Arcadia Spain

Last Friday students taking the SPAN350 Spain Today course had the opportunity to visit Zaragoza, a city in the province of Aragon where they discover its gastronomy, history and culture.

Founded as an outpost of the Roman Empire in 24 B.C., its original name of Cesaraugusta eventually became Zaragoza. Its narrow, cobbled streets form a seemingly haphazard layout as they wind their way between defensive walls and Roman baths; archways and palaces, mostly built between the 16th and 17th centuries, such as La Lonja; spectacular churches and small, hidden squares that evoke the glorious past of bygone days. The oldest part of the city is a veritable treasure trove of architectural wonders, but the grandest and most significant must surely be the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, the great Baroque temple that symbolizes Zaragoza and houses many priceless works of art. Thanks to the explanations of the tour guide they get to know the most emblematic sites of the city and its history. Did you know that its historical downtown is the second biggest in Spain? That the Basilica del Pilar is the only Cristian building in the world having Taoist symbology? Or that the Aljafería Palace is the Arab palace located in the northernmost part of the world?

They also had the chance to taste the famous churros con chocolate (delicious!) for breakfast and typical dishes of the region for lunch, like migas! Migas is a dish that includes day-old bread soaked in water, garlic, chorizo and bacon served with grapes. It’s really worth to taste!