Puerta Cinegia shopping centre

Puerta Cinegia shopping centre

Yes, it is absolutely possible to join culture, heritage and shopping in the whole heart of the city.
You have just to go to Puerta Cinegia shopping centre.

What is Puerta Cinegia?

The name comes from Latin (well... Puerta is a Spanish word that means "Gate").
As a Roman founded city, Zaragoza had a Cardum and Decumanum, and four gates, one in each corner of the "castrum".
Cinegia was the southern Gate of the Roman city. And when a shopping centre was built there, they kept that name for it.

Here you have some pictures about the buildings "before" that shopping centre and "after" it.

What can I find at Puerta Cinegia?

As a shopping centre it is not big at all. You will find just some corridors (it is possible to enter from three streets) and several levels. But, in fact, just some restaurants, bars and some shops of all kind of goods. Nothing different than in another shopping street and of course, much smaller than in other shopping centre.

But... there is a great deal or heritage there!.

What heritage will I find there?

There are several things... but two main ones are:

- ORIGINAL ROMAN WALL. In the underground there is part of original Roman Wall but... entering by Plaza España, just in the left side, those rocks you will see are part of the original Wall and have more than 2000 years of history.

- RENAISSANCE COURTYARD. When works started, a Renaissance courtyard was discovered. It was decided to be kept as it was... so in the middle (better said... in a corner) of the shopping centre you will find a nice surprise.

How and when can I visit it?

Arriving is veeeeeeery easy. It is in Plaza España. Walking from any street, stopping with any bus in the nearby or with the tramway in Plaza España stop, you will find it face to face.

Both, Roman Walls and Renaissance Courtyard, can be visited while shopping is open. This means usually 9:00 - 10:00 in the morning until late night (because restaurants will keep open). Weekends may have a restricted timetable but it could be one the "inside monument" with longest timetable

And... free!.

Zaragoza Green Ring

Zaragoza Green Ring

(or "Anillo verde de Zaragoza" as officially is said)
Do you want to have a tour around the city visiting its parks and natural resources?
There are plenty of them but this path will join most of them

What's the Zaragoza Green Ring?

It is a circle line that departing in the Puente del Tercer Milenio (Third Millenium Bridge) besides the Expo 2008 area, goes parallel to the Ebro river until the neighbourhood of La Cartuja and come back besides the Imperial Canal.

The shortest way is 30,5 km going and return.

Is it possible to made part of it?

Obviously yes.
As you can see in this map, a great deal of the Ring is between (or near) built neighbourhoods, so you can have a look to tramway or bus map and choose just a little stretch.

Be aware that to the neighbourhood of La Cartuja, the bus number 25 arrives every 12 minutes aprox. so you can go walking and returning by bus.
Starting in the eastern side of the ring besides the city and near the river, you can reach there with buses 24, 30 or 44.
Starting (or finishing) near the eastern side besides the Canal, you can reach there with buses 31 and 42 for instance. This will make easy your walk because you will not need to make a 35 km journey, just some of them outside the city but near it.

Are they more branches?

Of course. And it is a pity but it is not fully built. In the western side there is an alternative path crossing the "Parque Metropolitano del Agua Luis Buñuel" (Luis Buñuel Metropolitan Water Park)
There is another branch to the north, besides the Gallego river.

In a lot of newspapers dealers you will be able to buy a guide about it, but it requires few indications.

What will I find?

A lot of cityscapes but also landscapes.

Just some photos OUTSIDE the city (I just link some photos inside the city, most of them are in the nearby
but not inside the city)


Going to La Cartuja besides the Ebro river (as can be seen, you can make it with a mountain bike too)

You will depart next to the houses in the eastern side of the city (neighbourhood of Las Fuentes) and walk close to the river. Motorway will be crossed by a pass under it.

This brigde is not "inside" the inner ring but 500 meters away. I suggest you to cross it (only pedestrians or bikes).
It is very near La Cartuja, well indicated and no confusions.
Should you continue, you will arrive to the narutal area of La Alfranca

The Imperial Canal has several "locks". They were made to help little boats sailing there.

Returning from  La Cartuja besides the Imperial Canal you will find the Valdegurrianda locks (Esclusas de Valdegurriana)

and inside Zaragoza the "Fuente de los Incredulos" (Spectic fountain) and Casablanca locks

The "Sceptic Fountain" (Fuente de Los Incrédulos, I would advice you to ask about that name to someone in Zaragoza) has this sentence in Latin
"Incredulorum convictioni et viatorum commodo." Anno MDCCLXXXVI

which means "for convicting sceptics and a rest for travellers", Year 1786.

It was built to show that a Canal was possible to arrive to Zaragoza by Ramon Pignatelli

and some more pics inside the city:

This is an old stretch for railway to Teruel and Valencia in Oliver neighbourhood. Nowadays the train goes outside the city and this side was refurbished to have a walk. It is part of the inner ring.

