6 beautiful towns near Zaragoza that you cannot miss

Zaragoza is the capital of the autonomous community of Aragon and is the fifth most populated city in the country behind Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. Geographically, Zaragoza sits in a valley and runs along the Ebro, Hueva, Gállego rivers and the Imperial Canal de Aragón. But do you know some of the pretty towns near Zaragoza? You cannot miss any of them if one day you go on a route through this great city.

Towns near Zaragoza: the essentials

Sos del Rey Católico, cradle of a king

In Sos was born the one who would later become Catholic King and who, over the centuries, would baptize the town where he was born with this title. We are talking about Fernando de Aragón, the most famous calm man of all. It was in 1452 when the future king was born in the palace of Sada (which you can still visit today). Fernando de Aragón became Catholic King after his marriage to Isabel de Castilla. Without a doubt, they are one of the most universally known monarchs in Spain.

Dentro de tu ruta por los pueblos cerca de Zaragoza se encuentra Sos, cuna de Fernando de Aragón

Sos is one of the towns near Zaragoza , but also one of the most beautiful in our country. It has a medieval charm and air capable of catching anyone and, best of all, it is just over 90 minutes from the capital of Aragon . What can you do in Sos del Rey Católico? You can start by getting lost in its narrow, medieval streets and its twisted alleys.

But Sos is also a place for movie lovers, because La Vaquilla , a 1985 film with José Sacristán in the main role, was shot in this town; so you cannot miss the most emblematic places of Sos that appear in the film. Also, do not forget to go to the viewpoints of the town. You will have spectacular views of the Pyrenees. Other outstanding tourist attractions in Sos are the Castle-Palace of Olite (seat of the kingdom of Navarra with Carlos III); a unique and unforgettable place for tourists.

Urriés: visit the narrowest street in Spain

Among the most beautiful towns near Zaragoza , Urriés is the one that is a little further away. It is located 132 km from the province (almost 2 hours by car). Urriés is worth visiting because it is a very picturesque place, despite its small size; the urban area has been built in very narrow and steep streets, with stately homes (palace included). It also has the church of San Esteban (dating from Romanesque). In Urriés you can visit the Casa Borgas, with its emblazoned façade; but also the Casa Oran.

Something very peculiar about Urriés is that it houses the narrowest street in Spain (and the second in Europe). The famous alley, which is inscribed in the Guinness Book of Records, is on one side of the church. It is 25 meters long and did not open its way again until 1955.

Biel

Biel is located on the bank of the Arba de Biel river and, formerly, it was called Biel-Fuencalderas. We recommend you visit Biel because it is a place that still preserves the original layout of its streets and that dates back to medieval times. Biel preserves its streets and buildings, so, in short, visiting Biel is taking a trip back in time. Biel is also made up of the town of Fuencalderas, which has some places of interest that will make your visit more complete.

A historical event in Biel occurred in 1998 when, by chance, the Peña 14 shelter (1 km from Biel) appeared. In this excavation, the remains of a cave were discovered that made it possible to establish the human presence in the place from 10,600 years ago to 5,000 years before Christ. The ancient (and cave-dwelling) inhabitants of Biel are believed to have been predators.

In this charming town you can also visit the Castle of Biel, which according to history was given by King Sancho Ramírez (King of Aragonese and Pamplona) as a dowry to his wife Felicia de Roucy in 1071. You cannot miss out on your visit to Biel. the Jewish quarter, one of the most important in Zaragoza.

Anento: one of the most spectacular towns near Zaragoza

Just under an hour’s drive from Zaragoza is Anento. Here you can go to the Aguallueve, a magnificent spring that falls in the form of drops of water on stone walls, covered with moss. Anento is characterized by the valley in which it sits, so full of nature and life. You can embark on a hiking route and walk among lush trees and meet animals from the region such as the blackbird or the cuckoo.

Anento is beautiful for its natural landscapes, ideal for tourists looking for a quiet, disconnected place in which to lose themselves. But in Anento you can also visit the town and its wonderful church of San Blas. It is a Romanesque construction from the 13th century with a Gothic portico from the 14th century and a stone tower from a century later. Another site of interest is the castle of Anento, small in size, but impressive in construction.

En Anento puedes disfrutar de la naturaleza

Grisel

Very close to Trasmoz and 5 kilometers from Tarazona is Grisel, with a population of 67 inhabitants. To the south of Grisel you can visit the Mount of the Diezma, from which spectacular views of the region are contemplated. 20 kilometers away is the Moncayo that, being part of a natural park, you can visit and practice different activities as a family.

Despite its small size, in Grisel you will find several places of tourist interest. One of them is, for example, the parish church of La Asunción, which was built in the 16th century and is in the Mudejar style. It is also advisable to visit the castle of Grisel (from the 15th century) and the hermitage of Samangos, which, formerly, was a Muslim population center.

Towns near Zaragoza: Trasmoz, home of witches

One of the towns near Zaragoza that we like the most is Trasmoz. It is a magical place, full of mystery, charm and a lot of tradition. If you have never heard of Trasmoz, we will tell you that it is located at the foot of Mount Moncayo; But the most peculiar thing about this town is that it is the only excommunicated people. Hence, Trasmoz is known as a cursed town.

According to tradition, Trasmoz was a meeting point (during the Middle Ages) for the practice of pagan and satanic rites and a place of witches’ covens. Trasmoz is 78 kilometers from Zaragoza (1 hour by car). Barely 62 people live in this town (although the numbers are permanently reduced by half). Trasmoz is popular for its Moncayo Witchcraft, Magic and Medicinal Plants Fair; Witches from the area and the Yerbero de Trasmoz come to this party. We are not surprised that the town is the only one excommunicated by the Catholic Church.

In Trasmoz, which, by the way, captivated the poet Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer himself (we invite you to check it out in his book Rimas y Leyendas ), you can visit the castle. To speak of Trasmoz castle is to delve into its pagan history, because according to tradition, it was built by a necromancer in one night. From that day on, the town began to acquire a reputation for being cursed because it was said that witches met in the castle to celebrate their covens.

The rite to excommunicate Trasmoz was an event that occurred under the orders of Pope Julius II. Despite the fact that King Ferdinand II of Aragon (which we remember was from Sos), he always defended the honor of the town. Although the rite by which Trasmoz was excommunicated occurred in 1511 (and since then a curse weighs on the people), only another pope can reverse this situation. Something that, in all these centuries has not happened.