Author: Grace in the World

I’ve been living in Zaragoza, Spain for six months and after hosting a few visitors and doing ample exploring it seems a good time to share some of my favorites in the city. Zaragoza is located between Madrid and Barcelona. It is easy to reach by train or bus and also has a small airport with connections to London, Brussels, Paris, Milan and more. Zaragoza is far less touristy than its neighbors but I believe it offers easy access to Spanish culture and acts as a gateway to the beautiful Spanish Pyrenees (just a short two hour drive North). 

WHERE TO STAY

Check out Airbnb & aim for anything in the “Casco Antiguo” area. I live in El Gancho, another older part of town just next to the center which is an up-and-coming neighborhood rich in diversity and home to some of the best tapas in town on Calle San Pablo (check out Taberna El Broquel, Los Faroles Taberna, Lo llevas crudo, Bar Gilda and Bar Pollería San Pablo). Excellent wine selection at Casa Perdiguer if you’d like something to take home afterwards. The Parish Church of San Pablo gives the area its name (meaning “the hook”) and The Espacio Las Armas cultural center offers many events with music, local craft shopping on the weekends (see Zaragena for event info). Lastly, for gluten-free goodies La Mar de Cookies bakery and in case you need to make a run to the pharmacy, Farmacia San Pablo (Moral Gomaz/Jorge Moral) has a beautiful vintage interior.

THINGS TO DO | PLACES TO SEE, BE

1. Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar “The Pilar” – the GIANT cathedral, you won’t miss it and go inside- it’s free! Look for the two holes in the ceiling from bombings (three bombs were dropped none exploded the third spot is marked by an X on the ground and is located in front of the cathedral in the Plaza of Pilar) and art by Francisco Goya on the ceiling (the work is unfinished in the rear of the building). Finally, go up the Tower “Torre de Pilar” for views of the multicolored roof of Pilar + the city. The viewpoint from Puente de Piedra is great for a photo.
2. The Aljafería Palace (free on Sundays) takes my breath away. I love the inner garden and the park surrounding, the tour is in Spanish but you can ask for an English audio guide.
3. “La Seo” (Iglesia Parroquial del Salvador la Seo) doesn’t look as impressive as Pilar for the outside but inside you’ll find a wonder for the eyes.
4. Parque Grande is a beautiful getaway from the busy center and easy to access by Tram (go to the the Emperador Carlos V stop – the tram going towards Mago de Oz if you’re coming from the center of the city)*
5. Zaragoza’s museums are decent and without the lines of those in Madrid or Barcelona, the structures are most impressive to me at CaixaForum (check out the rooftop) and IAACC Pablo Serrano (free!). When visiting the Museo Pablo Gargallo start on the top floor and work your way down. 

   

   

   

   

6. The aquarium genuinely impressed me (its a river aquarium- unique since most I’ve visited are marine) and is in a very unique part of the city with neat buildings, an area to see. Perhaps some fine dining to follow at Celebris?
7. Check out the outdoor viewpoint at Museo del Teatro de Caesaragusta to see roman roots in the center of the city or

*note that you can but a tram card at any Prensa kiosk for 10 euros which is fine to share amongst a group and brings tram/bus tickets down to 70 centers per ride. Scan your card upon entering and note this doesn’t work for the bus to/from the airport but will for all others within the city. 

The most exciting time to visit the city is in the fall for the Fiestas del Pilar. During the biggest celebration of the year in the city you’ll find music and events happening all over the city all week. The famous Cierzo wind is a force to be reckoned with but weather is generally mild in fall (September through early November) and spring (March through May).

SHOPPING

All of the major Spanish brands (El Corte Ingles, Zara, Mango/Mango Outlet, Pull and Bear, Stradivarius, Oysho, Decathlon, Bimba y Lola, Ulanka…) can be found along Paseo de Las Damas. Grab some food afterwards at Ric 27. Tequila Sunset is my favorite boutique.

EAT

My two favorite picks for sit-down style dining are Nolasco and Baobab.

Start every morning with a Spanish BREAKFAST! Here in ZGZ I find more people eating croissants with their coffee (last year in Murcia it was always toast with tomato). Since the Spanish breakfast of bread (churros/croissant/toast w jam or crushed tomato) + coffee with milk “cafe con leche” + fresh orange juice is pretty solid everywhere I go for a nice ambiance to start the day. Check out Doña Hipólita (great for brunch/has a good selection of cakes too!), Gran Café or Café Botánico. For BRUNCH La Clandestina Cafe. A few other great cafes are Marianela, La Bendita and Koalalumpur. El Criollo is also a local favorite coffee spot. Masa Madre has great baked goods.

LUNCH is the biggest meal of the day. Get a menú del día (three course meal) some good vegetarian spots for this are Baobab and La Retama.

TAPAS

you have so many great spots to choose from! Some favorites: El Champi (yummy mushrooms and beer), best croquettes in town = Taberna Doña Casta, gorgeous interior Meli del Tubo, local feel El Angel Del Pincho, CHEESE Bar Estudios, Vegetarian + craft brews Birosta.

