The city of Zaragoza originally started as a settlement around a Roman colony which was founded in the year 24 a.C. by Caesar Augustus. After the Moorish conquest of Spain in the VIII century, the city, now called Medina Albaida Sarakosta, became the capital of a taifa, or a small independent Muslim principality. In 1118, the city was reconquered from the Moors by Alfonso I, the Battler, and the now-Christian city became the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. Later, under the great Ferdinand II, the Catholic King, the University of Zaragoza was founded. During the War of Independence (1808-1814) Zaragoza withstood two sieges of invading French troops, and later in the XIX century it became a destination for immigrants who flocked from the country to Zaragoza's splendorous developing industries. Population: 666,129

Tourist Information: Plaza del Pilar Tourist Office, Plaza del Pilar ( 976 39 35 37). Open daily November to March from 10:00 to 20:00, April to October from 9:00 to 21:00. Guided tours to Basilica del Pilar at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 16:30, 17:30 and 18:30. Delicias Station Tourist Office, Avenida de Rioja, 33 ( 976 32 44 68). Open daily from 9:00 to 20:00, April to October from 9:00 to 21:00. Torreón de La Zuda Tourist Office, Glorieta Pío XII / Avenida César Augusto ( 976 20 12 00). Open November to March Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:30 to 20:00, Sunday 10:00 to 14:00, April to October from 9:00 to 21:00. Zaragoza Airport Tourist Office ( 976 78 01 44). Open daily from 9:00 to 20:00, April to October from 9:00 to 21:00. More information at www.zaragozaturismo.es

Weather: Cold and windy winters and warm summers with average precipitation along the whole year. This is the current weather:

Telephones: Zaragoza code number is 976, even necessary for local calls. For international calls dial 00 plus the country code you wish to call. Public telephones works with coins and prepaid cards on sale at newsagents. For telephone information dial 11888 or 11822.

Airport: Zaragoza Airport - ZAZ is 9 km southeast from the city ( 976 712 300) linked by A-2 and N-125, both from A-68 motorway. Zaragoza-airport bus ( 976 554 588 / 976 229 343) run through Paseo de Pamplona, 19 - Plaza de San Francisco - Paseo de Isabel la Católica (Chamber of Commerce) - Vía Hispanidad, 100 - Memory-Imaginarium roundabout - Inditex roundabout (price 1.70 €).

Train Station: Delicias Station, Rioja, 33 ( 902 49 06 90). 27, 34, 36, 42, 51, 52, Ci1 y Ci2. AVE trains offer 14 dailyhigh speed services to Madrid and takes 1 hour 20 minutes (price 39.60 €).

Bus Station: Central Bus Station, in the Zaragoza-Delicias Station, Rioja, 33 ( 976 70 05 99 - 902 49 06 90).

Public Transport: TUZSA buses ( 902 39 20 08) operate from 5:30 to 23:30, with 7 night lines from 1:00 to 5:30 starting at Plaza de Aragón, Paseo Independencia and Plaza Pamplona. Single ticket cost 1 € and free at night.

Tarjeta BUS initial purchase is 7 € (2 € as a deposit), using as an electronic wallet. Ticket price will be deduced from its initial charge at 0.60 €, allowing changes to other bus lines during 1 hour (on purchase at supermarkets, banks, kiosks and Tuzsa office at Independencia Big Store). There are 30 day (abono 30) and 90 day (abono 90) cards for 35.36 € and 86.33 € (64.75 € under 26).

Taxis: Fare 1 applies weekdays from 6:00 to 22:00, with a start fare of 1.39 € plus 0.63 € each kilometre and minimun charge of 2.25 €. Fare 2 applies weekdays from 22:00 to 6:00, Saturday from 15:00 to 24:00 and 24 hours Sunday and bank days, with a start fare of 2.09 € plus 0.94 € each kilometre and minimun charge of 3 €. Our of the city services applies different fares. Airport supplement 4.52 €, Feria de muestras 3 € and Delicias station 0.75 €. Auto Taxi, 976 75 15 15. Radio Taxi Zaragoza, 976 42 42 42. Radio Taxi Aragón, 976 38 38 38.

Parking: Street parking is controlled by parking meters: orange for residents and blue for visitors, which operate Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 20:00. Price for visitors on orange spaces are 0.20 € for 20 minutes, 0.70 € for 45 minutes and 1 € for 1 hour; on blue spaces 0.20 € for 20 minutes, 0.55 € for 1 hour and 1.10 € for 2 hours.

