Spain

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Granada’s charms are plentiful but its
Moorish architecture and tempting
tapas are a good place to start
WhY go?
Granada was the last major Moorish stronghold in
Spain, presided over by the glorious Alhambra palace
– now Spain’s most-visited monument. Today its
Islamic heritage is being revived in the shops,
tearooms and mosque in and around the Albayzín, the
maze of streets that lies alongside the Alhambra.
What iS there to do?
Don’t miss the Alhambra, a complex of
palatial buildings. The chief treasure is
Palazio Nazaríes, considered to be Europe’s
most spectacular Islamic building. Tapas
bars, hammams and flamenco clubs add
to the city’s year-round appeal. In
late June Granada hosts the
Festival Internacional de
Música y Danza, a celebration
of classical music and dance.
mini guide
Granada,
Spain
The Comares Palace (left) and
flamenco (right) are two highlights
See
eat & drink
Tear out page here then fold along the dotted lines
BeSt for hiStorY 1
Tickets sell out fast for the
standout areas of the Alhambra
– the fabulous Palacio Nazaríes,
with its fountain made from
12 marble lions, and the ruined
Alcazaba. Book in advance.
BeSt for gardenS 2
Also covered by the Alhambra
ticket are the gardens of the
Generalife – the perfect place to
end your visit, with its soothing
pools, fountains, trimmed hedges
and ancient trees.
BeSt for Strollng 3
On the hill facing the Alhambra
across the Darro valley, Granada’s
old Muslim quarter, the Albayzín,
is an open-air museum in which
you can lose yourself for a
whole morning. Its cobblestone
streets are lined with gorgeous
cármenes and large mansions
with walled gardens. Buy some
churros (freshly fried doughnut
strips) in Plaza Larga, at the heart
of the Albayzín.
Succumb to the good vibrations
of the Aljibe Baños Árabes
BeSt for dancing 4
Duck down a shadowy alley
to El Eshavira, an atmospheric
haunt of flamenco and jazz. It
is jam-packed with locals on
Thursday and Sunday, the main
performance nights.
BeSt for Bathing 5
Enjoy the lazy pleasure of a
baño Árabe (Arabic bath) in a
hammam. The best in Granada is
Aljibe Baños Árabes; booking is
necessary, all sessions are mixed
and swimwear is obligatory.
Perk up with a strong morning
coffee at the laid-back Café
Central 6 , which has an oldfashioned feel to it (00 34 958 22
97 06; Calle de Elvira 3; coffee
£1.50, tapas £2.70-£3.30).
Amidst the labyrinthine
Albayzín is Kasbah 7 a great
choice for light north African
snacks washed down with a
herbal brew – open all hours
‘from noon until the candles burn
down’ (00 34 958 22 79 36; Calle
Calderería Nueva 4; tea £2.10).
Reputedly the oldest bar in
Granada, the kitchen of Bodegas
Castañeda 8 whips up
traditional food in a typical bodega
setting. Buy a glass of wine or
beer, and the free tapas of paella
or fried fish is enough for a light
lunch. Get a table before 2pm,
as it gets very busy then (00 34
958 22 32 22; Calle Almireceros 1;
raciones, larger portions of tapas,
from £5.50).
Like Bodegas Castañeda,
Antigua Castañeda 9 is
among the most inviting and
Fold 1
Fill up with delicious Moroccan
tagines at Restaurante Arrayanes
atmospheric bars in Granada,
arranged over two floors and
with a small terrace. Out-of-thebarrel wines and generous tapas
ensure a lively atmosphere (00
34 958 22 63 62; Calle de Elvira
5; montaditos, small sandwiches,
£4.60-£5.50, raciones £7.40-£15).
