Aragon

Information and Tourism

Arrive in Aragon fresh from the French side of the Pyrenees and you can't fail to notice that high mountain peaks soon turn into lush green valleys, which transform into fertile fields and orchards before becoming an almost desert-like landscape. You can't help but wonder sometimes whether you are in the same country, let alone the same region.

Aragon's Pyrenees certainly offer majestic mountain views. There is also a plethora of deep dark canyons and waterfalls, and an abundance of wildlife, protected from modern life thanks to the wild remoteness of the place and the sanctuary offered by the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. The highest point in the region, and in fact in the whole of the Pyrenees, can be found here. Mount Aneto is popular with climbers, who also come to admire its giant glacier.

Amidst the Pyreneean valleys are pretty mountain villages and towns, including Jaca, which was once the capital of Aragon and today is a major attraction, thanks to its medieval towers and Romanesque cathedral.

Zaragoza, the capital of Aragon, is home to half of the region's population. After a period of rapid growth, many of the city's busy boulevards are now lined with modern buildings, which may not be to everyone's taste. Take a trip to the city's Old Town area, though, and you will feel like you are back in familiar tourist territory. Interesting architecture that has been preserved for all to see includes two cathedrals and the Aljaferia, once the palatial home of the Beni Kasim dynasty.

South of Zaragoza, tourists can opt to follow the Goya Trail or, alternatively, take the Ruta de los Vinos, a wine route that takes in some of the finest vineyards of the region, producing four different 'Denominación de Origen' wines.

Aragon Information and Fast Facts

• Country: Spain
• Main administrative centre: Zaragoza
• Biggest city: Zaragoza
• Population: approximately 1.6 million
• Language: Spanish
• Area: 18,420 square miles / 47,710 square kilometres
• Height of highest point (Mount Aneto): 3,404 metres / 11,168 feet

	WORLD GUIDES TO ARAGON
	World Guide to Zaragoza, Spain A particularly elegant and large city, Zaragoza is located in Spain's northeastern region. With spacious boulevards, a number of excellent shopping districts and a Roman heritage, Zaragoza is also known for its many fiestas.

Map of Spain