As you can see, lamps seems to be over a catenary and a lot of details over the promenade remember to a railway lane.

AND REMEMBER. IT IS TOO LONG. YOU CAN WALK ONLY FOR A WHILE COMMUTING WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORT. I HAVE POSTED ONLY PHOTOS OUTSIDE THE CITY BUT INSIDE IT IT WORTHS TOO!!!

Arriving by plane to Zaragoza

Airport: Arriving by plane to Zaragoza

Zaragoza has not a big airport. It was refurbished in 2008 because the international exhibition but you will not see many international flights and almost all of them low cost.
Being a city located about 300 km away from Madrid airport, Barcelona airport, Valencia and Bilbao (and a little more to Toulouse) it is quite easy to arrive there with more destinations and frequencies and transfer to train.

But it is possible to arrive by plane.

Which international destinations do we have?

Today there are only two companies with international destinations: Ryanair and Wizz-Air.
Ryanair flyes Charleroi (Brussels), Stansted (London) and Beauvois (Paris) three or four times per week and to Bergamo (Milano) everyday (it could be the unique non base-to-base RYR flight daily).

Wizz-Air flyes to Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca twice per week.

Both of them are low cost companies and have the typical baggage, check-in, etc... restrictions. Have a look in their webs.

There are other domestic direct destinations.

How can I move from airport to city centre?

In a weekly day, fare with all supplements Airport-City centre would be 25 EUR for a taxi.

There is a bus service that runs every 30 minutes (60 minutes on sundays). and takes you from airport to station and city centre. It costs 1,85 EUR/person.

It will go via a logistic area and shopping centre (they have more passengers than airport and thanks to them we have these frequencies. Airport is only the last stop). They will stop at the station. Take notice. Direction centre they will stop at Departures area and direction airport they will stop at the Arrivals area. That will help anyone who arrives to Zaragoza (arrivals area) and want to take a bus to airport or conversely.

At city centre they have the terminus in P. Maria Agustin 7.

These are current timetables. You can have a look
http://www.consorciozaragoza.es/docs/lineas/doc/1358345626.pdf

Where can I find information?

At the airport there is a tourism office, managed both by Zaragoza council and Aragon government so you will find enough information about each destination. Be almost sure that you would be able to buy there all official tickets you would want.
It opens 10:00 to 21:00 monday to sunday except Christmas and New Year's day.

Can I find more flights?

Yes. There are not too many direct flights but in holiday seasons you can find charter flights. It is an aiport located in a city between important hubs. People do not use it for business because destinations and frequencies but they use it for holidays.
Have a look for season destinations or sometimes a flight to be operated only in some dates.


Apart of it, thanks to Zaragoza location (about 30 million people in 350 km around considering almost all Spain and southern France), Zaragoza airport will not have too many passenger flights but it is the second airport in freight in Spain, after Madrid airport and more freight than other ones.

Update: Free internet at Zaragoza airport

Foreing currencies in Zaragoza, credit cards and taxes

Foreing currencies in Zaragoza, credit cards and taxes

Are you coming from somewhere without the Euro currency?. Here there is some useful information

Are foreing currencies accepted?

No. I must say I haven't seen yet any shop, store, restaurant, etc... with double prices (in euro and other currencies). Even if before Euro, all prices were in Pesetas. Now, having this currency and with almost all foreing visitors from those countries it will not be easy to find somewhere to be accepted to pay with other currency.

Think in euros if you are going to pay a taxi from the airport or the station or just asking something there.

Where can I change my foreing currencies?

Bank offices (usually open 8:15 to 14:30 monday to friday and thursday evenings) will change almost all kind of foreing currencies with their fees... but I would say they have the lowest change fees.

Today there are not too many places just to change money as far as with the Euro you can go from Portugal to Greece, Estonia or Finland.

Some main hotels will change you money too (maybe higher rates) but open 24h.

Are credit cards available?

Yes... but let's say that mainly VISA and Mastercard (or someone joined).
In every restaurant, shop or anywhere they accept them it will be written in the main gate the name of the cards accepted.
Take notice that VISA (in all his versions) will be accepted almost anywhere but American Express is not common (I've seen some pics where they say they accept but not too many).

Ask to your credit card company about charges because using abroad and (if apply) using with Euro currency.

As a rule, if it is indicated that a credit card is accepted, the shop, restaurant, etc... must accept it, even if the system is down. They should have a back-up (but if it is down, be sure that paying in cash, it doesn't matter the amount, will be faster, faster, faster)

Ask to your credit card about charges if asking money in cash dispensers. Depending of the amount, and the days you will be in Zaragoza it could be faster and cheaper just using your credit card and asking for money in a cash dispenser.
Almost all cash dispenser will allow you to choose the language when they detect a foreing card, English included.

Which taxes should I have to pay?

