# Tarazona and the Moncayo

What to see in Tarazona, the cathedral and the Kiborion, the Episcopal Palace, Veruela and the Moncayo, with 2026 opening hours, where to eat on Sunday and how to get there from Zaragoza.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/aragon/tarazona-and-moncayo · Revisado: 2026-11-12

Tarazona is the city at the far west of Zaragoza province, next to Navarre and Soria, rising in tiers above the River Queiles with the Moncayo behind. It has a Gothic-Mudéjar cathedral recovered after a long restoration, an episcopal palace hanging above the old Jewish quarter and a bullring turned into homes. Half an hour away are the monastery of Veruela and the Moncayo Natural Park. It is an hour from Zaragoza, and makes for a full Sunday or a night.

## How do you get to Tarazona from Zaragoza, Soria or Pamplona?

By car. From Zaragoza it is about 89 km: along the N-232 and then the N-122 towards Soria, or along the AP-68 with the exit at Gallur. Allow an hour. From Soria, the N-122 runs straight down over the Madero pass; from Pamplona and Logroño, you come via Tudela, 22 km from Tarazona. From Huesca, via Zaragoza.

Without a car there are options, although few. Therpasa runs the Zaragoza – Tarazona – Soria line and Interbus the Tarazona – Tudela – Pamplona one. There is no train: the nearest station is Tudela. For Veruela and the Moncayo you need a car.

## What is there to see in Tarazona in a day?

The order that works is from bottom to top, from morning to afternoon.

The cathedral of Santa María de la Huerta, in the lower part. Entry with audio guide from €6, a one-hour guided visit at €9 and, to see the church from above, the Kiborion, 30 minutes up on the heights. On Sunday the guided tours leave at 11:00, 12:30 and 16:00.

The Plaza de España, with the sculpted façade of the Town Hall, and the climb through the old Jewish quarter.

The Episcopal Palace, with the dungeons and the noble area with a guide, on Sunday at 13:00.

The old bullring, on the way down: an octagon of 18th-century houses.

In the afternoon, the Moncayo or Veruela. If you only have an afternoon, the walk through the Peña Roya beech forest is a 7.8 km circuit, about 2 h 20. The climb to the summit takes almost four hours and strong legs.

## Are the monuments open on Sunday and Monday?

On Sunday yes: the cathedral from 10:00 to 18:00 and the palace dungeons from 11:00 to 14:00. On Monday no, unless it is a public holiday: they only serve pre-arranged groups. So, if you go on a long weekend, leave Tarazona for Saturday or Sunday and the Moncayo for Monday. In 2026 the foundation also closes on 1 and 6 January, 27 and 28 August, 5 October and 24, 25 and 31 December.

## Where do you park?

The lower part, next to the Queiles and the cathedral, is the best place to leave the car: you go up to the old Jewish quarter and the palace on foot and its streets are not comfortable to drive in. The Hotel Encanto, on the Plaza de España, has parking for its guests. On the Moncayo, park only in the marked spaces: parking on the verges of the track is forbidden, and the sanctuary car park is private.

## How much time do you need?

A well-spent day: the city in the morning and the Moncayo or Veruela in the afternoon. With a night you can climb to the summit early, when the air is clear, and see the city at leisure the next day. From Zaragoza it is a classic Sunday outing; from Soria, Pamplona or Logroño, a short break.

## When should you go?

In spring and autumn. The Moncayo beech forest turns red in October and November. In summer the city is hot at midday, but the Moncayo gives shade and cool. In winter the summit usually has snow: with it, the climb to the peak is not for hikers without equipment, but the beech forest and the city are still a good plan.

## Where do you eat on Sunday?

Saboya 21, on Calle Marrodán, is open on Sunday at lunchtime with its weekend tasting menu. The restaurant at La Merced de la Concordia, on the Plaza de la Merced, serves ternasco, cod and stew croquettes; call first, because it does not publish its hours. If you eat on the Moncayo, the only table inside the park is the Agramonte restaurant.

