· Zaragoza is a great place to visit. The name comes from Caesar Augustus and there are a number of linked Roman remains; you can buy a ticket that covers all of them. Most of the action is in the three parallel streets leading down from the Plaza de La Seo, a huge square which houses the city's two cathedrals.

We've been twice to Zaragoza in the last two years and it is a good place to stay with excellent eating and drinking. We stayed in the Hotel Don Jaime III (husa.es). Though not as characterful as some of the Spanish hotels we've stayed in, it was modern, efficient, good value and well located near the main plaza. Don't expect Zaragozans to speak English; take a phrase book or learn sign language if you don't have Spanish. But the folk are very friendly. Have a good trip.
Andy Ferguson

· I spent five months living in Zaragoza four years ago. The weather in January should be fairly warm. I remember spending February that year in fairly summery clothing but it certainly won't be hot.

It's a reasonably small city, but does have some lovely features. As the birthplace of Goya, it is proud of its art heritage and there is a beautifully restored Moorish castle, the Aljaferia. There are also two fabulous cathedrals, one of which rivals St Pauls in size, set around a huge plaza. There aren't many towns to visit around Zaragoza as it's the most isolated city in Spain, but you will be close to a major wine producing area if you fancy some wine tasting.

In terms of getting to Barcelona, the coach service from Zaragoza is much better and cheaper than the train service and has the same journey time - three hours. It's the same journey time to Madrid as well.
Nicola Broady

· You have picked a fascinating, historical city but possibly not the best time of year - January can be very cold and wet in this part of Spain. It is the largest city in Aragon, and the university contributes to its seemingly never-ending night-life!

Zaragoza dates back to Roman times, and is small enough to see mainly on foot, although there are plenty of reasonably priced taxis and an excellent flat-fare bus service. If you intend using this, buy a 10-journey "bonobus" from the kiosk in Plaza Espana for even greater savings. There is also a hop-on, hop-off tourist bus covering the most popular sites.

The remains of the Roman wall still stand close to the central market (which is a magnificant cast-iron structure and worth a visit early in the day in its own right for vegetables, ham, cheese and fish). There is also an exhibition on the Roman city close to the Seo cathedral in Plaza del Pilar. The cathedral has recently been restored and houses medieval tapestries. The main cathedral, the Pilar, is a bit of a pile; the greatest churches are the Mudejar ones which have wonderful decorative features. The city museum in Plaza de los Sitios also has many interesting historical artifacts and art.

There will probably be a good art exhibition in the Lonja, the old merchants' exchange, also in Plaza del Pilar. Look up at the outside of the building as well! Another "must see" is the Museo Carm&#243n Aznar in Espoz y Mina, which has a number of old masters dating back to the 16th century, including Goya and El Greco, as well as some terrible modern stuff. You will need your passport to provide ID for this.

Close by is Plaza Santa Cruz which hosts a Sunday open-air exhibition of local art, some of which may be worth a look. In summer this pedestrianised and tree-lined square is a really relaxing place to sit out. Be warned that many of the museums will be closed on either a Monday or a Tuesday.

There are plentiful restuarants at all prices, and innumerable bars, many with excellent tapas, but avoid those around Plaza del Pilar and Independencia; they are overpriced. The best area for food is Plaza Santa Marta, behind the Seo.

If you have not already booked a hotel, try Hotel Sauce (Spanish for Willow) in Espoz y Mina, which is friendly, very central and English-speaking, unlike many places in the city. Most hotels are bookable on the web (a search for "hotels in Zaragoza" will get most). Those that are not may not take credit cards.

If you want to get out of the city, visit the Monasterio del Piedra or follow the Goya trail. There may be coach tours to these but in January you will probably have to hire a car (offices at the railway station).

Other events will be announced at the tourist office in Plaza del Pilar. The city council also has a good tourism website (turismo.ayto-zaragoza.es/) which is available in English.

The train to Barcelona used to take three-and-a-half to four hours and was a fairly good service for Spain. Now the Ave may be running which will have cut down the time but increased the price considerably. My advice is avoid Barcelona if you are only there for a week. A train up to Canfranc in the Pyrenees (about three hours) makes a nice day trip (two trains per day in each direction).
Phil Hollington, Wales

· While flying to Zaragoza would be the equivalent of flying to Leeds when you wanted to visit London, getting across to Barcelona by train is simple and efficient. The 300km train journey is made by some 14 trains a day each way without changes. Trains leave Zaragoza Delicias station and arrive at Barcelona Sants station. Spanish trains are efficient, and fares good value. See renfe.es for more details, http://bahn.hafas.de/bin/query.exe/en for times and seat61.com for a good overall description of services available, train facilities and ticket purchasing. It includes a link to a company that can sell you Spanish rail tickets in the UK but it is probably cheaper to just buy them when you are there.
Dan Lucas, Nottingham