Taxes will be included almost always in the final price. The common expression is PVP (precio venta publico = Price selling to public) which means that regular taxes are incluided.
In some restaurants or hotels they can say taxes not included. In that case consider a 10% more.

VAT is 10% for hotels, restaurants and some other goods and 21% for almost all things.
Anything you will buy in Zaragoza will include the 21%.

There will be some shops, mainly the biggest ones, where they will say that with a minimum of purchasing they will manage your VAT refund
Depending of your site of residence you can avoid this tax. You will pay full price but if it is not used at Spain and you have the invoice, you can declare at customs when leaving Spain. Your good will be duty free (and entering in your country will require to pay local taxes then). But you will be able to send to the custom office in Spain the invoice (it is not an easy and quick thing) and ask for tax refund.
If buying in several main great stores or some shops they can manage your tax refund but, first of all, they will need the custom paper.
Even if you find it surprising, it apply too for Canary islands, Ceuta and Melilla citizens as far as they have different local taxes.

Shopping inside Zaragoza: "other streets".

Shopping inside Zaragoza: "other streets".

Zaragoza can be the city in Spain with more shopping centres per inhabitant. And city centre has several streets with a lot of shops.

But not all shops are in city centre.

We want to talk about one shopping street "different", where you will not see too many tourism but has something special

Delicias street

Calle Delicias (Delicias street... or if you want the awful translation written somewhere "Street Delights" which seems to be translated with an online program) is the street that names an important neighbourhood, in fact, the one with more population.

It is a cobbled and pedestrian street with a lot of shops. And you will find nice prices there.

What kind of shops can I find there?

Almost all kind of shops, never mind if about clothes, furniture, food, technology, toys, etc... There is only one detail. No major shopping companies use to have there a shop or something like that (there are exceptions, of course). This is, you will find clothes or furniture shops but no one with that "well known" name. They are usually small shops that will make the same service... and usually cheaper rather than in shopping centre or city centre.
Reason is clear... it is one of cheapest neighbourhood for living and a hire for a shop is not expensive, so prices will be cheaper. Furthermore, it is not the richest neirghbourhood. Shops will check prices for their major customers... and you will find interesting things there.

Be sure you will find almost all you would want to buy being at Zaragoza and cheaper.

Just take notice about they are shops not used to receive tourism so English will not be spoken (maybe in those managed by Asian people, but not used).

Anyway it worths to walk around this street. It is not in a touristic area but the whole street worths.

How can I arrive there?

Easily by bus.
If you have the Touristic bus ticket, stop at Zaragoza railway station is the nearest, despite it is about 1 km away.

You can take any other line to reach there. For instance, western side (Av. Madrid) can be reached by lines 32, 33, 21, etc... (doesn't matter the number, just take a look at www.tuzsa.es and look for the line nearest to your origin) and eastern side (Av. Duquesa Villahermosa) can be reached by line 38 or 22.

Remember that with Zaragoza card you have some bus or tramway included in the card and no need to pay the bus if using that card.

And... there is a surprise in the middle of the street.

There was one little corner where they made a "vertical garden". Similar to those New York gardens, it is a 800m path in several flats with a lot of vegetation that can be walked and enjoyed.

There is no need to look for it. You will find it exactly in the middle of the street.

Just have some views:

A cityscape view from El Pilar

A cityscape view from El Pilar

Do you want to have a cityscape view?. It is quite easy going to El Pilar and using the lift.

Several cityscapes in Zaragoza

There are not many cityscape views in Zaragoza, indeed. It is a large city but without many skyscrapers so you will not find the typical skyline.
Apart of some high appartment buildings I've raised three ones: El Pilar, which is about we are going to talk about; San Pablo (and no lift... just stairs), and the Business Office.

For the last two ones, ask in tourism for having a scenic view.
In the case of El Pilar, they have their own schedule.

El Pilar towers

El Pilar has been one of the most longest works in Zaragoza. There is a proverb that says "it takes longer than El Pilar works". And they are not wrong. Last tower was built in the second half of 20th century!!.
This tower, the nearest to Puente de Santiago, has a lift and you can reach it to have a scenic view

Timetables and prices

Winter: 10:00 to 13:30 and 16:00 to 17:30
Summer: 9:30 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00

And ask about what is "summer" and what is "winter" (this is, which is the date they will change the timetable).
What it is real is that it doesn't worth to have a scenic while night (and in December at 17:45 is absolutely night).

Nevertheless I would recommend you to go in the morning because the light in order to take some photos.

Price is 3 euro per person in any case.

and... it is opened everyday. Take notice because not all monuments open daily, and you can plan your  visit

Is it the highest point in Zaragoza?

Yes... and no at the same time.

The top, top of that tower pinnacle is the highest point for any building in the city.
Despite it, the Water tower (Torre del Agua) has a heigh very close... and if you had been in the top of it, you would have stayed higher than El Pilar tower.

Anyway, surely it is the highest, highest point in the city centre.


Some pictures?

Yes, of course.

Take a look