One week in Andalusia: Granada

Hello again everyone!

So, we continue on our route through Andalusia. I've already told you about Seville in my previous post, but we also visited cities such as Granada and Córdoba. So, now it's time for my favourite: Granada.

I loved this city so much when I visited it last about 4 years ago, so much so that if I had to choose somewhere to live that wasn't Galicia, I would move to Granada. More specifically, in the Albaicin area. And you'll find out why in this post.

To this city, the same as we did in Seville, we dedicated 2 days between the unmissable view of the Alhambra (we already knew that this would take us a while) and the rest of the city. We needed a minimum of two days at least.

So now I want to tell you about 10 essential things to do in the city of Granada.

Go and visit the unmissable Alhambra

If someone talks about Granada, the first thing that comes to mind is the Alhambra. This complex palace and fortress is much more than a monument, as it was the citadel where the Nazari king of Granada lived. Here there are palaces, incredible courtyards, the alcazaba...

This place leaves everyone astonished and it's not surprising. The Andalusian style decoration of the interior of these buildings is for analysing in amazement. Also it's location at the top of a hill allows us to see the whole city and the surrounding area from it. It's even more magical from up there.

There's almost too much to say about this place, but something that stands out, and something that you've probably seen a photo or postcard of, is the Patio of the Lions. You can't put a price on simply passing through here whilst listening to the history of this place.

And, if I remember well, you have to do the tour with a guide and it truly is much more worth it. It wouldn't be the same to just go there and nothing else, it's much better to wander around whilst the guide tells you each of its secrets. They do them in groups of around 20 people and they do them in Spanish as well as English and French.

The prices vary quite a bit depending on the day and time of year you visit. They go for between €40 and €60. It's essential to book this in advance as it doesn't have a huge capacity which fills up quickly. To be in Granada and to not visit the Alhambra is a crime.

The price of a ticket usually also includes entry to Generalife, but ask if you're not sure as the gardens are unmissable. The Islamic gardens of Generalife were used as a place for the Nazari kings to relax. There were special kinds of rural villas where the gardens and orchards were of great importance. They are found right inside the grounds of the Alhambra and it's considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. It's no wonder alongside the architecture of the place, the courtyards, etc. They all add to the enchantment of the place.

Losing yourself in the Albaicin

I get particularly excited when I talk about this neighbourhood, as it's my favourite place in Granada obviously, but also in Andalusia in general as well. I will always remember when I went all over the place, through all the streets and thought "I want to live here in a few years". It's a historic and authentic neighbourhood, full of tiny charming alleyways that I'd never seen anything like before in my lfie. It's like a small town with white houses full of flowers hung from them, and paved streets that I really like.

Apart from these beautiful and colourful houses replete with flowers, with stunning gardens and orchards inside them, the plazas particularly stand out. The streets that smell of jasmine, the palaces and viewpoints. Knowing the history of the city, all the different cultural and social transformations that this place has, the beauty is reflected in its streets. Due to all of these beautiful elements, it was been declared a World Heritage Site in 1984.

And this neighbourhood is the oldest in Granada and the essence of its Arabic past is still conserved there. Previously the Albaicin was divided into independent nuclei, but now in the modern era, they've been joined together.

Normally, from the centre of Granada, you enter the Albaicin from its famous Plaza Nueva. I have to warn you that walking through the centre takes a while and requires a bit of effort, as it's all on a hill. However, there is a bus service that connects the Albaicin to the urban centre.

In fact, we booked two nights in Granada in a small apartment situated in the Albaicin and I thought we'd have to spend both days going up and down, but it was all worth it. Honestly. There's nothing like waking up and just seeing white houses and feeling the peace of the neighbourhood. In my opinion, it's an authentic way of experiencing the city. There are a lot of apartments available in this area that are made for tourists so it won't be difficult to find one at a reasonable price.

I can't finish talking about the Albaicin without mentioning the viewpoints, and all I need to say is that there are quite a few in this area. The viewpoint of San Cristobal and that of San Nicolas stand out in particular.

