Granada: Calo, Art and Partying

I guess that the majority of students that use Erasmusu know the stress of university first hand. For me, if there's something that will help me free myself from the stress when I'm absolutely swamped, it's to go on a little trip. Leaving my everyday surroundings, and relax far from what I usually see. And it's that it feels really good to stop. To leave all your bitter thoughts about what you have due in, the things you have to do and finish behind. And I believe that it's something necessary, especially when jobs start to stack up, you start to think that you'll be incapable of doing things on time, and to top it all off, exams dates are looming near. Even if it's only a few days, we will be in tip top shape on the way back (well, nearly) from the cross-country trip that awaits us. There are those who think that they will lose precious time when they travel on certain dates prior to deadlines and the rest, but I am convinced that it's a time investment, that we will yield much later.

So, last December, I decided to go in the direction of Granada, joined by some friends, to breath that Southern air, savour its atmosphere (as well as its fried fish) and, above all, not touch any books for three days. We booked some bus tickets to take us from Madrid to Granada. Even though some of us have a car, the bus seemed like the best option because in Granada the majority of car parks are 'blue zone', and none of us had the money, and we wanted to be more carefree. In terms of travelling through the city, we opted to move around by taxi, because going in a group to places not too far away and paying together, was a good option for the price.

Truthfully, it was an express trip, but more than enough as we were all together, laughing about anything and everything, and getting to know an enchanting city. We stayed in an ideal flat that was very close to the main street as well. After settling in, we went to the supermarket and we got enough food to be able to feed an army; it was only when we paid that we realised that we would not be able to carry so many bags back to where we were staying. In cases like this, one has to be decisive. So, what did we do? We loaded up all our bags into a shopping trolley and we took it through the streets of Granada until we got to our flat. Don't panic, let's be clear that after we unpacked all our shopping, we went back to the supermarket to take the trolley back.

Monuments and Visits

On the first day we visited the historical centre of Granada and, after we made our way round the streets, we arrived at the astonishing Cathedral of Granada; to go inside, for students, costs € 3. 50. By the way, a very friendly lady told us that in the tower, years ago, the man who was in charge of ringing the bells lived up there and he even had chickens. It seemed very strange to us.

Very close to the Cathedral, about 5 minutes away on foot, you will get to the Zoco Nazarí: there, waiting for us, were loads of markets and little stalls with traditional things from Granada, bags, belts, pendants, etc. There were loads of things and a lot of variety. The only advice I would give you is don't pass up the opportunity when it comes to haggling, as it's always possible to save a few euros. I'm usually quite shy when it comes to this type of thing, but fortunately, I went with Cristina, my cousin who's from another city in Granada called Baza who, using her skill, got me better bargains than those you see in the months of January and July combined. So that you know, bring out your "salty" side to scrape up everything you can!

Despite the charm of the streets of Granada, absolutely nothing can prepare you for the Alhambra. Did you know that the Alhambra de Granada is the most visited building in Spain? Apart from the prodigious views that it offers from its terraces, the gardens and the architecture of the buildings come together in a spectacular way, achieving a truly fascinating combination.

La Alhambra is formed by its amalgamation of palaces and structures, all of which are decorated with huge gardens and surrounded by a wall. There you can visit the Alcazaba, the Palacio de Carlos, the Generalife and the astonishing Nasrid Palaces. Also you can see the famous Court of Lions, although this is actually going through a restoration period and seems like it will be approximately two years before you'll be able to see it in all its splendour. In spite of that, even from afar, the visitors can enjoy this space and its distinctive fountain.

The visiting prices vary depending on what you want to see. All the buildings in the Alhambra (€14), only the gardens (€7) or you can do a package deal with other visits, including the Alhambra, Bañuelo, Casa Morisca, Palacio de Dar al-Horra, Casa del Chapíz, Casa de Zafra and Corral del Carbón. Also, there are nighttime entry tickets (€8) and other possible combinations. There are also discounts for groups and students of course. Although, I would advise that you buy your tickets in advance. We found an interesting last minute offer on the internet and we got a very good price with the Youth Card.

Views from the Alcazaba

Inside the Palacio de Carlos V

The Generalife

The interior dome of one of the rooms in the Nasrid Palace

View from the Nasrid Palace

Patio de los Leones Source

Night life

When it comes to going out, Granada is a city that has a great atmosphere, the student vibes infiltrate every corner. In fact, if I'm not wrong, Granada seems to be the European city with the most Erasmus students.

As well as the streets in the centre, that are crammed with pubs and bars in which sometimes they give away shots; there are diverse clubs that are definitely worth going to (the price tends to be around €12 including one or two drinks, depending on the time). Once you've touched down in Granada and you want to go out, I would recommend that you go to Mae West club. This club is very well known and practically every student has enjoyed at least one of the nights out there. It's a big space, where there is a terrace and different rooms with varying types of music. The strangest thing is where the club actually is. It's in a shopping centre (Centro Comerical Neptuno) and all of the rooms are well decorated (one of the rooms is inspired by the Golden Age of Mae West, one by a Cuban bodega from Havana, one an Irish bar and the other's a terrace). There's no doubt about it, it's a great experience. Plus, the lights and decoration are also impressive.

I hope that this brief post encourages you to visit this marvelous city, not only for everything it offers but also for the welcoming and friendly spirit of its people.

To quote Antonio Machado:

"Every city has its own charm, but Granada has its own and that of the rest".

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