Roman baths

Roman Baths

As any other main Roman city, Caesar Augusta, now Zaragoza, had its Baths. Even if they were not very big, they were enough for the population of that era and we can visit them.

Where are Roman baths?

They are here. Have a look because it is often the most difficult monument to find.
Calle San Juan y San Pedro

What about Prices and Schedules?

It is the same as other Roman Monuments.

Tuesday to Saturday, morning and evening.
Sunday morning

It will take about half an hour to make a visit.

Price is 2 euro and you can buy a pack for all the Roman Monuments (Forum, Harbour and Theatre included). Walls are obviously free.


If you have the Zaragoza card, ticket will be free. It is included there.

How are Roman Baths?

In fact you will see only one small pool. Not many have been preserved, but you will watch a video about its History and some original ruins are there.

Here you are some pictures

How can I arrive there?

If you are in city centre... try going just walking.

If you are away, nearest Touristic bus is Cathedral Sq. and nearest tramway stop is Plaza de España.

You can reach them by bike, had you rented a three days pass. There is a station in the nearby.

Roman Forum

Roman Forum

Zaragoza is named after Caesar Augusta and in fact that was the original name.
It is expected to have some ruins in the middle of the city. Let's talk about one of them: Roman Forum.

Where is the Roman Forum?

It is in front of current Cathedral.
This structure located in front of the tower is the entrance to the Forum. It is located under the square.
https://maps.google.es/?ll=41.655221,-0.876498&spn=0.001088,0.002642&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=41.65533,-0.876666&panoid=APbHbmZDqYft0RllPArqRQ&cbp=12,123.89,,0,-0.82

But it is not a normal situation for a Forum. Almost all Roman Forums where in the middle of a city. That point where the Cardum and Decumanum streets joined.

As you can see here (current old city centre map but with Roman ruins pointed) the forum is suggested to be in the cross between streets with number one and number two.

But it is in the number three of the map

Why?. The Ebro river makes an important role here. The Forum was created in the middle between the River Harbour and the Roman city centre. There are not too many important Roman cities where the Forum is not in the middle.

When does the Forum open?

Tuesday to saturday 10 to 14 and 17 to 21. Quite nice if you want a late monument visit.

Sunday 10 to 14

Price is about three euro and there is a pack for all Roman museums (also Theatre, Baths and Harbour)

They are included in the Zaragoza Card.

There are three days in the year when it is free.

What can I find inside the forum?

More or less absolutely the old Roman square, and you will notice where the forum limits were and where the first Roman houses besides the Forum started.

And a great deal of Roman ruins inside.

All under that square is former Roman heritage. 

Just have a look to these pictures

How can I arrive there?

It is just in the middle way between Central Touristic office and the Cathedral

Touristic bus has the main stop in front of it.

Nearest tramway stop is Plaza del Pilar-Murallas

or by bike if you have one or you have rented a three days pass

Almost all tours will cross in front of it.

No possibilities to get lost.

Free wifi at Zaragoza airport

Free wifi at Zaragoza airport

Just arrived to Zaragoza and need internet?.
It can be free

Wifi internet at the airport

When arriving to Zaragoza, or just before departure it is possible to have a short internet connection. Maybe enought to check other flights, your email or that stuff.
You can use any mobile company for a laptop or smartphone but roaming fares will be charged.

One telecommunication company, Movistar, (the biggest company in Spain, in fact) offers internet service within the airport and you can buy some time to be connected, always cheaper than a roaming fare.

But... now they offer the first 15 minutes free!!!

If you are going to use it, near the cafeteria you will find the best service

Foreing consulates in Zaragoza

Foreing consulates in Zaragoza

I hope you always will think you needn't to read this entrance... but better have a glance than ask for it later...

Which consulates can you find in Zaragoza?

These ones. These are countries with a consul in Zaragoza.

And you can find addresses (and sometimes phone numbers too) in this webpage. It is from the Zaragoza municipality so it is expected to be always updated

http://www.zaragoza.es/ciudad/zaragozainternacional/en/consulados.htm

In spite that almost all information is in Spanish, it is quite easy to undersant: name of the consul, country and address

Full list

This is the full list of countries with a consul in Zaragoza. For other countries you will have to go to the nearest one if you require their services (and considering the distance to nearest big cities, it will be faster to go to Madrid where you will find the general embassy).

Take a look in your country's foreing affairs ministry about services they can offer to you.



