Spain by train:
Zaragoza and Salamanca
Delving deeper into some of Spain’s smaller cities is surprisingly straightforward thanks to the country’s extensive rail network
Words Laura Field
The Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, Zaragoza (Shutterstock)
As pleasant as the Madrid Atocha train station is, with its tropical expanse of palm trees and glass windows inviting in streams of light, I was pleased to be on a train heading out of the Spanish capital. Keen to see some of Spain’s lesser-visited cities in all their winter glory (and without any crowds), I was headed to Zaragoza and Salamanca by train to make the most of the country’s impressive rail network.
My first stop was Zaragoza, a city that first caught my attention because of the sheer number of ‘z’ letters in its name. Albeit there are only two of them, I enjoyed saying the word in Spanish, emphasising the “th” sound, reflecting the way that the letter z is said in Spain. It would seem that I’m easily entertained.
Once I was comfortably installed in my seat, I felt a sense of relief. I was grateful to be beyond the airport, far from the tannoy blasts and the aggressively blaring lights, and on a reliable Renfe train heading north. In operation since 2005, Renfe is Spain’s national, state-owned railway company, and in a country with the most extensive railway network in Europe, that is no meagre operation. Spain’s high-speed rail network covers roughly 3,762km and some trains travel at up to 200km per hour.
Zaragoza sits on the Ebro River (Shutterstock)
Convivial Zaragoza
As I sat back and admired the olive groves and cypress trees we were gliding past, I was amused to hear that the woman’s voice translating the announcements into English had a soothing Welsh lilt. We continued past sweeping plains splayed out like one long carpet, with dimples of arable land running in straight lines out towards the horizon. Even the name of Zaragoza’s train station that I was hurtling towards felt positive; Zaragoza Delicias (Delicacies). I was certainly intrigued by what delicacies awaited as we pulled into the city at sunset.
It turned out that ‘delicacies’ was exactly right. My excited guide, Virginie Picaud, generously met me off the train. Originally from Nantes, France, she had spent a stint living in Zaragoza as a student and completely fell in love with the city. She later married a Spaniard and had now been living in Zaragoza for over two decades. She was pleased to tell me that Zaragoza is known as the world capital of grenache. This made for a very enjoyable time working my way through various glasses of red wine to appreciate exactly why Aragon is a particularly idyllic place for this grape variety.
Another delicacy associated with the city was sweeter still. Zaragoza was allegedly the first place in Europe to consume hot chocolate. A monk who returned from time in Latin America brought cacao back with him to Zaragoza and began drinking it hot. To recognise and celebrate this connection, visitors to Zaragoza can indulge in a ‘Chocopass’, a voucher that costs €11 and provides a raffle-style booklet of five tickets. These five tickets can be redeemed at small confectionary shops around the city. One such place where I collected a bag of chocolate-covered goodies was the Pastelería Fantoba, Zaragoza’s oldest cake shop, founded in 1856. The wood-pannelled boutique felt like a jewellery box with colourful treats and tins on display; exactly the kind of storied, local business that gives a city its character.
As we ambled around Zaragoza, day and night there were people lining the streets’ outdoor tables, drinking, chatting, laughing and generally being merry. Children were scuttling around the parks’ playgrounds and Virginie exclaimed repeatedly, “they don’t have homes; look at them all!” She said this while chuckling, enjoying that it showed how sociable her adopted city was – and this was in January. Enjoying food outdoors with friends and fellow members of the community felt like a very obvious, very Spanish way to live a healthy life.
Another example of harmonious living that felt intrinsic to Zaragoza was the intricately detailed Mudéjar architecture. It dates back to the 12th century and Aragon’s Mudéjar Architecture has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nowhere was it more apparent than at the exquisite Aljafería Palace that glowed in the January sunlight. This art was heavily influenced by Islamic tradition where the depiction of humans was prohibited, so instead detailed geometric shapes and patterns were the primary inspiration and output of the art. It emerged from Muslim artists living in Christian areas after the Reconquista period in Spain. It represents a powerful symbol of co-existence between Islamic traditions, medieval Christianity and influences from Jewish culture, too. I reflected that this living example of co-creativity and the peaceful co-habitation of people from diverse cultures will always be poignant in our world.
Aragon’s intricate Mudéjar Architecture has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Shutterstock)
Erudite Salamanca
After my visit to Zaragoza, it was time to head to another Spanish city outside the capital. I arrived in Salamanca from Madrid’s Chamartín station. The scenic train journey had me gliding past hills smoking with mist. First, the train pulled into Segovia, which I made a mental note to visit on a future trip, before pulling into my final destination.
I can’t say that I saw the city in its best light; grey skies and drizzle shrouded Salamanca and its honey-hued architecture. But despite the dimmed natural light, the city’s scholarly and pensive personality shone through.
