A slow train south from Madrid to the Andalucian city of Granada was the first leg of the first holiday my now wife and I took, just weeks after we first met.
The air-conditioned carriage trundled for hours across the baked earth of Castile as we ate tinned olives and shared icy bottles of Heineken.
Spain stretched out before us with the occasional puff of cloud emerging over the horizon. On arrival in the evening, the southern heat was still overwhelming. Our supper was a large plate of sliced tomatoes, garlic and olive oil with a chunk of crusty white bread. Sleepy after the journey, we held hands as we walked through jasmine scented streets in the dark.

www.renfe.com
www.turgranada.es
Google map: bit.ly/xp9kW9

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This very beautifully decorated wine bar is in the Realejo part of Granada (the old Jewish quarter), very close to Melia hotel. What a great place to have tapas and a huge selection of Spanish red and white wines and cider. Carlos, the owner, knows his stuff and will be very happy to talk you through each of his selected wines and point you in the right direction should you want to take some home with you. We will be back.

Calle San Antonio, next to (Plaza de Los Campos). Granada, Andalucia, Spain
+ 34 666 238 485
Google map: bit.ly/tvqqef

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Large rectangular area within the Albaicin area from where you have a wonderful view of the Alhambra on the other side of the gorge. The view is even more stunning at night.
Just be careful as pickpockets are known to operate in the area.

Google map: bit.ly/qkiOqm

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Tiny tapas bar that is extremely popular. As soon as the door opens the place fills up.
As with a few other tapas bars in Granada, you get a free tapa with every drink. Don't ask me how they remember but for every drink you buy, you get a different and better tapa each time.
Emphasis is on seafood and the menu is very reasonably priced.

Calle Navas, 26, Granada, Spain
+34958/227-070
Google map: bit.ly/ow7COi

Open 1 - 4pm, 8 - 10.30pm Mon - Fri
Closed Sept

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A traditional unpretentious stand up bar which can get jammed when busy and is popular with locals and tourists alike. Always a good sign to see the locals in a bar/restaurant.
You get a free tapa with every drink. Additionally if you do want to buy off the menu, there is a great choice. It is a great way to try different dishes by selecting tapas.
Only downside is the lack of seats.

Almireceros 1-3, 18010 Granada, Spain
+34958223222
Google map: bit.ly/mReQuA

11.30 am - 1am Fri - Sun

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Worth going in to this late Gothic chapel to see the final resting place of the two famous Spanish Catholic monarchs Isabel and Fernando.
The two monarchs lie in the crypt in simple lead coffins along with a few other related royals.

www.capillarealgranada.com/
Calle Oficios, 1, 18001 Granada, Spain
+34 958 22 78 48
Google map: bit.ly/pbvDHa

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This three-star hotel is located right in the heart of Granada. As well as its location, the great feature of the hotel is the roof top terrace. In the day you can sunbathe on the roof with a great view of the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada. At night the roof top terrace becomes a bar/ restaurant. Even if you are not staying in the hotel, its worth popping up on the roof at night for a drink and the view.
We booked via a well known hotel website and got rooms for £40 per night.

www.hotelcarmen.com/granadahotel/esp/index.htm
Acera del Darro , 62 ,18005 Granada
+34 95 825 83 00
Google map: bit.ly/ovZFIS

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This book beautifully captures the sensuous beauty of 1930s Spain. Long before the days of inter-railing, the 19-year-old Laurie Lee walks from Vigo to Granada, knowing only one Spanish phrase. His rite of passage brings to life the "stutter of cicadas" in Valladolid, "disease ridden Cadiz" and the gypsy flamenco dancers of Seville. Through the freshness of a young man's eyes, the book portrays the steamy heat and vitality of a country on the brink of civil war. As a good travel book should - it makes me want to go there!

