Spain: Aragon (Aragón)

Overview

Aragon is a landlocked northern region containing the provinces of Huesca, Teruel and Zaragossa (Zaragoza), extending from the central Pyrenees across the valley formed by the Ebro river to the Iberian mountain range. The region consists of three distinct areas roughly corresponding to its three provinces: the Pyrenees (Huesca), the Ebro River Valley (Zaragossa) and the Iberian Mountains (Teruel). Although Aragon is one of Spain’s largest regions (47,669km2/18,405mi2), it’s also the most sparsely populated (1.3 million). The most populated areas include the region’s capital Zaragossa (population 639,000) and the surrounding area and the Ebro valley. Other major towns include Huesca, Jaca and Teruel. Zaragossa is a fine city with a beautiful medieval cathedral and the most magnificent Moorish structure (the Aljaferiá Palace) outside Andalusia. Huesca, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, is noted for its beautiful setting and Teruel has some of the best Mudéjar architecture in Spain. The region also has some of Spain’s best-preserved medieval villages, including Albarracín, Sos del Rey Católico and Tarazona.

Aragon was an independent kingdom until the 15th century and once ruled the Mediterranean in a union with Catalonia. It’s best known through two famous natives, Catherine of Aragón (who fatefully married Henry VIII of England) and Ferdinand of Aragón, whose marriage to Isabella, queen of Castile-León, led to the unification of Spain. Today, it’s neglected and largely untouched by tourism and noted for its relaxed pace of life (most people know it only as somewhere to drive through between Barcelona and Madrid). However, it encompasses a wealth of magnificent unspoilt countryside and some of the best mountain scenery in Spain, including the Ordesa National Park which is rich in flora and fauna. The region is mainly agricultural with little industry (centred on Zaragossa) and it produces strong red and good white wines, and is noted for its hearty mountain cuisine and game dishes.

Aragon’s climate is a mixture of Continental and Mediterranean with cold winters and hot summers and little rain. It’s milder in the central depression and cooler and wetter in the Pyrenees in the north. Heavy snowfalls are common above 1,200m in winter, when there’s good skiing. Spring and autumn are pleasant and the best time to visit. Aragon has good rail and road connections with Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, and the high-speed train (AVE) line from Madrid to Zaragossa opened in 2004. There’s a small regional airport at Zaragossa and an increasing number of flights are available from the UK to Girona in neighbouring Catalonia. This area will appeal to skiers, hikers and climbers or anyone with a love of the outdoor life.

© Survival Books Limited 2005

“Buying a Home in Spain 2006” 5th Edition, David Hampshire.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on this topic can be found in “Buying a Home in Spain 2006” 5th edition, by David Hampshire.

For extensive, annually updated information about buying a property in Spain, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net