Steeped in history and home of the world´s greatest monuments, Granada attracts visitors from all over the world.

The Alhambra Palace is a palace and fortress complex which heralds from the time of Moorish rule in Granada and was built by Yusuf I in 1348. Once the residence of muslim rulers, this stunning building is now one of Spain´s most popular tourist attractions, and exhibits the country´s most famous Islamic architecture.  To fully explore the Alhambra, take a few days to leisurely stroll round the amazing gardens and fortresses.

There is much more to Granada than the Alhambra Palace.  This cosmopolitan, vibrant city boasts some amazing tapas bars and restaurants, along with some of the best nightlife in southern Spain.  The accommodation is both diverse and competitively priced.

Many of the bars still offer a free tapa with every drink, and Granada is one of only a few Spanish cities who still uphold this custom.  There are many different stories about how tapas originated, but it is quite likely that as the word tapa means cover, that each alcoholic drink used to be covered with a small plate offering a tasty morsel to the drinkers.  This lessened the affects of the alcohol, as the drinkers did their rounds of the bars.

I would personally recommend the El Mediterráneo Bar on the corner of C/Gracia and Verónia de la Magdalena. Combining fine Spanish specialities with a Turkish/Greek twist, the tapas here are delicious.  Try the mezze, or the tsatziki and houmous dip with Greek bread.  Wild mushrooms with garlic butter, feta cheese and plump prawns are also used in many of the dishes, and diners are spoilt for choice with a wide range of superb meat, fish and vegetable offerings.

The best place to find good restaurants is close to the Alhambra, at Albaicin. Here you will find eateries to suit all tastes and budgets.  Although many Andalucian specialities are widely served, if you fancy something different, you can also find French, Japanese, Thai and even Mexican cuisine in this part of the city.
Accomodation ranges from the luxurious hotels, such as highly acclaimed Vincci Granada Hotel, and the impressive 19th Century Carmen Hotel, to the cheap and cheerful hostals, such as El Clandestino in C/ Mirador de Rolandos, 16, or the Oasis backpacker´s hostal in the centre of town.

Granada is a big student  city, and this may be the reason that the nightlife is amazing.  The best places for night owls are the areas of Pedro Antonio de Alarcón for the younger crowd, and Plaza Nueva for more sophisticated late night bars and clubs.  For a totally different dance and music experience, take a trip to the Las Cuevas del Sacromonte, where the gypsies have revived the tradition of spontaneous dance and music, called Zamba, in the caves and mountains of Sacromonte, where everyone is welcome.

No trip to Granada would be complete without a visit to Albaicin, which is the old Arabic quarter opposite the Alhambra Palace.  Typically Andalucian in appearance, whitewashed houses nestle around cobbled streets, quaint squares and patios.  Visitors can stroll around the gift shops, where many local handicrafts are made and sold, or enjoy lunch or dinner in one of the many local restaurants.  Local ceramics and pottery is sold widely and most is handmade in workshops behind the houses. Handicrafts made of leather, cloth and wrought iron are also common here, and woven cloth and patchwork can also be found in the Alpujarra district nearby.

Situated between the Costa del Sol and the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Granada is only an hour from the sandy beaches lapped by the Mediterranean, and very close to the mountains.  Some visitors spend half their holidays exploring this fascinating city and the mountains beyond, then spend a week on the Costa del Sol to catch some rays before returning home.

Owing to its location, the temperatures in Granada can top 40 degrees centigrade in the summer, but plummet below freezing during the winter months.

Many travellers to Granada still use Malaga Airport, which is about 1 hour´s drive away from the city.  But there are now many more flights coming into Granada Airport, which is more convenient for travellers visiting the city or the nearby Sierra Nevada.

Serving the provinces of Granada and Jaén, Granada Airport is also known as Federico Garcia Lorca Airport, after the city´s famous poet.  Situated 15km west of the city of Granada and 100km south of Jaén, the airport, serves both provinces, and is proving more and more popular with visitors to inland Andalucia. Visitors also enjoy easy access from the airport to increasingly popular destinations such as the Alpujarras, plus the coastal towns of the Costa Tropical, including Motril, Almunecar, Salobrena and La Herradura.
Although the majority of Granada´s traffic is domestic Spanish flights, passenger numbers have increased to nearly 1.5 million since Ryanair and Monarch started to operate international flights to and from the airport.  The number of flights into Granada is also increased during the winter season, when thousands of ski enthusiasts flock to the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Combine a trip to the Costa del Sol with some quality sightseeing in Granada – you won´t be disappointed.