Rural Spain Properties

RURAL PROPERTIES IN ARAGÓN

At a glance
photoUnder-rated, under-visited Aragón is one of Spain’s best-kept secrets and one of its most diverse regions.

The region will hold the 2008 world Expo fair in Zaragoza. Hosting the event is having a major impact on the region in terms of infrastructure improvements and economic activity.
As is true of all Spanish regions, the Aragones are proud of their food and wine. They are also famed for being honest and friendly.

Made up of the provinces of Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza, it stretches from arid plains to the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees.

Properties
Aragón has some truly fantastic mountain properties that offer skiing in winter and lush green landscapes in summer. Whilst towns like Albarracín, Aínsa and Sos del Rey Católico offer a fantastic way of life in beautiful locations.

Airports
The regional capital Zaragoza has an international airport with flights to the UK. The soon to opened Castellon airport is useful for reaching the southern areas of the region whilst Madrid, Vitoria and Reus airports are more distant alternatives.

Climate
The weather varies considerably throughout Aragón. In general, expect chilly winters and mild summers.

Historic value
photoZaragoza, Aragon’s capital, is worth visiting for its recently renovated Basilica. In the Huesca province, Aragón boasts a 9th century monastery, impressively cut into the rocks where legend has it the Holy Grail was once kept. Down the centuries, many pilgrims have continued to visit it travelling through the Pyrenees foothills on their way to Santiago de Compostela.
Indeed, the Aragonese route to Santiago passes by some beautiful buildings. Aragon also won UNESCO attention for its 12th-century Mudejar art, preserved in many churches. Produced after the Christian Reconquista, Mudejar art combines Islamic tradition with European styles, mixing brickwork and patterned ceramics.

The region also has some well-preserved medieval structures such as Daroca’s stunning medieval walls and Alquezar’s remaining castle walls.

Culture
In 2008 Zaragoza will host the world Expo fair which has had a major impact on the whole regions cultural activities.

Every October Zaragoza has its major fiesta when it celebrates the patroness, the Virgin of the Pilar, with a procession of cardboard giants and the dancing of Aragón’s folk dance, the jota.

In September, many Aragonese villages hold bull-running through their streets. However, it is not just traditional celebrations on offer – every July musicians from all over the world come to Huesca to perform in the city’s world music festival called Pirineos Sur.
Classical music lovers can look forward to another summer festival, Clasicos en la Frontera.

Food and drink
Aragón stands out for the quality of its meat, for cold meats like Teruel ham and for meat joints like ternasco, which is a roasted lamb speciality.

Good quality pulses and vegetables, particularly in warming stews, feature strongly on Aragonese menus.

Wine from Aragón was once so strong that it was used to strengthen weaker Spanish and foreign wines. A revolution in methods in the 90s has led to the development of more sophisticated wines.

photoNotably, there are now four denominaciones de origen: Somontano, Cariñena, Calatayud and Campo de Borja. Somontano is the producing the best quality wines in the region with it’s mix of native Spanish and imported French grape varieties.

Natural beauty
The spectacular Pyrenees dominate Aragon and perhaps the best place to admire them is from Ordesa and Monte National Park. The 15,608 hectare-park has four glacial valleys and shelters the Ordesa ibex, a protected mountain goat. However, snowfall makes it only accessible during the spring and summer months. Happily, there are other breathtaking views throughout the region and superb walks and wildlife at the region’s three nature reserves.