“WELL, that sounds like a barrel of laughs! How can a theme as dry as ‘Water
and Sustainable Development' be expected to lure six million visitors?” So
wondered the cynic in me as I arrived in this summer's Expo 2008 host city.
What I hadn't reckoned on was the alegría - the sheer high spirits - with
which Zaragoza is buzzing as it shimmers into the world spotlight.
The ancient capital of Aragon may be only Spain's fifth-largest city, but it
is in the throes of an extraordinary renaissance, with dazzling new
buildings and a resurgent old town humming with activity.
Arrive at the new AVE high-speed train station and there are ski resort-style
gondolas (shaped like droplets, naturally) to carry you to the Expo site on
a meander of the River Ebro just outside the city.
I was bewitched by my first glimpse of the Bridge Pavilion, a covered precinct
and pedestrian viaduct spanning the Ebro like a space-age version of
Florence's Ponte Vecchio. The bland-sounding “Water Tower” turns out to be a
mesmerising, transparent, 80m-high (262ft) whim of latticed steel and glass,
with a base shaped like a drop of water.
Water, water everywhere... There is boating on an artificial lake, and a
water-flume amusement ride. At the Ebro's edge, the world's largest
freshwater aquarium houses fish, amphibians and aquatic mammals in
re-created habitats from the world's great river systems.
The daily Cirque du Soleil performance promises to feature “aquabats”, and by
night there will be concerts ranging from Handel's Water Music (what else?)
to a performance by Bob Dylan, who has recorded a new version of his 1963
classic A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall for the occasion.
But what about the serious theme of the exposition? More than 100 nations will
strut their stuff at pavilions on the riverside site, organised into
“eco-geographic” regions such as sub-Saharan Africa.China, for instance,
will be “demonstrating the power of water” by showcasing the Yangtze Three
Gorges Dam. Expo aside, Zaragoza is packed with surprises. Broad avenues
lead to the historic Casco Antiguo (old town), a maze of tiny plazas and
paved alleys lined with shops and bars.
What surprised me even more, however, was that Zaragoza is a Catholic
pilgrimage destination on a par with Santiago de Compostela. The reason is
the belief that the Virgin Mary appeared to St James the Apostle in AD40
while he preached by the Ebro.
Zaragoza is also an ancient university town. This means great tapas bars, the
best along “El Tubo”, a series of passageways through the Casco Antiguo.
This, I suspect, is where the city's heart will continue to beat long after
Expo 2008 has joined the Romans and Moors in the annals of Zaragosa's
history.
NEED TO KNOW
Where to stay
Hotel Silken Zentro (00 34 976 703300, www.hotelzentro
zaragoza.com Central location, boutique ambience; B&B doubles from
£175.
Oriente (203282, www.hotel-oriente.com).
On the edge of the Casco Antiguo; B&B doubles from £76.
Where to eat
La Ontina (5 Joaquin Costa; 214575). Modern Spanish cuisine, served with arty
flourishes. The hottest table in town, booking essential.
Tapas: Along El Tubo, try the garlic mushrooms at La Ballena Colorá, and ewe's
cheese with violet jam at La Despensa.
Getting there Ryanair (0871 2460000, www.ryanair.com
) flies from Stansted to Zaragoza. By rail from London to Zaragoza via Paris
takes about 15 hours. Fares from £142 with Rail Europe (0844 8484070, www.raileurope.co.uk
)
More information Expo entrance: Open daily June 14-September 14; £21 a day or
£42 for three days (www.expo
zaragoza2008.es and www.zaragozaturismo.es).
Spanish Tourist Office 020-7486 8077, www.spain.info/uk
I went to Zaragoza on the last bank holiday weekend. I have been to most of the provincial capitals in Spain but this was my first visit. Ok it's not the prettiest of cities that Spain has to offer but it is buzzing. The people are very friendly. I visited the Aljaferia palace too not to be missed!
Chris Royle, London,
I am glad to have read your review. I visited Zaragoza in March and will be returning to attend the Expo 2008. It is a hot theme nowadays and I consider it will be very interesting. Besides it is a way to know the real Spain away from the crowded seaside resorts.
Markus, London,