Granada, what a place!
OK, so we have been travelling around Andalucia for the last couple of weeks. Suffice to say, it has certainly been memorable!
The top highlights of our 3 night stay in Granada were:
- The Alhambra – this was a really special place, so please do read my post on this magical place (coming soon!)
- The Guided Tour – I love these things, and thoroughly recommend the one we went on, see my post on the subject! (coming soon!)
- The Hammam (Moorish Baths) – How cool were they?!?! Be warned, you have to pre-book, and it is 26 Euros a pop, but well worth the experience. The entry also includes a 15 minute massage. Here is the link for the site.
- The Tapas – The tapas culture in Granada rocks, as does the food. I was really bowled over with how welcoming the bar staff were too! If you go to Granada, I recommend frequenting the bars right in the centre of town. Choose the busiest!
The best place we found for tapas was Castaneda bar, Google map here. For about 14 Euros we walked out completely sloshed and stuffed with amazing tapas.
- The People – Granada, despite the hordes of tourists, is a vibrant working city, with a big student population too. The eateries and bars are geared up for the locals i.e. they are cheap and good. We arrived out of season, and rubbed shoulders with the locals, who were exceptionally friendly and warm.
We were fortunate enough to stay at a guesthouse owned and run by Alice, who happens to be a friend of a friend. Alice has completely renovated her house over the last 5 years, some of it dating back to the 12th century!
Alice's House
Casa Carmen de Toqueros: http://carmendetoqueros.com/Home.html
Alice was fantastic because she really took the time to talk us though the map of the area and give us handy recommendations.
Things to consider when visiting Granada:
- If you come by car, expect a nightmare! We stayed in the Albayzin area, and the streets are barely wider than a car! Truth be told, we scraped the poor Beatle a couple of times!
Narrow Streets in the Albayzin!
- We arrived in November, and it was cold (ranging from 6-10C in the day). The advantage was that there were relatively few tourists. The disadvantages were that there wasn’t much sun, and we never got to see any flamenco, which seems to happen only when the artists feel like playing (evidently, not much on the winter!). Perhaps spring would be a better time to go.
More posts on Granada coming!
T
Having lived in Granada for ten years I love reading about travellers who come to the city and love it as much as I do. I was sorry to hear however that you did not find any flamenco. The flamencos I know in Granada play whenever they can, not simply when they feel like it. There are many so many flamenco venues such as The Upsetter, Eshavira, el Tabanco, Libreria, Duende y Raices, Peña Platería the oldest flamenco club in Spain as well as various restaurants with free performances and of course without fail every night in the Gypsy caves of the Sacromonte. In November I saw Farruquito dance, as well as Juan Habichuela Nieto accompanying Kiki the son of Enrique Morente, Emilio Maya playing guitar, Jaime ‘El Parrón and el Niño de las Almendras singing and even a rare performance of Taller de Compás celebrating the Day of the Gypsies.
Better luck next time