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It's a lovely bar/cafe where they make you feel welcome the minute you walk in. The food is a mixture of Spanish, Middle Eastern and other international varieties. The tapas are free and abundant, as long as you order the lovely beers. We had generous portions of meatballs with ours. Very tasty. What struck me about this place is that it's a great place for vegetarians. I'm not a veggie but I ate vegetarian food there, which is tricky to find at the best of times in Spain. The falafel wraps were delicious and you could really taste the flavours in the food. Absolutely lovely! The waiting staff were really welcoming and we ate there three times during a week-long stay in Granada.

macande.wordpress.com/
Calle Elvira 18, Albaycín
Google map: bit.ly/lHKRue

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You arrive at the top entrance to the stairway, somewhat unassuming save for an epic view over the south of the city. Descending the first flight of steps you spot a chameleon clinging to the wall in black paint; 'cool' you think as you turn back towards a very personal greeting extended into the space you stand. Wandering around the corner your descent into wonder begins. Colours erupt, an octopus woman lazes down a full flight while a Ghibli-esque character skirts across a checkers board. Whales spurt, hearts bulge, monkeys play, and a pregnant Africa embraces the world. Cunningham inspired vistas are played off against the smiles and eyes of the Cheshire cat. In the sky the crescent moon plays slowly over the still fantasy below. You realise standing here, at the bottom of a staircase in this small city in southern Spain, you are witness to something very special.

Hidden a short walk north of the vibrant Albayzín district, by the balcony of San Cristobal.

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In Las Alpujarras is a traditional group of homesteads and farm buildings which have been beautifully transformed into an hotel/apartment complex, enjoying fantastic views of the Sierra Nevada National Park. We (wife, son and I ) stayed there in 2009 and enjoyed this peaceful, idyllic location including it's inexpensive fine menu and wines. It has it's own vineyard, stables, hermitage and swimming pool to enjoy. Heaven!

www.alqueriamorayma.com/
Carretera A348, Km, 50, 18440 Cádiar, Spain
+34958 34 32 21
Google map: bit.ly/j6hHlu

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If you are finding it impossible to get a ticket to the Alhambra, a final resort could always be to purchase a bono (pass). For €25 or €30 it combines entry into the Cathedral among other places, and provides a number of journeys on local buses (you may be grateful, the city is quite hilly, although the ride often feels more like a rollercoaster!!)

www.granadatur.com/en/uplevel-menu/granada-card/

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This is THE treat. Try some churros con chocolate (or coffee or orange juice for a lighter version) and enjoy the way locals have been treating themselves for centuries. I particularly recommend the coffee house Alhambra in Plaza Bib-rambla, right in town, near the cathedral. Awsome. I was a local myself.

Pl. Bib-Rambla, 27 , 18001
Google map:bit.ly/fKWhV4

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Hola amigos:
I have now completed a three-month internship at the "Escuela Montalbán” language school in Granada and I loved it.
All the qualified teachers and the staff are very friendly and helpful. I have learned a lot of Spanish and other useful things during my internship time. In this school you have the possibility to learn Spanish very fast and well in a fantastic atmosphere. The school is in the typical Andalusian style and has a lovely courtyard. Every week, they also offer to all students a great cultural program, which contains a lot of different and interesting activities and courses for the participants.
On the various streets monuments, buildings etc. you can still see the former Muslim history of Andalusia and also the artistic churches and cathedrals, which are very impressive.
Don't miss the opportunity to visit the gorgeous palace Alhambra, Sierra Nevada which is the highest mountain of Spain and where you can ride horses and the incredible view of Sacromonte with its caves. Granada has many faces!
In Granada, there is something for everyone: culture, history, art, music, food, nightlife etc.
I had a great time here and this was an unforgettable experience for me. I can just recommend you to visit Granada and discover it for yourself.
Muchos saludos.

