GRANADA

Often when we think of a good destination to visit on our holidays we think of visiting a stranger country but in our country there are many beautiful places that we can visit. One is Granada.

Granada is located in Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is the capital of one of the seven provinces that form it.

Granada is a city that receives a lot of tourism due to its monuments, its proximity to the ski resort of Sierra Nevada and the history of the city.

It is a city where there are many monuments to visit but best of Granada is walking the streets and enjoy the food.

If you visit Granada you need to visit the Alhambra and the Generalife. The Alhambra is the most visited monument in Spain. In 2012 visited the Alhambra 3million people. This monumental complex was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984. The Alhambra is a walled city within the city of Granada which includes palaces, gardens, fountains and playgrounds along with stunning views.

It consists of several elements among which are:

•         The citadel
•          The Royal House
•          The lions playground
•         Comares Palace
•          Palace of Charles V

If you do not want to stay without making your visit we advise you book your ticket in advance, as it maybe that when you get to the Alhambra there are no tickets available. We also recommend you bring comfortable shoes, camera and raring to go and investigate all corners of the monument.

Another interesting monument to visit is the Cathedral of Granada which was built by Isabel la Católica immediately after the conquest and the largest mosque in Granada, this temple is a masterpiece of Spanish Renaissance.

If you visit Granada you must not miss the Plaza Nueva, is the oldest in Granada. All around are several important buildings such as the Chancery or House of Pisa. From this square if we take the Elvira street we start our walk towards the neighborhood of Albaycín.

The district of Albaycín is different from the rest of Granada. Has a Muslim air coming from the XI century when it was installed in this neighborhood the first Muslim court in Spain, the Zirid court. It is the perfect place to take a walk, sit in bars and discover beautiful places that are not in the tourist guides. The Albaycín is a neighborhood to be lived.

Near the city of Granada is interesting to visit the Alpujarra:           

La Alpujarra is a historic region that is divided between the provinces of Granada and Almeria. La Alpujarra Granadina is a region located in the province of Granada and consists of 25 municipalities: Almegíjar, Alpujarra de la Sierra, Bérchules, Bubión, Busquístar, Cádiar, Cáñar, Capileira, Carataunas, Cástaras, Juviles, Lanjarón, Lobras, Murtas, Nevada, Órgiva, Pampaneira, Pórtugos, Soportújar, La Taha, Torvizcón, Trevélez, Turón, Ugíjar. But the most important towns in La Alpujarra are:

·         Lanjaron:  famous for its mineral water and its large spa.

·         Orgiva: being the capital.

·         Pampaneira: one of the most typical for its narrow streets and white washed villages.

·         Bubión: for its breathtaking views from the ravine.

·         Capileira: the Plaza del Calvario and the Alpujarreño Museum of Arts and the famous popular mores.

·         Trevélez: It is the highest village in the peninsula is very famous for his “jamón serrano”.

The best activities to undertake in La Alpujarra include hiking and horse riding.

GASTRONOMY

Besides the charm of the city and its monuments, the best of Granada is its food. Do not miss the "quinto + tapa" typical of there. The typical food of Granada is influenced by Muslim.

Some of the Granada regional dishes are the beans with ham, pot of San Antón, the Andalusian gazpacho, kid with garlic and Tortilla Sacromonte. And in La Alpujarra it is typical Alpujarreño plate, alpujarreñas crumbs, the rusks of Pampaneira and the partridges of Lanjarón.

Finally, we must remember that if you do not like walking, better not go to Granada.