City Tour by Accident
Monday, nothing unusual. Work, project, routine. Afterwards, my girlfriend picked me up — and I accidentally became a tour guide.
We wandered through the city centre until we found ourselves standing in front of the Catedral-Basílica. I tried to remember what our guide Diego had told us during the first week about the square and the cathedral — and did my best to pass on the highlights. Then I showed her the two bombs inside, along with the impact craters still visible in the ceiling today.
In the evening, my girlfriend decided she absolutely had to try Taco Bell — it doesn’t exist in Berlin. I was surprisingly into it; she was less convinced. Fast food for me usually means fries and burgers, but tacos and burritos turned out to be genuinely good.
Padel and the Best Burger Restaurant in Town
The next day: padel. I had never played before. Imagine tennis — but on a smaller court, with smaller rackets, and glass walls that bounce the ball back. We played with Faye and Julia, two people we knew from the shared office. It was a lot more fun than I’d expected.
Afterwards, a quick freshen-up, and then off to one of the best burger restaurants in Zaragoza. From the outside, it looked like the kind of place you don’t leave without spending a fair amount. Compared to the more modest spots I’d seen so far — but my burger delivered on everything the interior promised. A nice evening, four of us, good food.
Parque Labordeta, McDonald’s and El Tubo
Parque Grande José Antonio Labordeta is one of the largest parks in the city. We walked, looked around, let ourselves drift. What struck me again: so few people. A viewing platform, a few families having a picnic, lots of green — and none of the Berlin-level density that makes you feel like you’re sharing your lunch break with half the city. That felt good.
From there, we made our way towards the centre. A quick stop at McDonald’s — water, milkshake. The place looked almost elegant for fast food.
Then on to El Tubo, where we’d arranged to meet two friends. Bar-hopping through the lanes, a drink here, a small bite there. Someone explained that El Tubo is to Zaragozans a bit what Simon-Dach-Straße is to Berliners: well known, well visited, mostly by people from outside. A place you know, but don’t need every day. The evening ended with a mushroom bread I can barely put into words — a photo says more.
Berty’s Burger, mushroom bread, art by the Ebro
A Walk along the Ebro — and a Missed Festival
Thursday: a stroll by the Ebro. Picnic in the sun, then the market hall. What caught my eye again: meat everywhere. Roughly half the stalls — butchers, cured meats, poultry. Zaragoza eats well, and eats plenty.
In the evening, we wanted to go to The Wave — a festival for entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts, with talks and networking. It didn’t work out: I got ill and had to call it early. A shame.
Barcelona
The next day, we went to Barcelona anyway.
We would have taken the train, but the website wouldn’t cooperate. Every other connection at a reasonable time was either sold out or too expensive. So: bus. With ALSA, the Spanish equivalent of Flixbus, about four hours.
Main destination: Park Güell. Terracotta-coloured structures, mosaics, the view over the city. Crowded, as expected — but worth it all the same.
The park was designed by Antoni Gaudí. What stands out: it feels natural, almost organic — nothing artificial, nothing forced. It was only after reading up on it afterwards that I understood why. Gaudí placed great importance on environmentally sound and cost-efficient construction. Many of the materials came directly from the park itself — which explains why everything feels like it belongs, and nothing seems out of place.
After that, we explored the city, ate Mexican food — very good — and drifted through streets and neighbourhoods.
At the end of the route: the beach. A bit of quiet, sitting, making the most of the last few hours. Then the bus back, pleasantly tired, the city still faintly present in the mind.
Goodbye
The next morning, I took my girlfriend to the station.
Watching her leave was harder than expected. Experiencing Spain on your own is good — but some things only really come into their own when you can share them with someone.
