All this, at a good price
stay in full Albaicin to feel the true Arab essence of the city. There are charming hostels at very good prices. Once you're settled in, a perfect view to position yourself is from the Saint Nicholas' lookout . If you are lucky and arrive at sunset, you will be able to enjoy one of the most beautiful views of the Alhambra with Sierra Nevada on your left.
to take the first Alhambra beer or cane (with cover included) and immerse yourself in the heart of the social life of the Albaicín, we recommend you go through the long square , specifically by ** La Porrona **, a gypsy tavern par excellence with a large gallery on its walls and a wonderful outdoor terrace. the porry, who runs the place, was one of those in charge of put on a show for obama's wife, "Mojama ", for the friends of Granada.
The 'must' of the city
Since it is better to enjoy the Albaicín during the day and enjoy its terraces in the sunshine, head towards the caves of the gypsies of Sacromonte (the traditional suburb of the gypsies) to pay you a flamenco tribute and discover the goblin that inhabits them. The caves of Sacromonte they were excavated in the 16th century by those marginalized after the reconquest: Jews, Muslims and gypsies.
Some of them today house performances for tourists, others are just bars , so we look for one that is a bar and whose show does not have a cost (because they are usually around €30). To hit the chosen cave, it is best to consult as soon as you enter the bar or previously in the Yuzin guide that you will find for free in bars and pubs in the city center. We recommend the El Pibe cave (Camino del Sacromonte, 41).
Caves in Sacromonte
If the next day you decide visit the Alhambra (you can do it during the day or at night), when you leave it is time for you to snack on something. A charming place in the Albaicín to have a beer with a tapa on its terrace is the Torcuato (calle Pagés, 31; cane plus tapa, €2.10). His restaurant is a good option for the deepest pockets.
For those who don't, we'll take the second cane in the Kiki's Bar (Plaza San Nicolás, 9) and we'll head to the new city to have a few more beers (at €1) and eat either tapas with beers or very cheaply at the aliatar (Calle San Sebastián, 4) where you will find a selection of hot sandwiches of the most varied and of various sizes (from €2.30). Try the one from broad beans with ham or San Francisco with homemade mayonnaise . Some of Granada's classic tapas bars are in the Navas street. One of them is The diamonds (Calle Navas, 28) to try their little fish if your pocket allows you this incursion (be patient because it is always full).
The richest little fish on Navas street
To drink a nice coffee accompanied by jazz music in a cozy and different place, we recommend that you spend some time at Bohemian Jazz Cafe (Plaza de los Lobos, 11).
The best coffee, with jazz
If the weather is with you, the last morning you spend in the city climb to the highest part of Sacromonte and make the journey that reaches the Vereda de Enmedio Viewpoint walking through its alleys and passing through the caves-residences inhabited many by foreigners, students and artists.
Some of the viewpoints that you will find they have some of the best panoramic views of the Alhambra, the Generalife, the Silla del Moro, the lower Albaicín and the city center . Prickly pears, fountains, squares, hanging clothes and cats in the sun... await you in one of the most magical places in the city.
The Sacromonte neighborhood, a labyrinth of art in vein
HOW TO GET
Forget more expensive transport. Adapt to the new times and grab a place in blablacar or by bus and get to the destination for a very interesting price. Bus ticket (Madrid-Granada, round trip, €36.50/person).
To get to the Albaicín, take a bus that will take you from the station door to Gran Vía (line 33; €1.20 each ticket). Get off at the stop in front of the Granada Cathedral, where the Catholic Monarchs are buried, and there take line 31 that goes up to the Albaicín (a route that you can perfectly walk along the Paseo de los Tristes and the Cuesta del Chapiz, but if you are loaded it is more recommended that you take this minibus).
VISIT TO THE ALHAMBRA Don't forget to buy the tickets almost a month in advance especially if you are going to travel on certain dates. To go up to the Nasrid Palaces, walk the path . Take the path that runs along the Cuesta de los Chinos that starts on the banks of the Darro. It is worth the tour and allows you to get into a situation to visit the complex. The Alhambra has three well-differentiated parts : the interior of the Nasrid Palaces, the Alcazaba and the Generalife gardens. The latter plus Palace of Charles V They are free to visit so you don't necessarily have to pay to wander around the complex.
The complete visit will take approximately two hours (to visit the Nasrid Palaces, the Alcazaba and the Generalife, €13 ) .
The viewpoints of the Alhambra
WHERE TO SLEEP
Accommodation in the heart of the Albaicín, at Hostal Moni (HD: from €40/night with breakfast included). In the oldest and most beautiful neighborhood of Granada, there are small squares where it is worth have some beers accompanied by some free tapas , and other calmer and quieter ones where you can rent a room.
Hostal Moni, in the quiet Plaza de San Bartolomé, is just a few steps from some of the most attractive corners of this high-rise neighborhood that was one of the old nuclei of Muslim Granada . The hostel has a wonderful terrace with views of the rooftops of the neighborhood and the bell tower of the church of San Bartolomé. There you can have breakfast sitting in the sun or inside its warm common kitchen.
*** You may also be interested in...**
- The Alhambras of Granada
- All items of Rosa Marques