## Dónde está
- Cerca: Bardenas Reales (a 37.8 km), Olite (a 64.4 km), Monasterio de Piedra (a 79.6 km), Laguna Negra and Picos de Urbión (a 93.2 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Cathedral of Santa María de la Huerta** (1 h · Everyone · Desde 6 € per person): The cathedral of Santa María de la Huerta stands in the lower district of Tarazona, on the right bank of the Queiles. It was built there, among market gardens and far from the medieval city, which is why it has its name. Work began in the mid-12th century and did not stop for centuries, so beneath a Gothic church of French influence there is Mudéjar brick, Renaissance painting and chapels from four different centuries. It has been a Site of Cultural Interest since 2002.
Thirty Years Closed
In 1984 the cathedral was closed to the public because of the poor condition of the fabric, except for a chapel for worship. During the restoration the choir was dismantled, the lantern tower was propped up and the trial pits brought to light a 4th-century building and remains of an earlier basilica beneath the floor. It reopened on 16 April 2011, and the restoration received the Europa Nostra and Europae Thesauri awards. Since May 2025 the chapter rooms can also be visited: the sacristy, the canons' vestry and the chapter house.
What Not to Miss

The vault of the main chapel, painted in grisaille on a gold mosaic background by Alonso González between 1562 and 1564, with the ancestors of Christ, prophets and sibyls. Together with the paintings of the lantern tower, it has earned the nickname "Sistine Chapel of the Spanish Renaissance".
The drum of the lantern tower, with pairs of nude figures representing the struggle of virtue and vice. They are grisailles from 1546 that survived because in the 19th century they were covered with a coat of paint.
The Mudéjar cloister, with seven bays per gallery, with plaster lattices in the openings that face the courtyard.
The ambulatory chapels. In that of Santa Catalina are the tombs of Bishop Pedro Pérez Calvillo and Cardinal Fernando Pérez Calvillo and an altarpiece painted by Juan de Leví; in that of the Purísima, a starry blue vault.

Independently or with a Guide
With the basic ticket (€6, reduced €5) you tour the church with an audioguide in Spanish, English or French, and the ticket is valid all day. The guided visit, an hour long, costs €9 (reduced €8) and tours the church, cloister and chapter rooms with explanation. The "all-inclusive" ticket, at €12, adds the guided tour and the Kiborion, the half-hour climb to vaults, terraces and lantern tower. Under-12s do not pay the basic ticket; on the guided tour, those aged 6 to 12 pay €3. The reduced price applies to young people aged 12 to 18, over-65s, large and single-parent families, and also if you buy several tickets to use within 48 hours, such as the one for the Episcopal Palace.
Tickets are bought in the Fundación Tarazona Monumental online shop; for queries, 976 64 17 89.
Winter Hours 2026-2027
They apply from 13 October 2026 until spring:

Tuesday to Friday, from 10:30 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00. Guided tours at 11:15 and 16:45.
Saturdays, from 10:00 to 19:00. Guided tours at 11:00, 12:30, 16:00 and 17:30.
Sundays, from 10:00 to 18:00. Guided tours at 11:00, 12:30 and 16:00.
Mondays, closed to individual visits; arranged groups only.

