Zaragoza faces the key day in its bid to become European Green Capital 2028 this Thursday. Just hours remain before the international jury announces which of the five finalist cities will win the title. Excitement remains high among the Zaragoza delegation in Guimarães, where the ceremony announcing the name of the 2028 European Green Capital will begin tonight at 9:00 p.m. Spanish time.
Zaragoza has its big news: the city has been chosen as European Green Capital 2028. The decision was announced tonight in Guimarães, where the Zaragoza delegation celebrated the news after months of work defending a bid that reached the final of this European recognition for the first time.
One of the busiest streets in Zaragoza’s El Tubo district has regained part of its traditional appearance after nearly a year of work. The building at 12-14 Estébanes Street, which was at risk of collapsing and forced several nearby businesses to close, now features a restored facade showcasing its original brickwork and centuries-old ironwork. The City Council has declared the stabilization and partial demolition works complete.
The 2026 Pilar Festivities proclamation will force numerous urban bus routes in Zaragoza to change their itineraries this Saturday. The changes will begin at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, and will mainly affect routes crossing the city center.
Unwanted loneliness in Zaragoza has become one of the challenges the City Council wants to address through a citywide strategy. Although it is usually associated with older people, the problem also affects young people and can have significant consequences for mental health. To advance prevention efforts, the council will hold sessions on October 27 and 28 at La Azucarera, open to experts, social organizations and the public.
Thousands of passengers using Ouigo high-speed trains from Zaragoza could be affected by a new rail strike. The Spanish Train Drivers and Railway Assistants Union (SEMAF) has called six strike days between October, November and December, potentially disrupting the company’s services. The walkouts will coincide with periods of heavy travel and affect rail connections in 15 Spanish provinces, including Zaragoza.
The 2026 Pilar Festivities will require traffic and several bus routes to be modified in central Zaragoza for ten days. Paseo de la Independencia, Don Jaime and the Stone Bridge will be closed from 6 p.m. this Friday, October 9, until 4:30 a.m. on Monday, October 19, resulting in numerous diversions.
The area around Parque Roma in Delicias will gain 150 new parking spaces from Friday. Zaragoza City Council has renovated the parking site between Moncayo and San Pedro Arbués streets with an investment of €292,313.18.
20 years ago, Aragón Digital was already reporting the stories shaping current affairs in Aragon. On October 8, 2006, more than 1,000 people gathered beside Zaragoza's bullring to protest bullfighting during the Pilar Festival.
They say good things come to those who wait, and after more than a year of anticipation, Devil Coffee is finally opening. The new specialty coffee shop, located at the intersection of Plaza Sas and Calle Alfonso I in central Zaragoza, will open its doors this Thursday, October 8. To celebrate, it will offer free coffee to its first customers throughout the morning.
Spending weeks in the Aragonese Pyrenees, staying at the foot of Mount Moncayo or discovering Tarazona from the inside can be far cheaper than it seems. There is no need to find a hotel deal or wait for the off-season: in Aragon, several experiences offer accommodation in exchange for a few hours of daily work, from tending a vegetable garden to helping with renovations.
This Saturday at 9 p.m., Zaragoza’s firefighters will step onto the City Hall balcony to deliver the opening address for the 2026 Pilar Festival. 122 years ago, the city prepared something resembling a tribute to them that nobody remembers today: a 16-meter medieval castle in the middle of what is now Plaza de España, where they were supposed to put out a fake fire. It was designed by the man who led them.
Zaragoza tram workers will strike from October 19, immediately after the Pilar festivities. The works council has unanimously approved 21 two-hour partial stoppages spread across 19 days until November 30. The decision follows several months of negotiations without an agreement on the working conditions set out in the Third Collective Agreement.
Guimarães knows what it means to be on the other side of the decision Zaragoza is now awaiting. The Portuguese city was chosen as European Green Capital 2026 and is currently hosting cities that, like the Aragonese capital, aspire to take its place. From there, Alberto Martins, Guimarães City Council’s councillor for Sustainability, explains to Aragón Digital what his city did to secure the title. His answer does not point to one major project, but to something far more difficult: maintaining the same direction for years. "It has been a consistent journey, backed by broad agreement across the entire community, including political forces," he says.
If Zaragoza has a new trendy food district, it is the area around Azoque Street. Several restaurant chains are betting on this central location. Berto's Milanesa opened its doors this October, while Voltereta is also expected to open its second Zaragoza venue. Now, a new café and bakery is joining the area: SantaGloria Coffee & Bakery is preparing to open its sixth location in Zaragoza.
The indefinite cleaning strike in Zaragoza has opened a new front. The FCC Parks and Gardens works council has expressed its “full solidarity and unconditional support” for FCC Environment staff and backed their demands for a new collective agreement with improvements in pay, work-life balance and equality.
The first few minutes were marked by the inevitable tension of major events: seven people before an international jury, a presentation in English and 30 minutes to convince them that Zaragoza deserves to be European Green Capital 2028.
Zaragoza has passed the European assessment, and among the proposals it presented in Guimarães is a particularly striking one: Green Vive Latino. The well-known festival held in September will undergo changes this year. If the city is named European Green Capital 2028, a tree will be planted for every ticket sold. The initiative is part of the more than 150 actions the bid plans to develop during the year of the title under the slogan "Zaragoza Cares. Naturally," with the aim of turning the designation into a program involving the people of Zaragoza.
Expresion’s Bellas Artes is closing after four decades selling art and craft supplies. The store announced its retirement on social media and launched a clearance sale with discounts of up to 40%.
More than two years after opening its restaurant with a waterfall and lake, Voltereta is doubling down on Zaragoza. The Valencian company is preparing to open a second venue in the Aragonese capital, this time in the heart of the city, which is expected to be ready in 2027. It will be another step in the expansion of a brand that arrived in Zaragoza in 2024 with a concept designed to turn a meal into a fully immersive experience.
