The joining in marriage of two principal characters of Spanish history was the event that eventually led to the unification of Spain and the imposition of the Spanish Inquisition. Fernando of Aragón’s marriage to Isabella of Castilla lit the fires of religious fanaticism that swept, unstoppable, across the length and breadth of Spain and took Aragón’s influence far beyond the borders of the peninsula.

Aragón is composed of three provinces: Teruel, Zaragoza and Huesca. To the north the Pyrenees form a jagged frontier between Spain and France, a frontier that not so long ago seemed to prevent the stride of history; a physical and temporal barrier that left Spain frozen in the early part of the twentieth century.

Nowadays, skiers head north through Huesca without much considering the wealth and beauty of the archaeological and aesthetic treasures that are often hidden in picturesque villages and lonely country lanes – it’s almost as if history is only now beginning to thaw the frozen mists of time that cling tenaciously to their last secrets and fading memories.

Zaragoza is a place littered with treasures. The Aljafería, a moorish palace with exquisitely delicate tracery and fascinating mudéjar arches, has recently been restored to its original splendour. Here, not only classic mudéjar architecture can be seen, but also the throne room of Ferdinand and Isabella, victorious after the fall of Granada in 1492, their absolute power reflected in the sumptuous stone tracery and magnificent ceiling.

Aragón’s rich historical, cultural, natural and gastronomic heritage makes for an unforgettable journey through time, space and superb restaurants.

Get the facts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aragon

Routes and Places worth a Visit

Ordesa, one of Spain’s most famous national parks, is located here. Criss-crossing trails between France and Spain are followed in the summer months by hikers eager to touch the sky and in the winter by skiers eager to play with the wind. Not only is this a place to witness the abstract thought patterns of the forces of nature, it is also home to many species of flora and fauna which cling to existence within a protected environment on the periphery of man’s destructive tendencies.

To the south of Aragón, Teruel, perhaps the least known Spanish province, possesses an abundance of Arabic and Roman ruins that are hidden from view from all but the most inquisitive of visitors. In the capital city, Teruel, the Iglesia de San Pedro contains the tombs and mummified bodies of the lovers of Teruel, a 13th century Romeo and Juliet whose tragic love affair is forever immortalised in marble relief.

Tarazona, to the northwest of the capital city of Zaragoza, is known as the ‘Mudéjar City’ because of the many fine examples of arabic architecture that have survived the successive waves of pillaging armies.

Important Fiestas.

Huesca: 9 to the 15th August, the fiestas of San Lorenzo, declared to be of national tourist interest.

Teruel: 12 to the 15th February, The ‘Bodas de Isabel de Segura’. Great interest to tourists.

Zaragoza: 12th October, Virgen del Pilar. A national Spanish holiday and the most important event in the calendar of Aragón.