Travelling to Spain goes well beyond visiting Barcelona and Madrid. Proof of this is the charming and historical Granada, a city that is not very popularized, but that is one of Europe’s historical and cultural preserves. One of the Arabian conquests on the Iberian Peninsula, later reconquered by Christians, the beautiful Andalusian city holds these important traces in its architecture and in the formation of its streets, as well as in its gastronomy and cultural activities. So, although it isn’t very trendy, Granada, which is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, has a place guaranteed on the map of the main tourist points in the Old Continent, thanks to its lovely palaces, gardens and temples that preserve traditions, but also hold a high degree of contemporaneity.
Beginning with the Alhambra, a fortress that is one of the loveliest places in the country, due to its constructions, built throughout the centuries by the Arabian and Christian kings that passed through there. These palaces are surrounded by beautiful gardens that guaranteed the title granted by UNESCO to Granada. Due to the great demand by tourists and the limited number of tickets, it is important to buy the tickets beforehand. Together with Alhambra, Albaicin formed the heart of the historical Muslim district of the city, holding numerous Arabian traces and flavors responsible for that same title of World Heritage site.
Another important place to visit in Granada is the Mirador de San Nicolás, situated in the old Arabian district of Albaicin. It’s a lookout with an unforgettable view, both in the morning and at night. For shopping, the tip is to go to the Calle de la Caldereria Nueva, as well as to the Alcaiceria, an ancient Arabian market that holds a variety of local handicrafts and souvenirs. It is near the Granada Cathedral, one of the most imposing works of the Spanish Renaissance – attached to the Capilla Real de Granada (Royal Chapel of Granada), home to the tombs of the Catholic monarchs.
Cookery
Arabian food is very present in the city’s routine, and can be found in every restaurant in town, in dishes served the same way as they are offered in the north of Africa. The good prices in the restaurants of the Calle Elvira are noteworthy. But when cookery is the subject, it isn’t Granada if you don’t eat a dozen tapas on a visit to the city, because the famous and delicious appetizers accompany any drink ordered in a restaurant. Speaking of drinks, visit the Teterias and feel like a real citizen of Granada, both contemporaneous and traditional, because the Teterias serve the traditional Arabian tea that passes from generation to generation.