It closes on 1 and 6 January, 27 and 28 August, 5 October and 24, 25 and 31 December, and worship may change the visiting slots.
Before and After
From the Plaza de España you walk down in a few minutes, and the return to the upper town is uphill. Sunday fits with the cathedral, Kiborion and beech wood plan: city in the morning, lunch at Saboya 21 and the Moncayo in the afternoon.
- **Kiborion, the Heights of the Cathedral** (30 min · Without vertigo · Desde 10 € per person): The Kiborion is the 30-minute slot that goes up with a guide to the upper parts of Tarazona cathedral: the vaults, the terraces and the lantern tower. It is the way to see the church from above, over the naves, and to get close to the work that most catches the eye from the street, the great brick lantern over the crossing.
What You See from Above
The route passes above the vaults and comes out onto the terraces before the final climb to the lantern tower. According to the history of the cathedral published by the church itself, the lantern tower was begun in 1543 with money from the archdeacon Juan Gómez Muñoz. It was started by Juan Lucas Botero the Elder and, after his death two years later, finished by his son. It is 24 m tall and has on the outside four stages of decreasing size, of Mudéjar brick with green and purple glazed ceramic; in the last is the chapel of Nuestra Señora del Cimborrio. During the restoration, Renaissance sgraffito in white on a black background appeared on the second stage.
Inside, the star vault rests on a drum with a frieze of dragons and centaurs and eight niches with apostles and Saint John the Baptist. The grisailles were painted by Alonso González between 1546 and 1549. It is the other side of the normal visit: what you see from the nave many metres away, here you have closer.
Price and Hours
Entry to the cathedral with the Kiborion costs €10 (reduced €9); ages 7 to 12, €4. It includes entry to the church with audioguide, valid all day. With the "all-inclusive" ticket, at €12, you add the one-hour guided visit. On Saturdays and Sundays there are slots at 10:30, 12:00 and 17:00; Tuesday to Friday, at 10:45 and 16:15. On Mondays it is not open for individual visits, except public holidays.
The cathedral also closes on 1 and 6 January, 27 and 28 August, 5 October and 24, 25 and 31 December. Tickets are bought in the Fundación Tarazona Monumental online shop or on 976 64 17 89; it is best to arrive 10 minutes before the slot even if you have booked.
Who Can Go Up
The foundation does not allow the Kiborion for under-6s, for people with cardiovascular or respiratory problems, reduced mobility or vision, advanced pregnancy, or anyone with vertigo or claustrophobia. You must wear closed, well-fastened shoes. If someone in the group cannot go up, the basic ticket with audioguide (€6) lets them see the cathedral in the meantime.
The cathedral is in the lower district, beside the Queiles river. Afterwards you can cross over to the guided visit of the cathedral or climb to the upper town, to the Episcopal Palace.
- **Episcopal Palace and its dungeons** (1 h · Everyone · Desde 3 € per person): The Episcopal Palace crowns the upper old town of Tarazona, above the former Jewish quarter, and looks out over the city and the River Queiles from its great gallery on brick arches. Inside, you can see the dungeons and stables on your own, and the noble quarters only with a guide.
What you will see
The palace stands on the old zuda, the city's Muslim castle. Bishop Pedro Pérez Calvillo bought it in 1386, after the earlier episcopal houses were razed in the War of the Two Peters, and the works were completed under Bishop Juan González de Munébrega (1547-1567), who unified the building around a central courtyard. Between 1549 and 1555 Juan de León the Elder and the brothers Juan and Melchor de León worked here, and the Italian Pietro Morone is credited with the dome over the grand staircase (1552), with medallions of Charles I and Prince Philip, and the Bishops' Hall.
That hall is the most striking part of the noble quarters: a great room with a 15th-century Mudéjar timber ceiling and, high on its walls, the gallery of portraits of the bishops of Tarazona, beginning with St Peter, St Prudentius and St Gaudiosus. The guided visit to the noble quarters also takes in the Renaissance rooms, the bishops' residence, the old secretary's office, the printing room and the strongroom. Downstairs, the dungeons of the old ecclesiastical prison preserve a remarkable set of graffiti left by the prisoners.
Opening hours and prices
The dungeons open on Sunday from 11:00 to 14:00; on Saturday from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 19:00; and from Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 13:00. The guided visit to the noble quarters and the dungeons lasts one hour: it leaves at 13:00 from Calle Rúa Alta, Tuesday to Sunday, and on Saturday there is another at 16:30 from Plaza de Palacio. Dungeons and stables: €3 (reduced €2); with the guided noble quarters, €5 (reduced €4). Under-12s do not pay. It closes on Mondays that are not public holidays and on the same special days as the cathedral.
The reduced rate applies to young people aged 12 to 18, over-65s, large and single-parent families and people with disabilities, and also if you buy several tickets to use within 48 hours. Tickets are sold in the online shop of the Fundación Tarazona Monumental or on 976 64 17 89.
Getting there
Walk up from Plaza de España through the streets of the old town and the Jewish quarter. There is no room for the car at the top. The palace fits into the walk through the Jewish quarter and the old bullring, and with the cathedral below, beside the river, you complete the day.
- **Walk Through the Jewish Quarter and the Old Bullring** (1 h 30 · Everyone · Independent · free): Tarazona is toured from bottom to top. From the bridge over the Queiles and the cathedral you climb to the Plaza de España, with the Renaissance facade of the Town Hall, and from there to the upper town: the narrow streets of the Jewish quarter, the houses hanging over the rock and the Episcopal Palace. You return downhill towards the old bullring, one of the most curious complexes in Aragón.
The Route