Europe

* Andorra
* Belgium
* France
* Germany
* Italy
* Portugal
* Romania
* Slovakia


America

* Dominican Rep.
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Chile
* Costa Rica
* Mexico
* Peru


Africa

* Cote d'Ivoire

Patio de la Infanta

Patio de la Infanta

Can you imagine a modern age coutyard inside of a bank?
Keep reading

A bit of history

In the modern age, it was very usual in Zaragoza to have snob medium palaces with a typical coutyard in the middle.

One of them, before the building was demolished, was sold to a French Antique dealer who kept it for a lot of years in Paris.

In the middle 20th century it was bought by a bank. Ibercaja. In fact, it is the mainest bank with headquarter in Zaragoza. The main building is in the absolutely city centre.

When they desgined the building they got in contact with that antique dealer and... bought the coutyard. It wasn't still re-built, just kept in a warehouse... and they bring back to Zaragoza by smuggling (it was heritage and should have to pass custom control... but they took stone by stone. Nobody knew that all stones had an unique number and were part of an old coutyard).

And today you can see it inside the bank and with several original paintings inside. Some of them are by Francisco de Goya.



This is the bank, looking from outside:

and... entering in that bank, you will find a lot of bureaus and offices but also this corner:

There are too many pictures in the internet. Just google "patio de la infanta zaragoza" and have a look... but do not forget to visit it in your next visit to Zaragoza.

Where can I find it?

Quite, quite easye. In Plaza Paraiso. I think it would be impossible to stay in Zaragoza and not having a look to this building.

Looking from outside it is just another bank headquarter more.
Looking inside... they have a stunning corner!!!

When can I visit it?

Look at here for more information
http://obrasocial.ibercaja.es/v2_ficha_centro.php?centro=4

but currently:

Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 13:30 and 18:00 to 21:00
Saturday, 11:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 21:00
Sunday, 11:00 to 14:00

Be aware that they have two entrances. One of them from outside and the other one from the own building.
If you are going to visit it monday to friday in the morning, you will have to enter inside the bank and ask for it.
If you are going to visit it in the evenings or weekends, you will have to enter from outside the bank (San Ignacio de Loyola street).

Are you in Zaragoza because business and no time for visits?. No problem, it closes at 21:00 monday to saturday!!!

Visit is free. Nevertheless, there are guided visits with the cost that appears in that page.


Get noticed that they open on mondays. There are not many monuments that open on mondays and you can use this day for this monument.

How can I get there?

By tramway (Pza. Aragon stop), Touristic bus (P. Pamplona 14 is the nearest) and almost any other bus lines.

Or just walking...

UPDATED

This was the old courtyard in the original location:

and ruins after demolishing

YES, you can visit this courtyard inside a central office of a bank!!!!


The same bank has a beautiful museum located in an old courtyard and with a lot of Goya paintings. It is in the city centre and free: Camon Aznar museum

Contemporany Cultural and Art Aragonese Institute (IAACC Pablo Serrano)

Contemporany Cultural and Art Aragonese Institute (IAACC Pablo Serrano)

Until the middle of the 2000s there was a single museum dedicated to the sculptor Pablo Serrano, Aragonese born in a little village in the south of the region.
In was enlarged... and its works are just part of a huge museum.

What is IAACC?

It is an enlarged museum with several floors. Two of them keep the permanent exhibition of Pablo Serrano sculptures (wikipedia entrance). But there are some more with temporary exhibitions. They can be paintings, photographs, etc...

It is one of those museums that worths a lot and sometimes it doesn't appear in any guide.

Where is IAACC Pablo Serrano museum?

It is in the Maria Agustin Boulevard.
Touristic bus stop very close to it.
Furthermore, some buses (nowadays number 20, 21 and 51 stop in the main gate). Nearest tramway stop is Plaza Aragón.

Which are its timetable and price?

Price is FREE

Look at the web for timetables. Some changes can be made, but currently it closes sunday afternoon and all the Monday, as well as the rest of the days opens until 21:00

Are you in Zaragoza for business or quite busy and want to have a look?.
No problem... it is free and closes at 21:00 tuesday to saturday!

Surf here for more information

Is there anything special more?

Yes... the terrace. You can reach (even by stairs or by lift) to the terrace and have a STUNNING cityscape view from the middle of it.

In another entry I will talk about the terrace and some pictures (all points that can be seen) but I will just say that I've seen Pyrenees and Moncayo from there (and obviously all the city).

Here's one picture I found in the web. I will post more taken by myself

San Antonio church tower.

San Antonio church tower.

In the 1940s the Italian government built a church and a cemetery for Italian soldiers who dead in Spain.
However, because no funds, the tower was just half of heigh.
Nevertheless, it worths to have a visit.

