Overview to Granada: Travel Guide and Tourist Information
- Granada Information
- Eating & drinking in Granada
- Night life in Granada
- Getting around in Granada
- Things to do in Granada
- Where to stay in Granada
- Granada street map
Situated where the Sierra Nevada mountains meet the plain of the vega, the city of Granada is breathlessly romantic. With its wonderful historic quarters and heaving tapas and flamenco bars, it truly represents everything that’s so wonderful about traveling in Andalucia.
The first point of call will, almost inevitably, be the magnificent Alhambra Palace; a stunning Moorish pleasure palace complete with spectacular gardens. Looming over Granada – and visible from practically every angle – it’s hard to think of a more impressive backdrop to a city anywhere else in the world.
But sightseeing is far from confined to the wonders of the Alhambra and Granada is dotted with evocative quarters. Of these, the Albayzin, on the hill opposite, is a true marvel. Its narrow streets and whitewashed buildings hide dozens of fine houses and half-seen gardens.
Then there’s the Realejo (the former Jewish quarter to the south and west of the Alhambra), another crumbling network of alleyways that begs to be explored. Nothing can quite prepare you for the romantic onslaught of Granada, and the true essence of Andalucia.
The Cathedral (the final resting place of the catholic kings, Ferdinand and Isabella) is an imposing Gothic structure. Across town to the west, the Monastery of San Geronimo (frequently overlooked by visitors) has a mournful beauty.
Along the Paseo de los Tristes and out at the Puerta de Elvira, suggestive lumps of stonework – grand gates, walls and decorative arches – peek out here and there, hinting at the glories of Granada at its Moorish zenith.
The south of the city center (from Plaza Bib Rambla down towards Plaza de la Trinidad) is a bustling 19th century quarter of shops, bars and cafés. It’s also home to a fine covered market: noisy and colorful, it’s a fantastic place to shop for all manner of produce.
During the winter, the sun sets (best seen from the Mirador de San Nicolas, high up in the Albayzin) on the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains with the Alhambra in the foreground - an image that's nothing short of awe-inspiring.