Mainland and Balearic Islands

Granada

A thousand and one reasons to get lost in its alleys

Enjoying a sunset in Sacromonte, a quiet walk through the Albaicín neighbourhood, visiting the Alhambra, tasting its tapas and exquisite gastronomy, its people…

Granada has an unmistakable atmosphere with its cobbled streets and a constant comings and goings of people happy to be where they are. There are enough reasons to choose this Andalusian province to spend a few days discovering its marked contrasts.

The Alhambra: this is the city, fortress and palace built by the monarchs of the Nasrid dynasty of the Kingdom of Granada. Inside you can visit the Justice Gate and the Access Pavilion, the Generalife, the Patio del Ciprés de la Sultana, the Convent of San Francisco, the baths of the mosque, the Partal, the Palace of Charles V, the Nasrid palaces, the Alcazaba, etc.

The Cathedral of Granada: symbol of the glory of the Catholic Monarchs after their conquest in 1492. Filled with works of art by artists of the time, the cathedral is a jewel of the Spanish Renaissance.

The Royal Chapel: The Catholic Monarchs decided to be buried here. It forms part of the Cathedral complex, together with the Cathedral, the Church of the Sagrario and the Lonja.

Albaicín quarter: this is the oldest quarter of Granada, being of Muslim origin even before the construction of the Alhambra. The Zirid dynasty built their royal palace here in the 11th century as well as the city's Great Mosque.

Cartuja Monastery: a religious complex where the Carthusian monks lived for three centuries. Construction began in the 16th century on the site of an old Arab carmen, making it one of the most important works of Spanish Baroque architecture.

Basilica of San Juan de Dios: together with the Cartuja Monastery, this basilica is one of the best examples of a Baroque church in Granada. It houses the tomb of the saint of the sick, since in 1737 the Hospitaller Order of San Juan de Dios ordered the building of a basilica to house the remains of the saint.

The Camarín de la Virgen del Rosario: a jewel of the Hispanic Baroque, this palace was built in 1725 to house the image of the Virgin of the Rosary.

The Carmen de los Mártires: a famous carmen and garden built over the old dungeons of the Christian captives in Nasrid times.

Broad beans with ham and fried egg: any vegetable garden in Granada sows broad beans, which are planted around October and harvested from March onwards. They are a delicious dish when cooked with onion, a few slices of ham and a couple of fried eggs.

Sacromonte omelette: typical omelette from Granada, made with various types of offal, especially mutton brains and criadillas. Breadcrumbs, peas and walnuts are also added.

Remojón granadino: of Arabic origin, this dish is made from peeled and chopped oranges with oil, onion or spring onion, desalted cod and black olives.

Olla de San Antón: a stew of beans and dried broad beans to which meat products from the slaughter of the pig are added, such as the backbone, the cheek, the ear, the tail and the lean ham.

Choto al ajillo: the main ingredient in this dish is kid meat. It is browned with garlic and peppers, soaked in wine and then a sauce of fried bread, white wine and almonds is added.

Plato alpujarreño: a simple stew made with cured ham, lomo de orza, longaniza sausage, black pudding and potatoes with fried egg.

Puchero de hinojos: this dish is made with white beans flavoured with the green fennel sprouts and various pork products such as lean meat, black pudding or ham bone are added.

Zalamandroña salad: this dish is made with sun-dried vegetables, mainly pumpkin, dried tomato, courgette and roasted pepper. Black olives and crumbled cod are also added. All these ingredients are mixed with pine nuts and chopped onion, and finally a black pepper and oregano dressing is added.

Sardine moraga: in an earthenware casserole, add the sardines bathed in white wine, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, parsley and salt.

Soplillos de la Alpujarra: a typical dessert of Arabic origin made with eggs, sugar, almonds and lemon.

Piononos de Santa Fe: a small cake made of a thin sheet of sponge cake rolled into a cylinder and filled with a very sweet liquid and topped with toasted cream.

The option of acquiring the Granada Card is a good alternative for those who wish to visit the most iconic places in Granada. This voucher includes entry to the Alhambra and other important monuments and museums in Granada, as well as nine trips on the city bus.

The best times to visit the city are spring and autumn, preferably avoiding July and August. Regardless of when you visit, it is important to remember that there is a temperature difference between day and night.