Bicycles: The new public transport system in Zaragoza is called Bizi which more than 1,000 bicycles in 100 stations. The service is operational 365 days a year during the following times: from Monday to Thursday 6.00 am to midnight, Fridays and the night before bank holidays from 6.00 am to 1.00 am, Saturdays from 8.00 am to 1.00 am, Sundays and bank holidays from 8.00 am to midnight. Sign up via internet or temporary pass at any station (with a mobile phone and credit card). Anual pass cost 20 € and 3 day pass 5 €. Fractions of thirty minutes cost 0,50 € (first fraction is free) with a maximum of 2 hours.

Medical Assistance: Lozano Blesa University Hospital, Avenida San Juan Bosco, 15 ( 976 76 57 00). Miguel Servet Hospital, Paseo de Isabel La Católica, 1-3 ( 976 76 55 00). Royo Villanova Hospital, Avenida San Gregorio, 30 ( 976 74 26 62).

Pharmacies: Auba Enrique, Avenida César Augusto, 94. Barrau Diaus, Avenida Independencia, 25. Bosqued Lacambra, Avenida Independencia, 16. Buesa Oliver, Gran Vía, 41. Calvo Esponera, Paseo María Agustín, 21-23. Castillo Tejada, Avenida Cataluña, 152. Ester González, Paseo Pamplona, 1. Blasco Ramón, Miguel Servet, 69. Cisneros Aisa, Avenida América, 2. Gasco Lagunas, Paseo de la Constitución, 6.

Emergencies: All the emergencies: 112; Medical Service: 061; National Police: 091; Local Police: 092; Firemen: 080.

Restaurants: Las Palomas, Plaza del Pilar with Don Jaime I ( bus 23, 27, 28, 29, 34, 36, 43 & 45). Plentiful buffet with high variety and a selection of tapas. Very crowded on weekends. They've got another another establishment on town. Las Lanzas, Avenida César Augusto, 13 ( bus 28, 34, 35 & 45). Spanish cuisine specialized in Aragon's gastronomy. 24 Kilates, Arzobispo Apaolaza, 22 ( bus 20, 30, 35, 40, 45, 53 & C3). Traditional cuisine specialized in spoon dishes. Alta Taberna del Mono Loco, Paseo Pamplona, 17 ( bus 25, 27, 28, 41, 43, 48 & 53). Shellfish and traditional cuisine mixing seasonal products with the "New cuisine". La Prima Nonna, Av. Cesar Augusto, 27, access through Peromarta ( bus 28, 34, 35 & 45). Italian restaurant where you could enjoy a good pizza. Antiguo Tabernillas, Inocencio Jiménez, 3-5 ( bus 21, 23, 28, 30, 33, 35, 38, 40, 43, 48 & 52). Market cuisine in one of the busiest and most antique business of Zaragoza. They have more establishments around the town. Asador de Aranda, Arquitecto Magdalena, 6 ( bus 21, 23, 28, 30, 33, 35, 38, 40, 43, 48 & 52). Typical castilian rotisserie. Bodegón Azoque, Marqués de Casa Jiménez, 6 ( bus 21, 23, 28, 30, 33, 35, 38, 40, 43, 48 & 52). Since 2004 the offer international cuisine with a huge variety of tapas. Café Urola, San Juan de la Cruz, 9 ( bus 20, 24, 30, 35, 40, 45 & 53). Basque restaurante with a huge variety of tapas at reasonable prices.

Pubs & Clubs: Canterbury, Av. César Augusto, 30 ( bus 28, 34, 35 & 45). Probably the most popular bar in Zaragoza. They manage another two pubs in Romareda and Actur areas and isn't difficult to find it crowded. La Pascualilla, Contamina, 9 ( bus 23, 27, 28, 29, 34, 36, 43 & 45). A cosy place at the city center open Thursday to Sunday from 23:30. Drinks&Pool, Cesáreo Alierta, 18 ( bus 25, 51 & 52). A pub and billiards club where you could also have breakfast or have a coffee on the afternoons. Flaherty, Alfonso I, 39 ( bus 23, 27, 28, 29, 34, 36, 43 & 45). Irish pub with relaxed ambient to enjoy a good pint. Cuore Lounge Club, Reina Fabiola, 37 ( bus Ci1 & Ci2). Avant-garde decoration and cool ambience in a place that opens daily from 18:00. Lopez, Sixto Celorrio, 2 ( bus 36, 48 & 50). With an impressive views from the Pilar Cathedral, this tecno/house club offers an excellent atmosphere. Sala Oasis, Basilio Boggiero, 28 ( bus 22, 32, 33, 36 & 52). Old cabaret restructured as a discotheque with partys and concerts every week. Centrick Club Cafe, Arquitecto Magdalena, 8 ( bus 25, 51 & 52). Two floors club with house and funky music, and, sometimes, singer-songwriter concerts, next to plaza de los Sitios. El Plata, Cuatro de Agosto ( bus 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 33, 43 & 52). The legendary cabaret, reopened again. Daily shows from 16:00. Mombasa Café, Cuatro de Agosto ( bus 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 33, 43 & 52). Next to the last one, Mombasa is one of the new clubs open as an imitation to the African colonial coffee-shops. Impressive decoration and low lights. La Diosa, Cesáreo Alierta, 133 ( bus 25, 44, 51 & 52). Next to Príncipe Felipe Sports Pavillion, southeast from the city center, this is reference macro-club in town. Gangs of beautiful people and long queues waiting for dancing until the morning.

