- Granada
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Spain
A stunning gorge at the foot of the Sierra Nevada. Rich in climbing crags for all levels, waterfall walks and breathtaking scenery.
We had a week climbing holiday in the area with two days there with a local travel company www.alhambrarambler.com
1km out of Monachil via Granada Andalucia
Ultra stylish newly built hotel - offers top quality accomodation at very reasonable prices probably because it is a few miles from city centre.
Fantastic reception team who really wanted to help.
www.abadesnevadapalace.com/en/
www.abadesnevadapalace.com/en/
An old mountain world impervious to (or unaware of) the heady modern culture that characterizes the rest of Spain. Well-kept whitewashed villages stuck to the mountainside. Wholesome food, peace and quiet, fabulous for walking holidays, free tapas, good rental cottages, friendly and easy-going.
By hire car or bus from Granada or Malaga Airport. Most popular villages: Capileira, Bubión. Introductory guide to La Alpujarra in www.rusticaltravel.com
I booked a tapas tour with Gayle Mackie when my husband and I were visiting the city. It's a great way to see the real tapas bars that are often hiding down back streets. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and Gayle´s company was very much appreciated. I really liked the fact that she also recommended lots of other bars for us to visit as well as the ones we saw on the night of the tour (so we could try them out ourselves during the rest of our stay in Granada). She has just published a book too... Granada Tapas Tours: 100 Best Bars in Granada. Well worth it!
For tours (www.granadatapastours.com)
For the book (www.guiriblogspot.com)
The Bodegas Castaneda is the most perfect way to experience local life and beautiful tapas. My mum and I found this bar wandering around (in the rain!) on a Tuesday night in February and it was packed to the barrelled rafters! We tried the manzanilla and were given crusty rustic bread topped with a slice of Manchego cheese and some mouth-wateringly good local jamon. Mmm. Another great bar is just around the corner, Bodega la Antigualla, the bartender was really friendly and with two small beers we received a garlic topped toasted roll filled with jamon and cheese with fries. Not thinking we ordered another drink and got the same again! I'm looking forward to my next trip, just writing this is making me hungry.
Bodegas Castaneda is on Almireceros, head to Plaza Nueva and to the left of the square is Calle Elvira. To the right you'll find Bodega la Antigualla and opposite is Almireceros, walk down there and you'll find Bodegas Castaneda.
granadainfo.com/elvirag/index.htm
After a full day soaking up some culture and strolling through the pristine gardens of the Alhambra, what better way to re-energise than indulging in a fine meal at the El Agua Casa De Vinos.
Situated in the heart of the Albaicin, this hidden gem is very popular with the locals. Reserving a table in advance is a must because the terrace, which boasts remarkable views of the Alhambra, is in great demand with alfresco diners.
I’d recommend ordering a quality bottle of Rioja from the extensive wine list while contemplating whether to opt for a three-course meal or indulge in the fine selection of Tapas. It would be easy to spend the evening soaking up the alcohol with the small portions of cheeses, pates and meats on offer at very reasonable prices. The El Agua’s speciality is fondue and they boast a varied selection including veal, chicken, ham and also cheese. Smoked fish and substantial steak fillets are also among the choices for the main courses.
The setting of the restaurant is enough to bring out the romantic side in anybody and what better way to impress your partner than to order a fondue with chocolate, strawberries and other fresh fruit to share as the moon illuminates the Alhambra in the distance.
El Agua Casa De Vinos - Placeta De Algibe De Trillo 718010 Granada, Spain Tel: (34) 958 224 356
One of the best tapas bars in Andalucía, snuggled in a side street near Plaza Nueva not far from the Alhambra palace. Dating from the 1930's this two section bar and restaurant turns out spectacular tapas to locals and visitors alike.
Traditional bull’s heads and pictures of matadors decorate the walls, the floors are awash with paper and sawdust and the crowds pile in ebbing and flowing as the evening progresses.
In Granada most tapas are free with a drink and this can really set you up for the evening. For something more substantial you can order a racion or even a half. This will be on a larger plate with bread and olives. The local Serrano ham and Manchego cheese are delicious and washed down with a tasty rioja you know you are in Spain.
Finally this particular bodega has its own fiery drinks combination called calicasas a mix of several different casks and served in a tall glass. Be aware, this is potent stuff but then so is Granada.
Almireceros 1-3, Granada, near plaza Nueva. Telephone 95-822-32-22
Possibly the best Tapas Resturant in Andalucia!
If you want a 'real' local tapas experience look no further than Los Diamantes in Granada. Standing room only, this gem is packed to the rafters with locals who come in their droves for great value seafood, a sure sign of a good thing! An assault on your senses that's too good to miss! Order a 'cana' (small beer) from the super efficient bar staff to top of your meal.
Calle Navas 26, (nr Plaza del Carmen), Central Granada
Many people visit Granada and the Alpujarra. They naturally tend always to go to the most obvious or easily accessed villages. This suggestion takes the walker into the bit the others miss.