Local residents, students and visitors alike wandered the streets and admired the show-stopping Plaza Mayor, built in traditional Spanish Baroque style. Even under the sobs of rainfall, the plaza had a powerful presence. It was clearly the heart of the city and had been the congregation point for nosy amblers, merchants, friends and visitors for centuries. In fact, I arranged to meet my guide, Carmen Ingelmo, under its clock tower at 10am. She said that she’d spent her life arranging to meet friends in this exact spot and that many people in Salamanca do the same.
Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor is perhaps best admired when illuminated at night (Shutterstock)
“Would you like to go to the market?” Carmen asked. Always a favourite pastime of mine when visiting a place for the first time, I immediately felt that Carmen knew me well. She reiterated that Salamanca is firmly in jamón territory and the market very much reinforced this point. While admiring one of the abundantly adorned stalls, Carmen explained the difference in appearance, taste and price between ibérico bellota (ham from acorn-fed pork) and ibérico cebo (ham from pork fed on manmade animal feed). “You notice the difference in your palate and in your pocket,” she laughed knowingly.
My Castilian pork odyssey continued at Origen restaurant where I indulged in the most pork-fuelled meal I’ve ever had in my life. My dinner started with a wooden platter ornamented with slices of jamón ibérico and ended with a succulent, juice-oozing jamón sandwich. I realised that’s what you get for asking a restaurant in Salamanca to recommend the best local dishes; two courses of jamón.
While strolling around the city and visiting the historic buildings of its renowned university, I learnt about the significance of a man named Francisco de Vitoria. He was a Dominican monk who fought for the rights of Indigenous communities in the Americas during Spanish colonisation. He founded the school of thought known as the School of Salamanca, an intellectual movement of theologians from the 16th and 17th centuries, based on the concepts of universal human rights and freedom of thought. Maxims from Francisco de Vitoria’s teachings, such as “Every nation has the right to govern itself” and “It is everyone’s duty to ensure that species useful to humanity do not become extinct” were displayed on the walls of Salamanca’s San Esteban Convent. They were centuries old yet still felt entirely relevant to today’s world.
My favourite building in Salamanca was still creative but with more levity. The Casa de las Conchas (The Shell House) was visually striking. A Gothic-style building formed in the late 15th century, true to its name, it is bejewelled with stone shell formations that protrude from the walls. “What’s interesting is both the container and the contents,” Carmen said, sensing that I was impressed by the building’s exterior. Inside, there were two levels of colonnaded courtyards. Downstairs, there was a public library and the top floor housed a photography exhibition. “There are always exhibitions in this space, showcasing the works of Spanish artists,” Carmen shared. Inside and out, this building had me enticed. I visited it a few times during my stay in Salamanca and enjoyed it from several perspectives and in different lights. Salamanca certainly felt like a place that provoked thought and inspired creativity.
The Casa de las Conchas is a historical building in Salamanca, which currently houses a public library (Shutterstock)
As I headed back to Madrid on the train, I was abuzz with curiosity. My time in scholarly Salamanca had made me nostalgic for my student days; reading literary works and racking my brains for pithy takes on their meaning and significance. My rail journeys in Spain reminded me that trains, more so than libraries for me, provide the perfect carriage for reflection and time to indulge in thought. Sitting and watching the world of a different country pass by tends to have that effect.
The University of Salamanca is the oldest university in Spain (Shutterstock)
Need to know
When to go
While Zaragoza and Salamanca are beautiful to visit year-round, to avoid crowds and summer heat, we recommend visiting between September and late March.
Getting there and around
Spain’s rail network is impressive and efficient. Trains to Zaragoza go from Madrid’s Atocha train station. You can book with iryo (iryo.eu) or Renfe (renfe.com) and the train journeys take around 1h 20 min.
Trains to Salamanca depart from Madrid’s Chamartín station. You can book with Renfe (renfe.com) and the quickest trains take around 1h 40 min.
5 other Spanish towns that are easily visited by train from Madrid
Segovia: The entire old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Get there from Chamartín Station in just 25 minutes.
Toledo: The former capital of the Spanish Empire, sat on the banks of the Tagus river. Get there from Atocha Station in just 35 minutes.
Ávila: The city walls are some of the best preserved medieval walls in Spain. Get there from Príncipe-Pío Station in 1h 30 min.
Aranjuez: The Palace of Aranjuez is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was modelled after Versailles. Get there from Atocha Station in 35 minutes.
Alcalá de Henares: This was the birthplace of famed author of Don Quixote, Cervantes. Get there from Chamartín Station in 55 minutes.
The trip
The author travelled with the support of the Spanish Tourist Office, the Zaragoza Tourist Office and the Salamanca Tourist Office.
January is an ideal time to visit Zaragoza’s Aljafería Palace under blue skies (Laura Field)
