{travel} a romantic getaway to granada, spain

{the view from our airbnb flat}

Granada, you captured my heart so effortlessly and quickly last year that I didn't even see it coming. You were rainy, cold, and filled with people and Easter procesiones, but it didn't matter. I fell completely in love from the very first moment I laid eyes on the majestic Alhambra. I wandered through the gardens of the Generalife Palace in complete wonder and drank in the intricate carvings inscribed in all of the walls of the Nasrid Palace for what seemed like hours. I took photo after photo, each time exclaiming how disappointing it was that my camera couldn't fully capture the beauty of what I was seeing with my own two eyes. Our two days in Granada in 2013 went by all too quickly, and I vowed to come back again before my time in Spain was up. So when Alex and I were planning his spring break trip to come see me I knew that we had to sacrifice a few days in Madrid to get to know Granada's more romantic side together.

{sitting on the wall at the Mirador de San Nicolas}

I went to Granada in 2013 with three of my girlfriends during our spring break from work. We spent a lot of our time in the area directly around the cathedral and Plaza Nueva, only venturing up into the Albayzin for a view of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolas and a flamenco show. I knew that I wanted to get to know the barrio with a gypsy soul much better my second time around, so Alex & I booked an airbnb apartment in the area. Best. Decision. Ever. We absolutely loved our stay at the EcoConscious Moorish House & totally recommend it for anyone planning on traveling to Granada. The top picture in this post shows the view we had from our building's terrace. Enough said.

I'm going to try something new and break this post up into three sections - sights, eats, & ambiance. Let me know if you like the new format. Five years of blogging and still trying to get it right. ;)

{travel|} granada, andalucía, españa

I need to catch up on my trip journals before I go to any more cities!

Granada, Spain is quite possibly one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to. Florence, Italy has been at the top of that list since I visited it at the age of 13, but Granada really just knocked it from its number one spot. I have never been more enchanted by a city.

Granada is a city filled with mystery and surprise. Every alleyway is a picture perfect scene with windy roads, old stone stairs, and adorable houses and businesses.

The main drag of Granada is Calle Gran Via de Colon, but taking a walk to Plaza Nueva and continuing down the road by the creek will eventually lead you to La Alhambra.

Calle Reyes

Granada is known for being extremely generous with their free tapas portions. Check out any bar, order a caña (small beer) or a copa de vino (glass of wine) and wait for the plate of tapas to come before you order anything off of the menu. You just might be able to fill up by hopping around to different bars and restaurants.

Chopitos - tiny fried cuttlefish. They are similar to calamari.

Granada is also known for its Moroccan & Arabic markets. These markets fill tiny little alleys with touristy items, leather bags, knick knacks, incense, tea shops, and more. 

One of the market entrances near the Cathedral in the center of Granada.

We went during Semana Santa (Holy/Easter Week), so we ran into a ton of procesiones. The parades in Andalusia are famous around the world. 

One of the Catholic brotherhoods parading through the streets of Granada.

Most parades ended at the Cathedral.

Although I was already enchanted by the city center of Granada, my love for this city was taken to a whole new level during our time spent in the Alhambra. It was once a Moorish palace when the Islamic leaders were in power in Spain, and then became a place for the famous post-Reconquista rulers, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel, to rule from as well.

View from the Generalife Gardens' summer palace.

Walking back down the rest of the grounds from the gardens.

View from the Alcazaba - an old fort on the grounds.

The famous Nazaries Palace. 

It is said that this was the place where Isabel and Ferdinand officially granted Christopher Columbus the go-ahead to explore the New World.

After hiking back down from the Alhambra, we went and ate some much needed tapas. After that, we went back to our hostel and relaxed until it was time for our flamenco show! We purchased a ticket earlier in the day for a flamenco show with dinner and a drink for 35 euros at a restaurant called Jardines de Zoraya. I highly recommend that you check out this show if you visit Granada. Andalusia is known for its huge flamenco culture. This restaurant seems to be one of the best places to go to get a glimpse of it in Granada. Check out all of the TripAdvisor reviews as well!

