For more information and to book please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or let us arrange your whole trip, by calling +44 (0)20 8987 4312 or from the USA dial 1 866 610 3867.
500 years ago, when the Moors were driven out of Granada, Boabdil, the last sultan, is said to have wept as he turned his back on his beautiful palaces. Looking at the city today, it’s easy to understand his grief. Chief of Granada’s attractions is Alhambra, the vast complex of forts and palaces that sits sentinel above the city, commanding spectacular views and drawing hordes of tourists year round. From its famous turrets, you can gaze over the city to Albayzín, a winding maze of hilly streets that was once the Moorish citadel and is now a good place to stop for a mint tea and a hookah pipe in of the many teterias (tea shops). Further uphill you come to Sacromonte, the gypsy barrio that gave the world flamenco, where many of the homes are actually caves built into the hillside. Down in the city-centre, Granada’s Spanish past takes centre-stage at the Capilla Real, the chapel that houses the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabel, the royal couple who not only ousted the lamenting Boabdil, but also sent Columbus on his first world-changing voyage of discovery.
Granada is one of the few cities left in Spain that still offers free tapas. Join the locals at around 9pm for the evening bar-hop, enjoying a whistle-stop tour of the local cuisine as you go. You’ll be given a tapa with each drink, with the dish often increasing in quality and complexity the more drinks you buy. Calle Navas is the best place to start…
…a handmade Spanish guitar – there are numerous instrument makers working in the city and their guitars are among the best in the world.
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Granada
The Hospes group’s 21st-century take on the 19th-century Palacio de los Patos has created a boutique hotel in Granada that – like the city itself – offers visitors the comforts of the present without forgetting the grandeur of the past.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
2 January Street parades and cultural events mark the anniversary of the Catholic conquest of Granada in 1492. February Carnival comes to Granada. May The Rocket Festival – head to the village of Alahama de Granada for four days of music and DJs in the Andalucian sunshine (www.rocketfestival.com). September The last Sunday of the month is devoted to Granada’s patron, the Virgen de las Angustias and the festival brings processions, floral offerings, bullfights and dancing to the city.
This small rustic-looking pastelria on one of the city’s main thoroughfares has made a name for itself thanks its pastries.
39 Calle Reyes Católicos, Granada 18001, Spain
A Moroccan-style teashop serving super-sweet mint teas, pistachio and almond pastries and hookah pipes with fruit-flavoured tobaccos. If you’re lucky, you might catch a belly dancer performing.
4 Calle Calderería Nueva, Granada 18010, Spain
Unassumingly located, but an essential foodie stop-off, this incredible restaurant serves artfully prepared Andalucian cuisine to an ever-packed formal dining room. There’s a tapas bar by the entrance too.
1 Calle Albahaca, Granada 18006, Spain
Located within the Alhambra walls, and boasting wonderful views of the gardens, this hotel restaurant serves classic local dishes in the pretty courtyard of what was once a mosque.
Calle Real de la Alhambra, Granada 18009, Spain
International, but with a firm not to Andalucian culinary tradition, the cuisine at the Hospes Palacio de los Patos hotel’s minimalist restaurant is exquisitely prepared and presented with artistry.
1 Calle de Solarillo de Gracia, Granada 18002, Spain
This attractive, bustling little tavern is one of the most popular tapas bars in the city and a great place to try the local jamón de Trevelez.
1–3 Calle Almireceros, Granada 18010, Spain
Unusually, this popular bar serves tapas with a North African twist – the chef can do impressive things with chickpeas.
17 Calle Jardines, Granada 18002, Spain
Housed in a 19th-century home, this popular tapas bar and restaurant is more comfortable than most, with a sheltered hacienda-style patio and excellent food.
12 Calle Hospital de Santa Ana, Granada 18009, Spain
A large, labyrinthine late-night bar on one of Granada’s most nightlife-friendly thoroughfares, this ochre-hued party hive mixes some excellent, reasonably priced cocktails.
19 Carrera del Darro, Granada 18010, Spain
Once a grain warehouse, now one of the city’s most vibrant nightspots, El Príncipe maintains on upmarket policy on both dress and music, with high timbered ceilings and a house/electronica playlist. There’s tapas available into the small hours.
Calle Campo del Príncipe, Granada 18009, Spain
©2009 Mr & Mrs Smith
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