C/ Conde Cifuentes, nº 11 - 18005 Granada, Spain
+ 34 958 25 68 75
www.escuela-montalban.com‎
Google map: bit.ly/e6YATh

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Hola Companeros! I've just come back from Granada and I would like to share my study experience which I was given in Montalban school. Without hesitation I can recommend courses which take place there. The level of teaching I find high but appropriate for everyone's language skills, classes are interesting and varied. Caring staff, teachers well-prepared to teach Spanish as a foreign language and hospitality made my stay in Spain unforgettable! The school is centrally located, cosy and well-equipped. What's more the city is incredibly beautiful with a lively atmosphere and a lot of splendid monuments worth seeing (Alhambra, Generalife Gardens, Albaicin). The town is surrounded by Sierra Nevada mountains so it also offers a full range of climbing and trekking activities. Granada is 30 minutes by car from the beach, so it's possible to combine hiking and sunbathing the same weekend.

Saludos de Polonia!

Sylwia

C/ Conde Cifuentes, nº 11 - 18005 Granada
+34 958 25 68 75
escuela-montalban.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/36y8hz9

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This hotel has excellent and very helpful staff, is spotlessly clean, serves a lovely breakfast, is close to all major attractions and the town centre, and offers free Wi-Fi. A very pleasant place to stay while in Granada.

+34 958 130 009, www.hotelgranadasaray.com‎

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Vamos Cycling is run by a wonderful British couple and is based in the stunning Alpujarras mountains on the edge of the Sierra Nevada. You stay in their beautifully converted home in the small and enchanting town of Cadiar in the heart of the Alpujarras. Gary (a fanatical cyclist) takes you out on guided rides up some impressive climbs and his wife Sarah cooks up a storm back at base. I went as a beginner and loved every minute but plenty to challenge road cyclists of all levels - La Vuelta passes through here. Awesome climbs, amazing food and if you fancy a day out of the saddle then Granada and the unmissable Alhambra are an easy day trip away.

www.vamoscycling.com
Calle Alfareria, 2
Cádiar 18440
Granada Spain
Telephone: 0034 958 850470

Google map: tinyurl.com/ye5fqj2

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While traveling through Granada this summer and searching for a site with air conditioning to escape the 45 degree heat, I found Hannigan and Sons Irish Pub. It's a classic Irish pub, has free WiFi, sport, etc. A good mix of giris (foreigners) and local Spanish people. Calm during the day (laptop time) and lively after 10PMish, I found it was a good place to meet people while traveling and while enjoying a pint of Guinness.

In between Calle Elivra and Gran Via, a few blocks down from Plaza Nueva.

And they have a website:
www.hanniganandsons.com/

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A city hugely popular as a tourist destination, Granada is problematically populated by people who don't like outsiders. The Andalusians are not famed for their friendliness. This is something you have to accept before going, but you must go, it's quite spectacular.

However, be careful, stay away from the city centre. The Hoteles and Pensiones in the middle of the city are crammed full of zealous foreigners and 'Granadinos' with attitude.

Perched up on 'the' hill, overlooking the Alhambra, are the white houses and cobbled streets of the Sacromonte, just next to the Albayzin. It's a world within itself, yet close to everything. The views over the Alhambra are breathtaking. To the north, the snow-capped Sierra Nevada towers over the province.

The beauty of this place is also the lack of tourism. No one knows about it. I shouldn't be telling, perhaps. If you see this, and get the urge, go, if you don't you're making a mistake. There's no way one would fail to enjoy this area.

It's easy to get into the centre, too. Simply drop a ball, and follow it. It'll take you all the way there.

rentals.loquo.com/spanish/post/49227&pics=1#2

Send them an email, say you want to stay, tell them when, and roll up.

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I also did a course at this school in March 2009. I really can recommend it, especially the options Spanish and Flamenco and Spanish and Tango but then I love dancing. I had Spanish classes in the morning and flamenco and tango lessons in the afternoon. And all this in Granada, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited.

Escuela Montalbán
C/ Conde Cifuentes, 11
18005 Granada, Spain
www.escuela-montalban.com

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