Plaza de España and Town Hall. It was built between 1557 and 1563 leaning on the wall, as a market hall with a gallery for watching bulls and processions, and by the mid-17th century it was already the council house. Its facade has a long plaster frieze with the procession of Charles V after his coronation in Bologna in 1530, with cannons, squires, the triumphal arch and the emperor and the pope under a canopy. At the bottom, three heroic figures linked to the city's legendary founding, usually identified as Hercules and Cacus.
The Jewish quarter. Climb by Calle Rúa Alta and the lanes of the Old and New Jewish quarters, winding and steep, with houses leaning out over the void.
The Episcopal Palace and the church of La Magdalena. The palace occupies the old Muslim zuda, bought by Bishop Pedro Pérez Calvillo in 1386; its great gallery rests on brick arches over the Queiles. Beside it, La Magdalena, in the Cinto district, with its Mudéjar tower.
The old bullring. Go down to this complex of 1790-1792: an octagonal ring of 1,465 m² surrounded by 32 homes, built by eight well-off neighbours who wanted rental houses and a share of the bullfighting business. It held about 5,500 people when Tarazona had fewer than 9,000 inhabitants. The last old-style bullfight was in 1868 and today the houses are still inhabited.

Allow an hour and a half at an easy pace. Wear comfortable shoes: there are slopes and steps.
Before You Go
The walk along the street is free and open to all. The old bullring is a residential space: respect those who live there and do not enter the doorways. To see the palace inside, see the page for the Episcopal Palace, with dungeons and noble area. The Fundación Tarazona Monumental publishes a Jewish quarter route that includes places in the cathedral related to the Jewish community; ask about it at the tourist office.
If you are sleeping in the city, the Hotel Encanto Tarazona is in the Plaza de España itself, opposite the Town Hall, a good starting point.
- **Veruela Monastery** (1 h 30 · Everyone): Veruela is a walled Cistercian monastery at the foot of the Moncayo, in Vera de Moncayo, about 15 km from Tarazona. It was the order's first in Aragón and is managed today by the Zaragoza Provincial Council. You tour the church, the Gothic cloister with its chapter house and the monks' quarters. Here Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer wrote his "Cartas desde mi celda" (Letters from My Cell).
What You See
According to Aragón Tourism, work began around 1145. You are greeted by a one-kilometre wall that enclosed everything the monks needed: water, the mill and the orchard. Behind it, a tree-lined avenue leads to the door of the church, sober but with the proportions of a cathedral, which took about 250 years to finish.
From the church you pass into the Gothic cloister, with capitals of plant motifs and the lavabo shrine, where the monks washed before eating. Opening onto it are the chapter house, with tombs and a doorway of arches on slender columns, the refectory, the monks' room and the warming room. The Cistercians lived here until 1835; with the confiscation of church property the monastery was left empty and became a summer retreat. At the end of 1863 Bécquer arrived with his brother. The ticket also includes the Wine Museum and the Olive Oil Museum.
Hours and Admission
It opens all year Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays that are not public holidays. Aragón Tourism gives hours of 10:30 to 18:00, with guided tours Tuesday to Friday at 12:30 and 16:00, and Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays at 11:30, 12:30 and 16:00. Admission is cheap, €1.80, free for under-11s, and includes a guided visit of about 50 minutes. For the guided tour you must book on 976 64 90 25 or at monasteriodeveruela@dpz.es. Hours change by season: confirm before going.
In 2026 the Provincial Council had planned works on the abbot's palace, on the facade, the interior staircase and the altarpiece, in the access area between the church and the Wine Museum. Ask when booking whether they affect the visit.
Getting There
By car from Tarazona towards Vera de Moncayo; the car park, in front of the wall, is free. Allow an hour and a half for the guided tour and a stroll round the enclosure. The Fundación Tarazona Monumental has a Bécquer brothers route that recalls their stay at Veruela in 1863-1864.
- **Climbing the Moncayo from the sanctuary** (3 h 50 · 9.6 km · Fit walkers, snow-free · On your own · free): The Moncayo, at 2,314 m on the San Miguel peak, is the roof of the Iberian System. The standard climb starts from the last public car park before the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Moncayo, at about 1,570 m, and rises through pines and beech trees, alongside the glacial cirques of San Miguel and Gaudioso, up to the ridge.
The route
From the car park it is a quarter of an hour to the sanctuary, at 1,620 m. You pass the building and the path enters the forest, zigzagging between beeches and pines. Where the trees end, the San Miguel cirque begins, and with it the real climb: a stone path that crosses a scree slope and gains the spur between the San Miguel and Gaudioso cirques in long switchbacks, with views of both.
Higher up, the waymarks lead along the ridge. Some wooden posts mark a false summit and you pass the Cerro de San Juan before the last steep push to San Miguel. From the top you look over the Ebro valley and can see the contrast between the cool, damp north face and the drier south one. You come down by retracing your steps to the cirque and the forest.
Route details
9.6 km round trip, about 793 m of ascent and close to 3 h 50 without stops: 2 h 30 to climb to the summit, according to Senditur. It is waymarked with white and yellow marks, and stone walls close off the wrong shortcuts. The hardest stretch is the zigzag scree from the cirque to the ridge: do not take shortcuts, as they loosen stones onto anyone climbing below. If you start from a lower car park, allow up to 5 h 30.
Bring hiking boots, a windproof and warm clothing, sunglasses, sun cream and, if you know how to use them, a map, compass or a GPS with the track. If you take a dog, bear in mind that the stones are hard on its paw pads.
Getting there
From Tarazona, take the SO-382 towards Santa Cruz de Moncayo as far as the turning to the Agramonte interpretation centre; from there, a paved and then dirt track leads to the car parks. Park only in the marked spaces: the one at the sanctuary is private. The same track leads to the Peña Roya beech forest, a much gentler route, and at Agramonte you will find the Restaurante Agramonte.
- **Peña Roya Beech Wood** (2 h 20 · 7.8 km · Families used to walking · Independent · free): It is the beech wood walk in the Moncayo Natural Park. It starts from the Fuente del Sacristán picnic area, at 1,248 m, enters the beech forest as far as the Castilla gorge, climbs to the Santa Lucía meadows and returns by the GR 90. It is a route of wide track and little slope almost all the way, with continuous shade: one of the most rewarding on the Moncayo for a family outing.
The Route
From the Fuente del Sacristán you follow the asphalt road up to the sanctuary for about 400 m. At the first bend, a forest track closed to cars goes into the wood: it is the Peña Roya beech wood, which covers a whole north-facing slope as far as the Castilla gorge. The Tarazona Town Council route guide describes it as a comfortable, shady and damp path, with heather among the beeches and moss on the ground. About two kilometres along, a waterlogged stretch announces the Peña Roya spring.
Further on the wood thins, the track crosses the path that climbs to the Collado de Castilla and, in the gorge, makes a sharp bend and gains height. From that upper stretch you see above the treetops: San Martín de la Virgen del Moncayo, Lituénigo, Litago and other villages of the foothills. Then the path re-enters the beech wood as far as the sanctuary's main track, drops towards the Santa Lucía meadow, swaps the beech wood for pine forest and returns to the Fuente del Sacristán.
Facts
7.8 km circular according to Senditur (the municipal guide gives 7.9 km), about 266 m of ascent and about 2 h 20 without stops, between 1,250 and 1,500 m in altitude. The steepest part is done downhill: watch for slips. In autumn the beech wood turns red and yellow; in summer it is a shady route. The municipal guide lists among the forest's birds the nuthatch, coal tit, blue tit, goldcrests and great spotted woodpecker, and on the ground the woodcock.
Getting There
From Tarazona by the SO-382 towards Santa Cruz de Moncayo and the Agramonte turning, with the park's interpretation centre; the sanctuary track passes the Fuente de la Teja and then the Fuente del Sacristán. It has few spaces: park only in the marked ones, or start from another car park on the track, adding some distance. For somewhere to eat nearby, there is the Agramonte Restaurant, in the same spot. If you are looking for something harder, the climb up the Moncayo starts higher up the same track.