On Thursdays check out Juepinchos a tapas event from 8-10PM where around 50 different cafes offer a drink (wine/beer/water) + tapa for just 2 euros! Top picks include Alma Criolla Empanada Bar, Barrio Sur and Bar Gallo.

Fine dining in the center– Casa Lac.

DRINK

Go for cocktails at Umalas, Chilimango or Moonlight Experimental Bar, shots at Espit Chupitos or craft beers at Hoppy, Beer Corner or Taberna Craft Beer Ordio Minero.

Sip wine at La Bodeguita Real on a cool day or at Terrace Rincón de Goya in Parque Grande any sunny day.

My neighborhood natural grocery store is Biokenzo, pick up some food at Pasta Fresca de Zecchi and go for the rest of your groceries at any Mercadona (my favorite supermarket chain). 

NIGHTLIFE

I have yet to check it out but I heard good things about El Plata Cabaret (and their patio is a great spot to sip some drinks on warm evenings)

Salsoteca El Sol – free Salsa dancing classes Wednesday through Saturday

I moved to Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain this year and want to share my favorite weekend escape: the Spanish Pyrenees

You’ll want a car (rent from the Zaragoza airport or train station) to fully enjoy the area but it is possible to get to Jaca by train or bus.

I’ll start with my favorite: Broto

This village is an easy escape from the city (just about an hour North of Huesca) and sits near Ordesa y Monte de Perdido National Park. (I actually haven’t even ventured into the park yet – the hiking trails are abundant around the village and neighboring Torla so I have yet to expand into the NP territory)

Why Broto? Torla is its slightly more popular neighbor, the gateway to the national park aka the first stop for tourists. So in my typical fashion I look for the next closest spot and there Broto is found.

Another good option (if you aren’t staying for more than one night/the above option minimum) is Hotel Latre.

There’s a great pizza place called Pizzería la Tea and a Spanish spot, Restaurante Arazasara R.

Be sure to check out the Cascada de Sorrosal (waterfall)

There are many hiking trails accessible from town so you can leave your car at the parking lot for the falls then head in any direction until you find a path (or consult a map  or/and a local). Note that you will likely run into many cows!

For a new view drive 10 mins North and park at the tourist center in Torla. I didn’t care for the town much (too touristy for me) but there are dozens of hiking options both from town (just cross the bridge) or just along the road en route to O y MP NP! I recommend you pack a picnic and climb to the tip top of one of those mountains for stellar views.

Broto feels like a dream escape for me and I hope you enjoy it to the fullest.

For an alternate expedition you can explore the city of Jaca and find many more great hikes around Villanúa and Canfranc-Estación.

I love love love LOVE Switzerland. Part of that has to be the company of my amazing friend and host Arta (who I met at a hostel in Costa Rica and instantly knew I loved), but it is a place that makes me feel happy in just about every moment. Starting with the basics- the air and the water are unbelievably pure. I honestly miss breathing there.

There are public water fountains all around Zürich. Be sure to bring a reusable water bottle when you go (or just buy something in a glass bottle once you get there then reuse it) because the free, unlimited Evian-esque refreshment can’t be missed.

Another thing that cannot be missed is the chocolate. We literally went directly to the store and bought all of the kinds following my arrival at the airport. My top grocery store picks: Ragusa (dark chocolate), Branche Classic and Torino (both milk and dark). My mouth is watering as I write this. I’m not ashamed that the grocery store was also my last stop and I filled my tiny carry on bag with as much chocolate as I could carry home. For finer flavors head to Läderach (their white chocolate with berries is one of the best things I have ever tasted. Ever.) My number one tip is to indulge– you CAN take it with you.

For couple of days in Zürich…

On the first day wander around the old town, getting a little lost on purpose. Maybe try fondue? (It’s not for me but when in Switzerland…)

I loved seeing the Christmas Market in late November. If you do visit during the colder months please don’t miss hot spiced wine on sale at cute little kiosks. To drink something bubbly while seated on a fur-covered outdoor patio would also be ideal.

I keep to a relatively low budget (#teacherlife) so I opted for a few grocery store takeaway meals (not bad veggie quiche) from Co-op or made some pasta where I was staying. Grabbing a coffee while you’re out and about (and carrying a few chocolate bars in your bag) during the day is survivable for a few days 😉

A wonderful (and low budget) activity in Zurich is a hike to a lookout in Uetliberg. It takes about 20 minutes from the main station to Uetliberg on the S10 train. I like to get off one stop before Uetliberg and walk up more of the mountain. The panoramic view from the top is incredible and there is a hotel with a nice restaurant and patio. They have a very nice pumpkin soup which I pair with bread and wine. There are many little trails around the top so leave time to wander around for  a few hours up there!

