The best traffic-free bike rides around Utebo

La Balsa de Larralde (also called balsa de Torre Medina) is an artificial wetland of high ecological value protected as a "Singular Wetland" by the Government of Aragon. It is located next to the Torre Medina neighborhood, in the rural district of Garrapinillos, within the municipality of Zaragoza, 🛠️ Origin and history Old quarry: It originated more than 200 years ago as a clay extraction site for building the nearby Imperial Canal of Aragon. Humidal birth: When the subsoil was perforated, the water table was reached and the excavation was permanently flooded with water. Environmental recovery: After decades of abandonment serving as an uncontrolled landfill, it was recovered from 1995 thanks to the Hydrographic Confederation of the Ebro (CHE) and the Naturalist Association of Aragon (ANSAR). 🌿 Ecological characteristics Extension: It has a protected area of about 4 hectares. Inverted water cycle: Being mainly fed by groundwater influenced by the irrigation of the Imperial Canal, it has more water in summer and spring than in winter, unlike most Mediterranean wetlands. Biodiversity refuge: It is surrounded by abundant riparian vegetation (reeds, cattails, poplars, and elms) that serves as a habitat and breeding ground for about 100 species of aquatic birds such as coots, moorhens, and ducks. 🚶 Visit and equipment It is a space open to the public, ideal for hiking and environmental education. The surroundings have: A perimeter path with wooden planks and walkways. A covered viewpoint-observatory for spotting birds without disturbing them. Interpretive panels explaining the local fauna and flora. (Note: As a local curiosity, it stands out for being the only protected wetland in Zaragoza that can be reached directly by public bus)

A walk along the canal can be as relaxing or as strenuous as you like; it all depends on how long you make it. You can explore the neighborhoods south of Zaragoza, reach the airport, continue on to Garrapinillos and Pinseque, and even the spectacular crossing of the Jalón River at the Grisen Wall. From there, you can return to Zaragoza by going to Alagón and from there, via Torres de Berrellen, returning along the banks of the Ebro River. Note: avoid windy days, especially if the Cierzo wind is blowing.

For as long as the locals can remember, this field has always had an acacia tree that provided shade during agricultural work. This one is a descendant of a previous tree that was cut down in 1956. In 2004, its total height was 15 meters.

Sobradiel is a town steeped in history, where the Palace of the Counts—now the town hall—and a 17th-century Baroque church dedicated to Saint James, built with distinctive red brick, are still preserved. The town center invites a leisurely stroll to discover this past while making a stop along your route. The town offers all basic amenities, making it a good place to rest and recharge during your adventure.

The Larralde raft is worth seeing, but not the rest.

Puente de Alfocea: the only bridge over the Ebro on a great cycling tour from Zaragoza to the exciting wetlands near the Juslibol Mountains (Galachos de Juslibol) with a return trip via Monzalbarba.

It's still just a bike lane on a 6-lane avenue, but any bridge that crosses the Ebro is worth a stop, and the architecture of this one is quite impressive (I seem to remember that at the time it was the largest concrete arch built in Spain).

Bring plenty of water