Gay venues: Fangorya, Fita, 11 ( bus bus 20, 30, 40 & 45). One of the reference in the Zaragoza scene for gay and lesbian community- Friday & Saturday nights are "the nights". Versus, Doctor Horno, 25 ( bus 20 & 21). The most popular site in the city. Coffee-shop during the day hours and club at Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights. Urano, Fita, 9 ( bus 20, 30, 40 & 45). One of the oldest gay clubs in town. They offer weekly shows and light effects from Thursday to Sunday starting at 23:00.

Times changes, timetables and prices vary continuously, attractions that were once interesting are no longer so a year later, and others that were not even mentioned become a must in no time. For this reason, at infoidiomas.com we are always updating and we would be grateful if our clients would tell us about details and information that has become obsolete. We will acknowledge them by publishing their names in future editions.

Still standing on Avenida César Augusto are the massive ancient Roman walls that used to surround the city. Made of mortar filler on the inside and huge alabaster and chalk slabs on the outside, these walls were as much as seven meters thick in places. Just beside this remaining section of wall stands a statue of Emperor Augustus which is actually a bronze replica of the Augustus statue at Prima Porta; this statue was given to Zaragoza as a gift from the Italian government back in the 1940s. The thermal baths -on San Juan and San Pedro, 3-7- were built in the I century b.C. and discovered in 1982 ( bus 21, 22, 30, 35, 36, 40 & 45; Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 21:00 and on Sunday from 9:00 to 14:00; adults 2 €, students 1,50 €). East of the Avenida César Augusto -on San Jorge, 12- the Teatro de Caesaraugusta (Caesar Augustus Theatre) was started in the I century during the rule of Tiberius and finished at a later date, today a museum ( bus 21, 22, 30, 35, 36, 40 & 45; Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 21:00 and on Sundays and holidays from 9:00 to 14:00; adults 3 €, students 2 €). Most of the remains from the Roman period are on display in the Museo del Foro de Caesaraugusta (Caesar Augustus Forum Museum) -at Plaza de la Seo, 2- in a building erected on the grounds of the forum itself ( bus 21, 22, 30, 35, 36, 40 & 45; Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 21:00 and on Sunday from 9:00 to 14:00; adults 2 €, students 1,50 €). A part of the western two porticos and the tavern as well as two buildings located at the southwestern and northeastern corners are what remain of the forum, a building which used to connect the colony with the port. The Museo del Puerto Fluvial (River Port Museum) -on Plaza de San Bruno, 8- where the colonial port used to be, contains many of the historical artefacts related to Zaragoza's Ebro River during the Roman period, when it was navigable from Dertosa (today called Tortosa) to Vareia in the neighboring province of Logroño ( bus 21, 22, 30, 35, 36, 40 & 45; Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 21:00 and on Sunday from 9:00 to 14:00; adults 2 €, students 1,50 €; a single ticket allowing access to the Forum, the Thermas Baths, the River Port and the Caesar Augustus Theatre costs 6 € for adults or 4.50 € for students).

By the Plaza del Pilar is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, one of the most important sanctuaries devoted to the Virgin Mary in the Catholic World. Visited by thousands of pilgrims a year, it is a treasured example of Baroque art designed by the local architect Felipe Sánchez and later revised by Francisco Herrera the younger, Spanish King Carlos II's architect. Later work by Ventura Rodríguez gave a decisively neoclassic look to the Basilica's interior; he designed the Holy Chapel (Santa Capilla) and the Choir (Coreto) after 1750 ( bus 23, 27, 28, 29, 34, 36, 43 & 45; the Basilica has a winter timetable, during which it is open on weekdays from 6:45 to 20:30 and on holidays from 6:45 to 21:30, and a summer timetable, during which it is open every day from 5:45 to 21:30, free entrance; the Museum is open from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00, 2 €; the Bell Tower is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00, 2 €).

In all directions from the Plaza del Pilar, there are historical landmarks to see. West of the Plaza is the Zuda tower, a mudejar structure built in the X century ( Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 20:00 and on Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00, and from July 1 to October 16 open every day from 10:00 to 20:00). North of the Plaza is the stone bridge over the Ebro River and the Renaissance Merchants' Market (Lonja de Mercaderes) ( Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00 and on Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00). West of the Plaza is San Salvador Cathedral, known locally as the Seo, a XII century mudejar-styled building ( on summer Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:30, Saturday from 10:00 to 12:30 and 15:00 to 18:30 and Sunday from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:30, on winter Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 18:30, Saturday from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 16:00 to 18:30, and Sunday from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 16:00 to 18:30; adults 2 €, under 18 y.o. 1 €) and also Deacon's Arch and the Deacon's House, which was the seat of the Cathedral Chapter in the XIII century.