Where is San Antonio de Padua church?

It is in Paseo de Cuellar, after Pignatelli park and near the Imperial canal.

A touristic bus stop is very close to it.
Bus lines 31, 33, 34, 39 and 42 have a stop very near that church. Some of them connects with city centre or the tramway

When can the tower be visited?.

You ought ask in the own church because it is part of the parish. They have different timetables depending the season. Anyway, even if closed, a walk around the church is quite interesting.

What can I find around the San Antonio church?

Just in front of the church there is another interesting church... but inside military territory so you can only see it from the street (I've been once for an event, I had to give my name for accepted guests and security was in every corner).

They are San Fernando barracks, maybe one of those places where you have more generals rather than soldiers (they are mainly offices and bureaus).

Here's a view.

Quite a little going to the north (walking down to the city centre) you will find the Pignatelli park. It is a very small park and it has the first statue located in Zaragoza. It is Ramon de Pignatelli who built the Imperial canal.

You can have a walk along the park and visit this statue:

And finally you can go south (away from city centre) and will find the Imperial Canal. It is nice to have a look and walking around it... but we will talk about it in the entrance "Zaragoza Green Belt".


and obviously, even if it is not a cathedral, try to enter inside San Antonio church:

New Touristic Bus season 2013

New Touristic Bus season 2013

Starting in Spring, Touristic Bus keeps on going on weekends and daily in summer.
And there are some news. Take a look:

ENLARGED JOURNEY.

In spite of a 1h15m journey we will have a 2h00 journey with the touristic bus. This means that if you want to have a fast visit in any language, it will be enough to take it... and most of main monuments will be in front of you.

It will be hold by three buses having a 40 minutes frequency. As usual, first stop is in front of the cathedral and the bus will make a tour.

WHICH ARE THE NEWNESS THIS YEAR?

First of all, the bus will cross again besides Pignatelli park, Jose Antonio Labordeta park and Gran Via. They seem to be housing areas and parks... but there are some cool houses in the journey and both parks have some corners that worth a lot. We will talk about them in other blog entrances. Just think that there are stops besides there

Secondly, the bus will make a tour inside the Expo area (2008 international exhibition area) with stops very near of Bridge Pavilion and the Aquarium. It will go across a restricted area only able to some vehicles, and be aware that it is the most useful way to go to the Aquarium, Expo area and Bridge pavilion.

HOW DOES IT WORKS?

Just read this entrance according to last season touristic bus because only the journey and frequencies have been changed.

2013 Price is 8 euro.
Tickets can be booked online (ask in this forum about official webpage), in the tourist office and on board.


Timetables are the following ones: Starting, in the morning, at 10:30, and in the afternoon at 17:00, one bus every 40 minutes. In every stop you will find the exact hour.

This is, in front of the cathedral 10:30, 11:10, 11:50, 12:30 and 13:10 (last full tour that will arrive to the cathedral at 15:10). Same for afternoon: 17:00, 17:40, 18:20, 19:00 and 19:40.

Be aware that, for instance, if in the morning you are taking the first two buses you will be able to cross the cathedral stop. This is, the 10:30 bus can be taken at some other time in some other stop and will arrive at 12:30 to the cathedral, making a second tour. No need to get off. The same ticket remains valid.

But if you take the three last ones in the morning or afternoon/evening, you will have to get off in the cathedral stop and continue in the afternoon or following day.


In April, May and June and second half of September it will run on saturdays and sundays
In July, August and first half of September it will run daily.

In October (second half only because in the first half there are major days), a long-weekend in November (1st to 3rd) and a long-weekend in December (6th to 9th) it will run again but starting at 11:00 and in the afternoon, last departure at 18:15.

Have a look to last season service where some FAQs are answered there. Any other one, just post here a question.

MAP

this is current map.

2013 STOPS

1- Plaza de La Seo (Roman Forum)
2. Plaza de España
5- Paseo Renovales
7- Paseo Pamplona 14
8- Museo Pablo Serrano
13- Palacio Congresos / Pabellón Puente
14- Zona Expo / Acuario
15- La Aljafería
16. Paseo Echegaray y Caballero /c/Jardiel (close to El Pilar)

NIGHT TOURISTIC BUS

It will have a similar but shorter journey and no stops.

Bus will depart at 21:45 on the following days:
July: Saturday
August: Friday and Saturday
1st half September: Friday and Saturday

from the Cathedral square.

Price is 11 euro and can be booked on line or bought at the tourism office or on board (we recommend to buy it in advance).