The show was intimate and passionate, and the food was great. What more can you ask for?

Another cool thing about this restaurant is the location. It was a five minute walk to the "Mirador de San Nicolas," a famous place to get a great view of the Alhambra day or night.

So magical.

Trip overview:

• Travel Connections: We took a 5 1/2 hour Alsa bus ride from Madrid. I don't think that the speedy Ave trains travel to Granada, so a train ride takes just about as long as a bus. We then took a bus to Cordoba.
• Where we stayed: Funky Meridiano - great location in the city center with a friendly staff. We stayed in a four-girl room (which worked out for us because it turned into a private room). The room was clean, but there was only one plug that would fit our adapters. One other plug existed in the room, and it barely just fit my Spanish phone's plug. The wifi signal was also very weak inside of our room. These were definite annoyances, but not a reason to completely discount this place. 3/5.
• Highlights of my trip: Tapas. Alhambra. Flamenco show and dinner at Jardines de Zoraya. Wandering the streets and exploring.

I did not have nearly enough time to fully explore beautiful Granada during our two days there. I can't wait to go back again someday.

Look out for new blog posts on the following cities soon: Cordoba, Sevilla, London, and Valencia. :) 

{travel} explore granada, spain

Hi friends! I have a lovely blog friend blogging today who has lived in one of the southern cities in Spain that I am headed to this week during my Semana Santa break! I hope you enjoy her travel tips for the beautiful city of Granada - I know I did. :) Thank you Kimmie! xx

Hi guys! My name is Kimmie, I blog over at Mornings at Pannikin, and I recently started my own company, Harriet Ann Creative! I have been following Jen's amazing European/Spanish adventure and was so excited when she asked me to guest post about Granada!

I lived in Granada for six months during my "gap year." Gap year's the time between high school and college, most Americans don't take any time off, but 1 to 3 year gap years are very common for Europeans and well, almost everyone else!

Granada is a place that is near and dear to my heart, and even though it has been quite a few years since I have been back, but there are a couple of places that are not to be missed!

1. The first and most obvious is the Alhambra. It use to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world, and it lives up to all the wonder and hype! The Alhambra started as a fortress in the war, and turned into a royal palace, and looks as such. The best comparison I can make is that the Alhambra is to Spain, what Versailles is to France! I never took a formal tour, but if you have the time I would recommend it. I opted for the audio tour the first time, and then stuck with tour books and exploring on my own. If you are limited on time, go with the tour guide! There is so much history, and so many stories that it makes the experiences far better!  

2. Granada is an amazing walking town. You can easily see all you need to by foot. And part of the charm of the city is the things you will encounter while walking here to there. With that being said Calle Acera del Darro, is one the best streets to explore. In the fuerte de las Batallas is my favorite square. It is surrounded with cafes, restaurants, street performers, and an amazing fountain. They have about 10 gyro shops on every street, and this street is no different! I use to love stopping to pick one up on my way home from school and people watch!  Plaza Nueva is another great square. Full of restaurants  cafes, and live music.

3.  If you follow Calle Reyes along the river you will end up walking along the bottom of the Alhambra. If you keep following it up the mountain will come to the San Nicolas Plaza, the best view of the city and the Alhambra. Again, filled with cafes, music, and breathtaking views! When you are walking up and down, you are walking through the Albaicin district, be sure to stop in one of the many tea shops! They are a cant miss when visiting Granada. 

4. Last but not least, check out the markets! There are quite a few scattered through out the city and the locations/ times change. There are flowers, food, clothes, everything you could want!</ div>

And last but not least, I know Jen will be there during Semana Santa and the festivities during the week are not to be missed! It is similar to Mardi Gras, or Carnaval! My favorite was the weekend parades!  

I want to thank Jen for having me, and letting me relive my time in Granada! I cant wait to see your photos and hear about your time in this amazing city! 

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