Leaving the Plaza del Pilar towards the east, we find the Magdalena Church, located several blocks away in the plaza of the same name ( bus 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 33, 43 & 52); this mudejar style building dates from the first half of the XIV century. Several blocks from the Plaza del Pilar towards the south, one finds several Renaissance buildings, including the Huarte House -on Calle Dormer- which is where the Zaragoza Province archives are kept, the Miguel Don Lope House -Calle Dormer, 21- built in the XVI century, and the Aguilar House -on Espoz y Mina, 23- which currently houses the Camón Aznar Museum ( bus 23, 27, 28, 29, 34, 36, 43 y 45; Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:30 and from 17:00 to 21:00, Sunday from 10:00 to 14:30). To the southwest of the Plaza del Pilar is the Church of Santa Isabel, a XVII century building located on the Plaza del Justicia, 1. In the vicinity is the Church of San Felipe, a XVII century Baroque church located in the Plaza de San Felipe, and the Church of San Pablo -at San Pablo, 42- a mudejar building erected in the XIV century to replace the earlier Romanesque chapel of San Blas. A short walk from there is the Aljafería Palace, a Hispanic-Muslim style building -in Calle Diputados- where the Aragon Autonomous Government is located actually ( bus 21, 31, 32, 33, 36 & 52; daily from April 1 to October 15 from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 20:00, with guided tours of the building leaving at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 16:30, 17:30 and 18:30; during the rest of the year open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 18:30 and on Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00, with guided tours leaving at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 16:30 and 17:30; adults 3 €, students 1 €).

Located just to the south, in the square bearing its same name, is the Portillo Church, a Baroque building whose original construction was associated with a miracle performed by the Virgin, who reportedly saved the city from a Moorish attack in 1137 ( bus 22, 32, 33, 36 & 52). Once again on the eastern side of the city we find the old Hospital Real y General de Nuestra Señora de Gracia (the Our Lady of Grace Royal and General Hospital), a paupers' hospital promoted by Archbishop Diego de Castrillo located at Ramón y Cajal, 60 ( bus 28, 34, 35 & 45). Next to the hospital, on Avenida César Augusto, 21, is the Church of San Ildefonso, a baroque building erected in the XVII century which was only half-finished as a result of Mendizábal's 1835 disenfranchisement of the Church. In the immediate vicinity of the Church are two Renaissance palaces: the Arguillo Palace, located in the Plaza de San Felipe, 3, which houses the Pablo Gargallo Museum ( bus 23, 27, 28, 29, 34, 36, 43 & 45; Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 21:00 and on Sunday from 9:00 to 14:00; free) and the Sastago Palace -in Calle del Coso- which was built in the XVI century but has recently been converted into an exhibit hall. In the nearby Plaza de los Sitios, we find the monument to Napoleon's sieges of Zaragoza and the City Museum, built for the Spanish-French Exhibition of 1908 by the architects Ricardo Magdalena and Julio Bravo ( bus 21, 23, 28, 30, 33, 35, 38, 40, 43 & 48; Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00 and on Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00; free). Still further south and beyond the Plaza de Aragón, we find the Justice monument, and a short distance from this at the end of the Gran Vía, Primo de Rivera Park known as Big Park. The park is worth a visit, particularly the Music Kiosk which dates back to 1908, the Monument to Alfonso I, the Battler, and the Princess' Fountain, also known as Neptune's Fountain ( bus 42, 141, C5 & Ci1).

Zaragoza World Expo was hold in 2008 in the banks of Ebro river northwest from the city center. Main buildings are the Bridge Pavillion over the river, designed by the british-iraq architect Zaha Hadid; the modern Copngress Palace next to the bridge; the Water Tower a 70 meter tall tower built on a platform shaped like a drop of water; and the River Aquarium, the biggest sweet water aquarium in Europe which takes visitors on a tour of five of the planet's greatest rivers: the Ebro, the Nile, the Saint Laurence, the Amazon and the Darwin rivers ( bus 48, Ci1 & Ci2; weekends & holidays from 11:00 to 18:00).

Tourist Office recomends the use of Zaragoza Card, which allows free access to museums and monuments in the city, unlimited use of sightseeing buses and discounts on restaurants, shopping and hotels. Prices for 1, 2 & 3 days are 15, 20 & 24 €, allowing 5, 7 & 9 trips on TUZSA buses. It is sold on tourist offices, travel agents and main hotels.