Pop in to Restaurante
Arrayanes 10 in the Albayzín
to fill up on delicious Moroccan
tagines, couscous and north
African cakes and desserts. Note
that the restaurant does not
serve alcohol (00 34 958 22 84
01; Cuesta Marañas 4; from 8pm;
mains £8-£17.50).
turn over for map and numBer locationS
mini guide
Granada, Spain
Getting around
See
Eat & drink
Sleep
Getting there
Ryanair flies direct from London
Stansted, Liverpool and the East
Midlands to Granada-Jaén, 10
miles west of the city. Return
fares average £60-£70 (ryanair.
com). Trains run daily from
Madrid (from £57, from four
hours) and Barcelona (from £52,
from 12 hours).
4
9
7
8
10
13
14 3
the cost
Low
6
2
1
11
Low
FRANCE
18
ANDORRA
PORTUGAL
SPAIN
Balearic Is
(Spain)
GRANADA
Gibraltar (UK)
16
17
MOROCCO
High
difficulty of travel
12 15
5
ALGERIA
High
When to go
Granada is busiest in sizzling July
and August, though a mountain
breeze makes evenings pleasantly
cool. April and May (when the
countryside is green and the
mountains snow-capped), and
autumn see Granada at its finest.
Your recommendations
not tapas
Having lived in Granada
and tried 10 different Italian
restaurants, I can say that the best
pizzas, pasta and desserts are at Il
Gondoliere. The place gets really
full from 9.30pm onwards (when
the Spanish usually eat) so it’s
wise to get there early. The pizzas
are huge and there are more
than 60 different kinds, including
a surprise one with ingredients
chosen by the pizzaiolo. Try
the mozzarella en carozza as a
starter and the surtido especial
de la casa (mixed dessert platter).
Plenty of vegetarian options too
(00 34 958 25 18 34; gondoliere.
com; Calle Martínez Campos 24;
pizzas from £6.25).
Alexandra Brown
16
Built as a convent, 15th-century
Parador de Granada oozes history
connections. Works of art
decorate the cloister and interior
walls, and there’s a glorious
summer terrace with superb
views of the Generalife. Due to
its small size and popularity, if
possible book as much as six
months ahead.
mountain escape
The Sierra Nevada
mountains are an easy excursion
from Granada. Consider taking
a hire car to the very top of Pico
de Veleta for a view right across
to Africa (the road is only open in
the summer), or going hiking in
the foothills.
Rob Amar
17
moorish rest
The 16th-century Hotel
Palacio de Santa Inés has
lots of old world charm and is in
walking distance of the Alhambra.
It was built as a Mudéjar palace
in classic Andalucían style – with
wooden galleries around an
interior courtyard. Its small rooms
don’t quite live up to the building’s
grandeur but are clean and
tastefully decorated.
Annecatrin Pantel
18
Find out more
Lonely Planet’s newly revised
Spain guide (£15.99) has an
extensive section on Granada
and its surrounding province.
Or buy the Andalucía chapter
to download at lonelyplanet.
com (£1.80). For more ideas
and contacts, see andalucia.
com. For an engaging view of
how Spain’s hidden history
has shaped its present, read
Giles Tremlett’s Ghosts of
Spain (£8.99; Faber & Faber).
photographs: Alamy, getty images
Sleep
Homely Hostal Landázuri 11
has a terrace with Alhambra
views, a café and a helpful
mother-daughter team. Within
the Alhambra grounds, Hotel
América 12 occupies an early
19th-century building and offers
a restful ambience in contrast
to the heavy foot traffic outside.
Reserve well in advance, as
rooms are limited.
There are several hotels in
characterful, renovated Albayzín
mansions, including Hotel
Casa del Capitel Nazarí 13 . A
16th-century patio is the focus
of this beautiful building, with
understated décor, wooden
balconies, ancient pillars and
classy rooms.
Another Moorish-era house,
extended in the 16th and 17th
centuries, Hotel Carmen de
Santa Inés 14 offers a lovely
breakfast patio in a garden of
myrtles, fruit trees and fountains.
The most expensive of Spain’s
paradors (upmarket staterun hotels), the Parador de
Granada 15 can’t be beaten
for its unique location within
the Alhambra and its historical
Essentials