## Dónde comer
- **Restaurante Saboya 21** (Restaurant, Tarazona, €€€). Qué pedir: the weekend tasting menu (€45) or, to eat with others, the "al grano" menu with rice in the middle; à la carte, the morels with asparagus pudding or an embers-grilled fish for two
- **La Merced de la Concordia Restaurant** (Restaurant, Tarazona, €€€). Qué pedir: the roast shoulder of ternasco lamb or the cod tripe with snails, and the stew croquettes to start
- **Restaurante Agramonte** (Restaurant, Tarazona, €€). Qué pedir: call ahead and ask what is on that day; it is the only table inside the park

## By car: By car, the city in the morning and the Moncayo in the afternoon
Tarazona is about 89 km from Zaragoza by the N-232 and N-122, or by the AP-68. The old town is done on foot; the car comes back into use for Veruela and the Moncayo, which have no useful public transport.
Presupuesto orientativo: 70–130 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Hotel La Merced de la Concordia** (Small hotel): A palace of the three cultures
The hotel occupies a 1501 palace in the historic centre of Tarazona. According to the house, it was commissioned by the convert Santafé from the Muslim master builder Mohamed, a sign of how the three religions coexisted in the city for centuries; later it was a well-known bakery of the neighbourhood. It is on Plaza de la Merced, a few minutes' walk from Plaza de España and the climb to the Jewish quarter. The Town Council classifies it as a four-star hotel.
The rooms
There are seven doubles, all carefully decorated and each with a different bathroom:

Standard double, about 20 m²: €76 a night, VAT included.
Superior double (suite), about 35 m², with a sitting room: €96 a night. There are three.

