Granada

After years of wanting to visit Granada and the Alhambra Palace, I finally made it there in the spring and what a perfect time of year it was to visit. At the foothills of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada, this vibrant city is truly mesmerizing.

We booked flights to Malaga as we were spending the rest of the week in Nerja. It was around an hour and 30 minutes’ drive to Granada and this was very straight forward until we reached the the Albayzin (old Arab quarter) where the roads are extremely narrow. Our apartment was absolutely beautiful though and had two separate bedrooms and a lovely courtyard. It also had Netflix which the kids certainly appreciated after walking round all day.

We headed straight for Mirador San Nicolas to watch the sunset over the Alhambra Palace. The square was filled with tourists, students and buskers entertaining them with juggling and tightrope stunts. We decided to stop in the pretty mosque gardens next to it to avoid the crowds. One morning we got up early and climbed up through the labyrinth of quiet streets to the Mirador San Nicolas for the sunrise at 7.45am. With only a few people up there, we had this amazing view all to ourselves.

The first day was spent exploring the Alhambra Palace and we booked an early slot at 9am which was definitely a good idea. It was of course still busy but we could enjoy the palace without too many crowds and take plenty of uninterrupted photos. Starting at the Nasrid Palace (which you have a specific timeslot for), we were amazed at every corner by the intricate geometrically carved ceilings, colourful mosaic tiles and arched windows looking out over the city. The Patio de los Leones is exceptionally stunning with a fountain channelling water through the mouths of 12 marble lions. The stucco work is exquisite with an almost lace-like detail. The audio headsets kept the kids busy going from one stop to the next.

The Generalife, the summer estate dating back to the 14^th century is a soothing and elegant mix of fountains, pathways and patios where you can enjoy the abundance of flowers in bloom. The trickling water channels running throughout the gardens and also in the palace itself are delightful. You can also explore the Alcazaba and climb up to the top for sweeping views over Granada’s rooftops. Tickets are available to book online around 3 months in advance and sell out quickly so get in there early. Visit the Alhambra website to book your tickets.

In the afternoon we wandered over to the magnificent cathedral which is the fourth largest cathedral in the world. Like many cathedrals in Spain, it is an attractive fusion of architectural styles from gothic to renaissance. The interior is stunning with a series of grand white piers and a 30-metre-high dome surrounded by beautiful stained-glass windows.

On the second day, we decided to take the bus out to the village of Monachil where you can then venture on to the Los Cahorros trail. You can reach Monachil by taking bus 183 (from Monday to Saturday) and bus 181 (on Saturday afternoon, Sunday and holidays). These buses leave from Paseo de los Basilios —next to Puente Blanco. You can find the bus timetable here: http://siu.ctagr.es/en/horarios_lineas_tabla.php?from=1&linea=933

To break up the walk from the Albayzin quarter and keep our energy levels up for the hike (good excuse anyway), we stopped for churros con chocolate. This indulgent mid-morning snack just has to be eaten whilst in Spain. Churros are light, airy and crisp and served with a thick, almost custard like hot chocolate. Almost like a ritual, the cafes all over the city are full of people enjoying them.

The scenic walk takes you along the river and then over four hanging bridges. As you continue on, you will walk and crawl under boulders along the narrow paths, much to my children’s delight. You then come to a valley with mountains all around you. We stopped here to enjoy our picnic. The next part was quite a steep climb but worth it for the views. Heading back into Monachil you are surrounded by fragrant blossoming almond trees. Towards the end of the walk, we came to Restaurante El Puntarron and had a much-appreciated drink and of course free tapas and admired the views over the valley below before heading back to the bus stop.

Granada is a great place to try tapas as it is one of the few places in Spain where with every drink you buy, they bring you a free tapas dish. The traditional Bodegas Castaneda is a popular choice with locals and tourists. This loud and vibrant bar with serrano ham hanging from the ceilings and a stuffed bulls head on the wall serves up classic tapas in hearty portions. We also enjoyed lovely wine and tapas at Mas Que Vinos tapas bar with its cosy but buzzing atmosphere at a reasonable price. Los Italianos ice cream was recommended to us and it didn’t disappoint. With queues out the door, this classic ice cream parlour offers every flavour you can think of.

As I was travelling with my children, I didn’t get chance to visit one of the many hammams but it would make a wonderful serene afternoon relaxing in the steam baths with low arched passageways and pretty mosaics. Another must do if you get chance would be to spend the evening in one of the intimate late-night flamenco clubs which are supposed to be some of the best in Spain.

After a fantastic stay in Granada, we took a scenic 1 hour drive to the coast and spent the rest of our holiday in the pretty resort of Nerja.