Especially from this last one, you'll see some unbeatable views of the Alhambra of Granada with Sierra Nevada in the background. I recommend that you go at sunset as the landscape is even more spectacular then. At this time there tends to be quite a lot of people there, spending time chatting, having a few beers... When we went, there was a guy with a guitar making the sunset even more pleasant. I remember it as a magical moment. I felt as though I was in my own town, with my people on a random evening, and with the landscape in the background that takes your breath away.

Walking down the Carrera de Darro and the Paseo de los Tristes

These are two of the prettiest streets in Granada. It's a paved street parallel to the River Darro that if you walk along it, you'll find many different monuments, enchanting houses, restaurants and bars, taverns, handicraft shops. Also it's the most common entrance leading to the Albaicin and Sacromonto, and the famous Alhambra.

Visiting the Cathedral of Granada

Now I want to talk to you about one of the biggest cathedrals in the whole of Spain. Also, it's the first Renaissance cathedral of the country and it's amazing both outside and inside.

To get in, you have to pay €5, and I don't think it would be worth paying for twice to admire the massive classic columns and the works of the Granadan artist Alonso Cano and his altar.

Admiring the Royal Chapel

Another place we visited was the Royal Chapel which is situated right next to the Cathedral. How could we not? This chapel was built between 1505 and 1517, and it has a Gothic aesthetic.

Its principal attraction is the place where the Catholtic Monarchs are buried as well as his daughter Juana la Loca and son Felipe el Hermoso. These tombs are pretty amazing, but not just after thinking about how long they've been buried there for, but the architecture too.

What I also remember from this visit was that before going into the chapel, in the entrance, there were a number of gypsy women that were asking if we wanted our palms read. The odd thing is that even if you say no, they grab your hand anyway. It was a bit difficult to get rid of them actually.

You have to pay €5 to get in if you're an adult.

Having a Turkish bath

The so-called hamman Turkish baths are public baths situated above the ruins of an old hamman, which is where the name comes from. They also function as places to relax and clean, it's also a social and political meeting point.

It's a great option for relaxing and unwinding in a unique place. They have rooms with both hot and cold baths, and there are massages.

The truth is that we didn't get to try them because of the short amount of time we had. I would prefer to enjoy them after uncovering all the corners of the city, but it seems like an amazing idea. I'll definitely do it next time I visit Granada.

Having a tea in Caldereria Nueva

This street is also known as the street of tea shops. It's well nick-named as it's the perfect place to having an authentic tea or smoking a shisha pipe that these Moroccan tea shops offer. It's a magical street that seems to transport you to one of the streets of Marrakech. This is one of the places that stands out in my memories of this city.

Also there are some traditional Moroccan restaurants. We ate in one of them one day and the food was delicious. What I liked the most was the couscous. It was the first time I'd tried it properly as I usually just made it at home, but that was nothing in comparison.

Wandering through the Sacromonte neighbourhood

This neighbourhood is also one of the most emblematic places in the city. It's situated on top of the Valparaiso hill, which has become a natural viewpoint. You can see the Alhambra and the surrounding mountains from there. The majority of citizens in this neighbourhood are from gypsy families, so flamenco is almost a religion here and the art is shown at every corner. I recommend that you visit the Sacromonte Abbey.

Enjoying a flamenco show

There's something that you cannot miss out on if you visit this city, and it's that Granada isn't just full of impressive monuments, tapas bars, narrow streets... It's also one of the best places where you can enjoy a proper flamenco performance.

Some of the best places for it are found in the Sacromonte neighbourhood, and also in Albaicin. In fact, they celebrate the Festival of Flamenco of the Albaicin there. The Jardin de Zoraya and the Casa Arte de Flamenco stand out amongst them. There are many more places that offer shows of this sort, but if you look for an authentic one, go in the direction of one of these neighbourhoods.

Visit a "cave house"

In the Sacromonte neighbourhood there are some houses that are known by this name, that are found underground. It's worth going into one of them to admire the inside.

A good idea is going to one of the restaurants situated in one of the caves, and some of them even offer overnight stays. Truth is, we didn't do it but they're really interesting, and they're known for consistently staying at the same temperature all year round. It allows you to escape the unbearable summer heart in Granada and it's a pleasure during the winter.

And this is everything about Granada. I hope you liked this post.

Thank you for reading!

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