These are standard prices that may vary with the season. Children up to 3 years old do not pay if they use the existing beds; an extra bed for children from 3 to 12 costs €25. All rooms have a flat-screen TV, telephone, wifi, minibar and a full bathroom. The website does not publish the price of breakfast, check-in times or pet rules: ask on 976 199 344.
The restaurant
On the ground floor is the house restaurant, with three dining rooms and room for 90 people. It serves elaborate traditional cooking, with seasonal local produce: vegetables, meat, mushrooms and fruit. At midday, Tuesday to Sunday, there is a set menu with five first courses, five mains and several desserts to choose from, which changes often; there is also a seasonal menu with starters, meat, fish and home-made desserts, and an exclusive menu that blends traditional cooking with current trends. The wine list gives weight to the Aragonese D.O.s: Borja, Cariñena, Calatayud and Somontano.
Hours: lunch Tuesday to Sunday, from 13:30 to 15:15. Dinners only to order or for celebrations. Closed on Sunday evening and Monday. Group menus are available by phone. It has its own page as a restaurant.
Getting there and what is nearby
There is free public parking about 10 metres from the hotel, on Plaza de la Merced itself. From here, on foot, you have the cathedral, the Episcopal Palace and the Jewish quarter. By car, a short distance away, the Veruela Monastery and the Moncayo Natural Park, with the climb up the Moncayo.
- **Hotel Encanto Tarazona** (Hotel): On the Town Hall square
Hotel Encanto Tarazona is in a distinctive old building at number 9, Plaza de España, opposite the Town Hall, at the point where the lower town meets the climb to the upper old town. The house presents itself as a new hotel and invites you to enjoy the building from its balconies and windows. Everything is done on foot from the door: according to the hotel, the cathedral is 4 minutes away and the bars and restaurants one.
The rooms
There are three types: standard double, superior double with views and superior triple with views, the latter with three 90 cm beds and views of the Town Hall square. The rooms are soundproofed and have a wardrobe, a safe big enough for a laptop, a desk, a fridge or minibar, a hairdryer, toiletries, a Smart TV, good-quality wifi and tablet loan. You can choose between several types of pillow.
The website does not publish prices: ask for each date at reception or by phone.
Breakfast and services
Breakfast is a buffet with freshly made pastries, toast, fruit, cold cuts, jams and juices, and there is a gluten-free option. The website does not publish the time or the price. Reception is staffed 16 hours a day and check-in is from 12:00 to 22:00; no check-out time is given.
There is a charging point for electric cars and a 24-hour vending machine in the lounge. Parking is not in the building but nearby, and you can stop at the door to unload luggage; ask about the conditions when you book. The website does not mention pets.
Apartments
It also rents three apartments in the centre, with access to the hotel's general services: the Plaza de España apartment, next to the hotel; the Doz Tarazona, next to the square; and the Encanto Tarazona, about 100 metres away.
How to book
Through the form on its website, which then confirms availability, or on 976 643 331 and 681 967 441.
What is nearby
The Cathedral of Santa María de la Huerta and its kiborion are in the lower part; the Episcopal Palace and the Jewish quarter, uphill. According to the hotel, the Moncayo Natural Park is 9 minutes away and the Veruela Monastery 18 by car.
- **Hotel La Fonda** (Small hotel): Sleep and breakfast in the centre
La Fonda presents itself as a distinctive bed and breakfast in the heart of Tarazona, at number 17, Calle Marrodán, between this street and Calle del Cañuelo, the same street as the restaurant Saboya 21. Its motto sums up the idea: rest, breakfast, explore. It describes itself as an honest, sustainable hotel closely tied to local life, designed for those who want to feel at home with the comforts of a hotel.
The building and the rooms
It is a distinctive building, with plenty of natural light and a carefully chosen, natural-feeling decor. It has 17 rooms, a deliberately small number, which the house describes as warm, balanced and functional, in a contemporary style. The website gives no details of room types, beds or sizes: if you are travelling with children or need separate beds, ask when you book.
Breakfast and services
Breakfast is made with local produce and home-made touches. The website does not make clear whether it is included in the rate or what time it is served, so confirm when you book.
Services include a concierge, daily cleaning, luggage storage and free parking nearby. The house adds that if you need anything during your stay, it will try to get it for you. It has no restaurant: for lunch and dinner there are restaurants on the same street and around Plaza de España.
Prices and bookings
The website does not publish prices, check-in and check-out times or pet rules. Rates appear in the booking engine on its website; for anything else, ask on 621 275 378 or at info@lafondatarazona.es.
Who it suits and what is nearby
For couples and travellers who want to sleep in the centre, keep the car close and do everything on foot. From the door you reach the Cathedral of Santa María de la Huerta in a few minutes and, uphill, the Episcopal Palace and the walk through the Jewish quarter and the old bullring. With one more day, the Veruela Monastery and the Peña Roya beech forest, in the Moncayo, are a short drive away. If you arrive without a car, the bus from Zaragoza and Soria stops in the city, and the tourist office will orient you on arrival.