There are no buses to Castaras, so you have to walk. There is always a bar open in the tiny village for lunch. Walk on the GR142, generally east, from Busquistar and you will come across it. If you must go by car then access is via Almejijar or Trevelez.
This is the absolutely ideal place - as originally recommended by the Guardian. Perfect and funky attention to detail, great and helpful service, the right balance of privacy and community if you want it, easy access to the best of both worlds - old and new city; stunning views, no traffic noise as it's in the middle of the UNESCO world heritage pedestrian zone of the Arab old city, the Albaicin. And it turns out to be the absolute cheapest option in town - if there are more than two of you travelling together, it even works out cheaper than a bunk in a backpackers dorm. So with the individual kitchen in each apartment this is an ideal budget location, too. Or use it as a hotel, don't even bother cooking, and dine out in style in the fab tapas bars and restaurants all around.
Wide selection of herb teas, fruit juices, crêpes (sweet and savoury) in very relaxed and roomy surroundings. They also supply hookahs (argile) that you can smoke from.
Calle San Antón, 61
958520236
(a couple of streets parallel to Corte Inglés department store)
We stayed in Granada for long weekend and you can see the Sierra Nevada mountain range in front of you. We got in touch with Ibex Trex who could guide us to the best walking areas. They took us to Las Alpujarras, which is beautiful and full of history - our guide was great, very friendly and knowledgeable.
www.ibextrex.com
Santa Rita, 8, Narila, Granada
We stayed in this charming house last June and had a lovely time. The house is comfortable and can sleep up to 6 people and has its own garden with amazing views of the Alhambra. It was fantastic to be able to sit out in the evenings with something to eat and a bottle of wine and just unwind after a day of exploring Granada. It was the perfect base and one of the best holidays I've ever had. We booked it through Granadainfo who were extremely helpful. They have a great website with lots of information about Granada (what to see and do, etc.) and it was good to have someone on the other end of a phone to answer any questions we had.
The house is in Granada's old quarter and its website is granadainfo.com/bo/index.htm
A very friendly organic restaurant (no sit in; stand-up and take-away only) with a fabulous selection of dishes inspired by the local food culture. You select two choices for a small 'boat' (small, biodegradable pine dishes) and four for a large - and the sweet mint tea is unlimited. They speak (at least) English, French and Spanish, and are a new venture from the folks who run El Piano in York, UK. My wife and I loved it.
www.el-piano.com/ES-MENU-eng.html
They are located a few minutes' walk from the city centre (nothing in Granada is very far...)
Made in Italy is an Italian bar, pub and pizzeria open from 12:00 to 17:00 and 19:00 to 01:00 and closed on Tuesdays.
This place is fantastic with nice and original decorations but what is best is the particular taste they give to food, typical of south Italy. Tapas are free and you get the best Italian food with every drink.
it's in calle Alhamar 22 Granada madeinitaly.jimdo.com/index.php
The Alhambra is beautiful and really worth a visit. You can see parts of it without tickets but if you want to see the palaces and the wonderful gardens you need them.
Try and book online in advance as the queueing system for buying there is badly organised and can take hours.
This is the official site in English for buying tickets:
tinyurl.com/6hruxo
Thanks goodness we haven't needed to actually use them yet, but I bought two ID wrist bands for the kids to wear on holiday in Granada, in case they got lost in the city or at the Alhambra.
They're made of velcro so are easy to adjust to fit small wrists. You write your name and contact details on a waterproof piece of paper and slip it inside the little pocket on the inside of the wrist band.
I'm sure they would be good for the beach too.
A traditional bar that is still going strong and has resisted being turned into one of the omnipresent kebab joints or pseudo-chic spots that have become so popular in recent years. Probably the only place in Granada where you pay extra for the tapas, but well worth it: pickled aubergines, potato omelette or small rolls with an infinite variety of fillings, washed down with a glass of Jumilla wine from their vats.
It's in Joaquin Costa St., just off Plaza Nueva. Take your phrase book.
Come to Granada in May and experience music, art, culture and sunshine in the beautiful Andalucian mountains. May 16 - 18 2008.
The thing about Granada is that the people are probably the friendliest on the planet. The tapas is great wherever you go, though it pays to keep a weather eye on where the locals are hanging out (but that is the case wherever you go). As I was travelling on a budget the restaurants in that budget were not the Mae West (I once ordered a lemon sorbet and actually got a lemon milkshake, the fresh lemon juice curdling the milk beautifully) but you can live well on the tapas.
A great cheap breakfast is to have tostada e queso (basically cheese on toast) standing at the bar with your coffee. It is always cheaper to stand at the bar.
The sights are things you will remember all your life. The Alhambra set under skies of impossibly deep Andalucian blue are something that have to be witnessed and make your soul sing when you do. Even flying into the airport with the sun sinking behind the Sierra Nevada was a stunning way to start the holiday.
I don't remember one surly, rude or just plain moody person. And I can meet five on a trip to the shops here. I could enthuse about Granada for hours so I will now stop....
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