Arta and I took a day  trip up to the top of the Matterhorn Glacier in the Alps. We didn’t go to bed early the night before trying to catch the first (6am) train and we did miss it. After eating a pretzel for breakfast + coffee from a vending machine, we were on our way. The journey is long. I recommend booking train tickets as far in advanced as possible because they only get more expensive. If you are staying for a few days look into rail passes. We journeyed to the ski town of Zermatt then rode several gondolas up to the top of the world. It was a complete blizzard for a while so we had a soup and waited it out… and finally the glacier was revealed. The intensity of the conditions up there, the beauty and scale of the natural features.. I can feel the energy of that experience even now as I write about it.

In warmer months I recommend a trip across Lake Zürich by ferry.

An easy route is to train from Zürich to Rapperswil then have a lunch, walk around (see the castle etc.) before ferrying back into Zurich via the lake. I had a lovely meal at Kaffee Klatsch in Rapperswil.

I hope to return to Switzerland again and again. It is a place that instantly felt good and is home to some very dear friends as well. Happy travels – enjoy Suiza!

I just returned home to Murcia (Spain) after an amazing trip to Greece with two fantastic women: Amy and Lucia. We were also joined by Annie. Coming off of time with ladies who support one another and enjoy each day fiercely, I’m feeling quite lucky. I’ve made a new commitment to center future travel more around who I’m with than where I’m going. I believe this will lend more community to my life. I feel deeply that it is the interaction we have with others, the love we share, which fulfills. Here is some information about our time in Athens, Mykonos, Delos and Santorini. I hope it will inspire other groups of friends to take a journey with their people and I hope these beautiful destinations will be enjoyed as much by all of you readers as they were by me.

First stop: Athens.

I recommend taking an Uber from the Athens airport into the city center. We found many great Airbnbs available. Avoid staying in the Omonia neighborhood. I’ve heard mixed things about safety in Athens. We were cautious but felt safe during the day in the tourist center. We headed home before midnight (when the train shuts down).

We had one full day in Athens and one half day. We started day one with a free walking tour: https://www.athensfreewalkingtour.com/en/ which we really enjoyed!! Our tour guide was knowledgable and made the history of the city come to life. He recommended a great Lunch at Vegan Nation afterwards. Then we walked through the romantic Plaka neighborhood en route to the side entrance (shorter line) of the Acropolis. After an unforgettable morning, we headed for afternoon cocktails at A for Athens – a fantastic rooftop bar with an incredible view of the Acropolis and ruins below! The rest of the evening included greek salad, tzatziki, muscat and the most delicious baklava. Greek food is so good!!!

Day two focused on the National Archeological Museum (free for students!). My history books came to life in this place. I recommend a full day with a break for greek coffees and spanakopita in their garden cafe halfway. This, for me, was a must in Athens (like the Acropolis).

We took a very nice high-speed Hellenic Seaways ferry to Mykonos and happened to come across Sakis Gyros upon arrival. This place became a (cheap!) staple- we enjoyed one vegetarian pita per day (or try the chicken souvlaki pita if you’re not veg) on the rooftop patio of our Airbnb. We had a lot of rooftop meals because food is pricey in the touristy Mykonos town and our view was incredible. Try to find the AB grocery store (it’s next to bus station and doesn’t appear to be on Google Maps) for decent (but still price inflated) grocery items.

For (stupidly expensive!!!) cocktails, two recommendations: Passo Doble for the good drinks (I loved the passionfruit mojito) and Bar 180° for an unbeatable sunset view (order the “porn star”)- it’s well worth the uphill trek (don’t wear heels).

For a little touristy excursion, take a day trip to Delos. The ferry costs 20 euros round trip. Head down around 9am and you’ll be back around 2/2:30. Pack a picnic! You can hike to the highest point of the island for a phenomenal view (and a momentary escape from other tourists if you’re fast)!

Next up, Santorini

In Santorini  we stayed in Finikia in a very cool cave house (pictured below and again, an affordable Airbnb) which is walking distance from Oía (pronounced ía).

We loved the food and house white at Lefkes & visited a nearby winery Domaine Sigalas – walk in, try the vinosanto.

If you’re in Oía please go for dinner at Fino. Fantastic. This is where we celebrated my birthday. Marykei bar is the only bar in Oía but it’s lovable. They serve ice cream during the day and cocktails at night. Smart. A few other good places to eat in Oía: Kyprida, Melitini and Sunset Cafe (we tried the first and were told the last two were good though we opted to cook at home a bit to save money)

A highlight of our experience was the scenic Oía-Thira 10k hike. We took our time, stopping for a picnic halfway. In Fira (Thira) we were able to grab groceries at the supermarket then we took a bus back to Finikia.

We loved visiting the town of Pyrgos for a day! It was orthodox Easter Eve and the city streets and rooftops are lined with candles- truly a sight to remember.

Other things to do on the island of Santorini: Many people enjoy renting four wheelers to get around but the bus is also cheap & easy (this was our option). We visited the black sand beach briefly. There’s also a red (rust) colored beach and white (beige)- many colors due to volcanoes!

We loved traveling in the off-season/shoulder-season (late March/early April) because prices and crowds were LOT lower. Still, I’ll note that this trip was quite a bit more expensive than I’d imagined- we all double our daily budget. FYI.

Bon voyage!