Getting lost in Granada\u2019s winding streets<\/p>\n
Granada\u2019s central neighbourhood \u2013 the aptly named Centro \u2013 features wide pedestrian-friendly footpaths and rock-paved lanes that prohibit motorised vehicles, making it safe to navigate on foot. The streets may seem labyrinthine at first, but after a few hours, it\u2019s easy to figure out. Near Plaza Nueva, Calle Elvira is lined with Middle Eastern restaurants, bakeries and shops selling everything from painted pottery to tile-inlaid furniture. Mercado Alcaiceria is a popular stop. After dark, side alleys come alive as people flock to tapas and wine bars to embrace the convivial Spanish way of life. Circling back toward Plaza Nueva, Calle Gran V\u00eda de Col\u00f3n is Granada\u2019s main artery. The tree-lined thoroughfare is home to beautiful early 20th century buildings, upscale shops, cafes and restaurants. Nearby, the Royal Chapel and Granada Cathedral are flanked by plazas full of fountains and cafes inviting passersby to stop and relax.<\/p>\n
Whitewashed facades and scrolling ironwork define Granada’s streets. Photo \/ Rebecca Treon<\/p>\n
Baths, bites and dancing<\/p>\n
On my first afternoon there, I donned my togs and headed to Hammam al \u00c1ndalus, a Turkish-style bathhouse mere steps from El Ba\u00f1uelo, a bathhouse museum dating back to the 11th century. Hammam al \u00c1ndalus was actually a bathhouse during the 15th century, but was converted into a bread bakery when Catholic authorities banned Arab baths after their 1492 conquest of the city. This conversion kept the building in use for the next several centuries, and it reopened in 1998 as a modernised version of the original. The bathhouse\u2019s interior features tiled mosaics, columns, and vaulted ceilings with Arabesque motifs. Soft music played in the background while I soaked in candlelit pools of soothing thermal waters before enjoying mint tea in the steam room. A two-hour session cost about \u20ac60 ($120). Feeling tired and relaxed after my session, I got a dozen empanadas to go for about \u20ac30 from nearby Luisita\u2019s Empanadas.<\/p>\n
The Generalife’s manicured gardens surround a central fountain. Photo \/ Rebecca Treon<\/p>\n
A highlight of my visit was watching an evening zambra performance. Granada has one of Spain\u2019s largest communities of Romani people, who migrated to the area in the 15th century. They established themselves in the hills in the Sacromonte neighbourhood, where they made their homes in caves. You can see original dwellings with a visit to the Sacromonte Caves Museum, which features 11 spaces that recreate a historic Romani community. Zambra is a traditional Romani dance born in the Sacromonte neighbourhood, inspired by the dance and music of forbidden Moorish weddings in the 1500s. Over centuries, folkloric zambra evolved into modern-day flamenco. Today, there are several caves that are performance venues for nightly zambra performances, with an option for dinner or drinks. I opted for Cueva de la Roc\u00edo, where the evening cost me around \u20ac30.<\/p>\n
A zambra dancer performs in a candlelit Sacromonte cave venue. Photo \/ Rebecca Treon<\/p>\n
Touristy but terrific<\/p>\n
After a hearty breakfast at Artesanos de Granada Plaza Nueva, I visited the city\u2019s most popular tourist attraction, the Alhambra, a former Moorish palace, and Generalife, the adjoining grounds and gardens. The Alhambra is one of the most famous monuments in Islamic architecture. Constructed in the 11th century by the first Nasrid emir, it became the royal palace and fortress with a city inside its walls. Breathtaking is an understatement when describing the intricate tilework, ceiling details, courtyards, fountains and sprawling gardens. Make your ticket and tour reservations online well in advance of your trip and plan to spend at least three hours exploring. It\u2019s impossible to avoid people while visiting, but reserving the earliest possible time slot helps beat the heat and the crowds. After my visit, I had a late lunch at the popular El Huerto de Juan Ranas, where they serve authentic paella with a large terrace overlooking the Alhambra \u2013 touristy to be sure, but I enjoyed it anyway.<\/p>\n
Intricate Nasrid columns line the Alhambra’s courtyards. Photo \/ Unsplash<\/p>\n
In the heart of Andalucia, Granada offers all the passion, drama and flavour of its big sister city, Seville, but at a slower pace. It\u2019s the ideal place to take a break between exploring bigger cities. I spent three days there, but outdoors enthusiasts could easily extend their visit to take advantage of nearby Sierra Nevada Ski Resort and Sierra Nevada National Park.<\/p>\n
A cobblestone lane winds through Granada’s ancient Centro district. Photo \/ Unsplash<\/p>\n
Details<\/p>\n
Getting there<\/p>\n
From Madrid\u2019s Puerto de Atocha station, a direct train to Granada takes three and a half hours. Reservations are required and first-class seats are \u20ac16 each way. From Seville, a direct train to Granada takes two and a half hours. Reservations are required and first-class seats are about \u20ac30 each way. There are also upscale buses and private car services, like Daytrip, which I used.<\/p>\n
Where to stay<\/p>\n
Granada has many options when it comes to accommodations, from five-star hotels in former monasteries (like the Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula) to iconic luxury hotels like the Alhambra Palace Hotel, but there are more affordable options like the Boutique Hotel Luna or Airbnbs.<\/p>\n
The writer travelled independently.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getting lost in Granada\u2019s winding streets Granada\u2019s central neighbourhood \u2013 the aptly named Centro \u2013 features wide pedestrian-friendly…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23145,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[12339,12335,11919,994,6165,10766,12338,10237,12331,12332,3245,12337,1079,12341,109,1152,4175,357,12342,12334,12336,12333,12340],"class_list":{"0":"post-23144","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-seville","8":"tag-authentic","9":"tag-beats","10":"tag-buzz","11":"tag-cities","12":"tag-city","13":"tag-comes","14":"tag-compact","15":"tag-gets","16":"tag-granada","17":"tag-guide","18":"tag-most","19":"tag-neighbouring","20":"tag-quiet","21":"tag-rebecca","22":"tag-seville","23":"tag-spanish","24":"tag-this","25":"tag-travel","26":"tag-treon","27":"tag-walkable","28":"tag-when","29":"tag-why","30":"tag-writes"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23144","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23144"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23144\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}