The province of Zaragoza is much more than its vibrant capital. Fuendetodos, Moncayo, the Ebro, and the Monegros create a territory of extreme contrasts where movie-like deserts, hanging medieval monasteries, unique Mudéjar villages, and landscapes that seem to be from another planet coexist. Here are ten essential places for those who want to discover the most authentic and less known Zaragoza.
1. Monasterio de Piedra (Nuévalos) A green oasis in the midst of the Iberian System. This natural park and historical garden from the 19th century hosts waterfalls, caves, turquoise lakes, and the 61-meter-high Cola de Caballo waterfall, where you can literally go behind the curtain of water. The 13th-century Cistercian monastery and its exhibition on the history of chocolate (the first in Spain was made here) complete a visit that feels otherworldly.
2. Fuendetodos and the Goya Museum The birthplace of Francisco de Goya (1746) preserves the humble house where the genius was born and an excellent print museum with original presses from the 18th and 19th centuries. Every February, during the Goyescas Days, the locals dress in period costumes and recreate life from the late 18th century. A few kilometers away, the air raid shelters from the Civil War and the striking “sotos” of the Ebro add layers of recent history.
3. Moncayo from the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Moncayo and Agrama (Trasmoz, Vera de Moncayo, and Alcalá de Moncayo) The magical mountain of Aragón (2,315 m) can be ascended without technical difficulty from several points. The classic route begins at the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Moncayo and traverses spectacular beech forests to the Morca glacial circus. Along the way, you pass through Trasmoz, the only officially excommunicated and cursed village in Spain, with its witch’s castle and black magic festival every summer.
4. Old Belchite The village destroyed during the Civil War and preserved as a living monument. Streets frozen in 1937, the roofless Church of San Martín, bullet and shell impacts everywhere. It can be visited during the day or in guided night tours (highly recommended). A chilling place that has served as a setting for films such as Pan’s Labyrinth and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.
5. Daroca and its medieval wall One of the most spectacular walled cities in Spain: over 4 km of walls with 114 towers. The Puerta Baja, the Mina (a 600 m defensive tunnel that can be explored), and the collection of Mudéjar and Gothic churches make Daroca an open-air museum. Don’t miss the Corpus Christi and its mystery of the Corporals (13th century).
6. Sos del Rey Católico One of the most beautiful villages in Spain and a gem of the Aragonese Renaissance. Cobblestone streets, noble palaces, and the Church of San Esteban with its Romanesque crypt and international Gothic paintings. Here, Ferdinand the Catholic was born in 1452; his birth house-palace is now a luxury parador with endless views of the Pre-Pyrenees.
7. Tarazona and its Cathedral of Santa María de la Huerta The “hidden cathedral” reopened in 2011 after decades of restoration and is one of the great Mudéjar surprises in Spain. Its walls combine Gothic, Mudéjar, and Renaissance styles, and the frescoes and the vault of the main chapel take your breath away. The Jewish quarter and the episcopal palace (where part of The Cathedral of the Sea was filmed) complete the visit.
8. Uncastillo and the Romanesque complex of Jacetania in Zaragoza A jewel of rural Romanesque architecture with six 12th-century Romanesque churches (San Martín de Tours, Santa María la Mayor, San Felices…), an imposing castle, and a unique Romanesque interpretation center. The village feels frozen in the Middle Ages, and every summer it hosts a medieval market with jousting and falconry.
Zaragoza province is a destination of brutal contrasts: in less than two hours, you can go from lunar deserts to alpine forests, from war ruins to Renaissance palaces. A secret Aragón that deserves to be discovered at a leisurely pace, preferably with a good ternasco and a wine from Cariñena as a reward at the end of the day.