## As a family: A city of stairs and a beech forest half an hour away

Tarazona works with children if you split it in two: monuments in the morning, when they can cope, and the Moncayo forest in the afternoon.

### What works best
The cathedral: under-12s do not pay the basic entry

The Kiborion, 30 minutes, with a children's rate from 7 to 12

The dungeons of the Episcopal Palace, which impress more than the grand rooms

The Peña Roya beech forest, a 7.8 km circuit, with a spring at the start

### Where to sleep
Hotel Encanto Tarazona, with triple rooms and parking

### Where to eat
Saboya 21 or La Merced, better booked on Sunday

### Bear in mind
The upper old town has stairs: bring a baby carrier, not a pushchair

The climb up the Moncayo is only for fit teenagers

There are no services on the Moncayo; bring water and food

### Qué hacer as a family
- Cathedral of Santa María de la Huerta
- Kiborion, the Heights of the Cathedral
- Episcopal Palace and its dungeons
- Walk Through the Jewish Quarter and the Old Bullring
- Veruela Monastery
- Peña Roya Beech Wood

## With teenagers: Heights, dungeons and a 2,314-metre peak

A teenager finds the cathedral says little from below; from the Kiborion or the summit of the Moncayo, quite a lot more.

### What works best
The Kiborion, 30 minutes along the heights of the cathedral

The dungeons of the Episcopal Palace

The climb up the Moncayo: 9.6 km and 793 m of ascent to the roof of the Iberian System

The Peña Roya beech forest, if the summit is too much

### Where to sleep
Hotel Encanto Tarazona, with triple rooms

### Where to eat
A sandwich at the summit and a hot dinner in Tarazona

### Bear in mind
The climb to the peak is not done in snow or ice

In fog it is hard to find the way down: do not separate from the group

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Kiborion, the Heights of the Cathedral
- Episcopal Palace and its dungeons
- Climbing the Moncayo from the sanctuary
- Peña Roya Beech Wood

## Consejos

### Start at the cathedral
The first guided tour on Sunday leaves at 11:00 and the 10:30 Kiborion slot fits in just before.

### Buy tickets together
Multiple tickets to use within 48 hours have a reduced price.

### Water for the Moncayo
There is only a fountain at the Fuente del Sacristán. On the climb to the summit, nothing.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Zaragoza to Tarazona?
An hour by car, about 89 km along the N-232 and the N-122 or the AP-68.

### How much does it cost to enter Tarazona cathedral?
€6 with an audio guide, €9 with a guided tour, €10 with the Kiborion and €12 all-inclusive. Under-12s do not pay for the basic ticket.

### Is the cathedral open on Mondays?
Not for individual visits, except on public holidays.

### Can you climb the Moncayo in a day from Tarazona?
Yes. From the sanctuary car park it is 9.6 km there and back and about four hours, without snow or ice.

### Is there a bus to Tarazona?
Yes, Therpasa's Zaragoza – Tarazona – Soria line and Interbus's Tudela and Pamplona one. For the Moncayo you need a car.

### Can you take a dog?
In the streets and in the beech forest, on a lead. Not in the monuments.