and a lift takes you up a tower for a view across the river and the old town.
The Aljafería, a Moorish palace in Aragon
The Aljafería was built in the eleventh century for the Muslim kings of Zaragoza, and its arches interlace like lace. Later kings of Aragon lived here, and one of its towers inspired the play behind Verdi’s opera Il trovatore. Today the palace is also the seat of the Aragonese parliament. With La Seo cathedral, it belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Mudéjar architecture of Aragon.
Where do Zaragozanos eat?
Zaragoza eats lamb. Ternasco de Aragón, young lamb roasted slowly with potatoes, carries its own protected name and is the dish of every family celebration. Borraja, borage, a delicate green vegetable rarely seen outside Aragon, comes simply with potatoes and olive oil. The lanes of El Tubo, between the Plaza del Pilar and the Plaza de España, are the place for a round of small plates.
For something sweet, frutas de Aragón are candied fruits dipped in dark chocolate, a local gift since the nineteenth century. Garnacha from Campo de Borja and Cariñena, both under an hour away, fills the glasses, and we can direct you to the best cellars.
What are the best hotels in Zaragoza?
Our first choice in the city is the five-star Hotel Palafox, and for a night in the countryside, the Hotel Monasterio de Piedra. The Palafox sits a short walk from the old town and the Pilar, with a rooftop pool. The Monasterio de Piedra fills a thirteenth-century Cistercian monastery about an hour and a half away, beside a park of waterfalls and grottoes. The Palafox meets our standard of vetted luxury hotels, and we choose the simpler Monasterio de Piedra for its setting.
How many days should you spend in Zaragoza?
One night breaks the journey between Madrid and Barcelona with the Pilar, the Aljafería and an evening in El Tubo. A second night adds Goya’s birthplace at Fuendetodos or the waterfalls of the Monasterio de Piedra.
When is the best time to visit Zaragoza?
April to June and September and October bring the most comfortable days. July and August are hot, and the cierzo, a strong dry wind from the northwest, can blow at any season. Each October 12, for the Fiestas del Pilar, hundreds of thousands of people carry flowers to the Virgin and build her a cloak of blooms several stories high. Hotels, like airlines, use dynamic pricing, so rates rise with demand. A higher price marks a popular week, not a poor time to travel.
What are the best day trips from Zaragoza?
Goya was born in Fuendetodos in 1746, about 45 minutes south, and his small family house and a museum of his engravings stand in the village. The Monasterio de Piedra, with its waterfalls and grottoes, makes a long day or an overnight. To the west, the monastery of Veruela sits among the garnacha vineyards of Campo de Borja below the Moncayo.
How does Zaragoza fit a journey through Spain?
Zaragoza lies on the high-speed line between Madrid and Barcelona, about 75 to 90 minutes from each, so a night here turns a train ride into a stop of its own. Your licensed driver meets you at the station. Rioja and the Pyrenees are both within reach by road for travelers heading north.
Private Zaragoza Journeys
Spain
10-Day Private Food and Wine Tour of Northern Spain: Basque Country, Rioja and Ribera del Duero
Pintxos in San Sebastián, Rioja in Laguardia, Ribera del Duero and Segovia’s cochinillo. 10 days from $12,484 pp.
Spain
Highlights of Spain: 10-Day Private Tour of Madrid, Andalusia and Barcelona
Madrid, Toledo, Seville, the Alhambra and Gaudí’s Barcelona on a first visit. 10 days from $10,484 pp.
Spain
7-Day Private Spain Tour: Madrid, Segovia and Barcelona
Madrid, the Prado, Segovia’s aqueduct, the Gothic Quarter and Gaudí’s Barcelona. 7 days from $6,188 pp.
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Frequently asked questions about private Zaragoza tours
What are the top attractions in Zaragoza?
The Basilica del Pilar, the Aljafería palace, La Seo cathedral, the Roman remains of Caesaraugusta and the Goya Museum.
What are the best off-the-beaten-path experiences in Zaragoza?
Goya’s birthplace at Fuendetodos, the waterfalls of the Monasterio de Piedra, a garnacha cellar in Campo de Borja, and the borage and frutas de Aragón you rarely find elsewhere.
What do most people not know about Zaragoza?
Two unexploded bombs hang inside the Pilar. The Aljafería inspired Verdi’s Il trovatore. And the city’s name comes from Caesaraugusta, after the emperor Augustus.
Why take a private tour of Zaragoza?
Most travelers pass through Zaragoza on the train. A licensed guide and a night here reveal one of Spain’s least crowded great cities, and your licensed driver links it with the countryside around it.
Can a private Zaragoza tour include Madrid and Barcelona?
Yes. Every journey is tailor-made, so Zaragoza fits naturally as a night between Madrid and Barcelona.
Plan your private Zaragoza journey
Our sample journeys are a starting point, and each can add a night in Zaragoza. The 7-Day Private Spain Tour: Madrid, Segovia and Barcelona travels the high-speed line through Zaragoza from $6,188 per person. Highlights of Spain in 10 Days runs from Madrid through Andalusia to Barcelona from $10,484. The 10-Day Private Food and Wine Tour of Northern Spain explores the Basque Country, Rioja and Ribera del Duero from $12,484. Each is tailor-made, so your planner shapes the route, the hotels and the pace around you.
Since 2002, 17,000+ travelers have journeyed with us. Your journey is planned by our Spain team, led by founder Dan O’Beirne, an American in Europe since 1998, and Magical Private Travel maintains excellent ratings on Trustpilot and Google’s independent review platforms. Planned from Europe. American precision with local expertise.
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